Historically, First Baptist Church has been a mission-minded congregation.    Many churches in Las Cruces and Dona Ana County have First Baptist Church roots. Fairacres Baptist Church, Organ Baptist Church, Hill Baptist Church, Grandview (now Calvary Baptist Church) Baptist Church, Westside Baptist Church, East Mesa Baptist Church, Sierra Vista Community Church and Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana all began through the prayerful efforts of First Baptist Church.  Calvary Baptist Church and First Baptist Church partnered to help start Valley View Baptist Church.  Currently, First Baptist Church is the sponsoring mother church for the Church at the Dream Center.

During the Great Depression the church was almost lost to creditors, but God’s grace saved the congregation and its property.

Over the years, all kinds of different ministries have found a place in the hearts of our members.  First Baptist Church has been a supporter of the Baptist Student Union (Now Christian Challenge) at New Mexico State University since 1932, when the organization came into being.  Today students who have attended the B.S.U. and First Baptist Church serve around the world as missionaries, pastors and Christian leaders.  Since 1967 First Baptist Church Baptist Church has sponsored the Small World Friendship Center, a literacy ministry to international people in the area.  In 1996 First Baptist Church launched the “Living Christmas Tree.”  This exciting presentation is a highlight of the Christmas Season in our community. Today a 50+ member choir makes up the tree. It features a computer-integrated lighting system which uses over 60,000 lights all programmed in sync with the live music.  These are just a few of the ways our members have sought to reach the community and the world for Christ.  Today we have embraced an Acts 1:8 strategy to engage our city, our state, our nation and our world for the glory of the Christ.

First Baptist Church is a family of faith with a passion for worship. We strive to draw individuals closer to God through many of worship styles. We are a united family with many differing tastes in worship. On Sunday mornings we offer a blended format of a contemporary and traditional worship, a time of powerful praise and celebration, and a traditional approach with hymns, a full choir, and periodically an orchestra.  We offer times of Bible study at 9:30 a.m. and at 11:00 a.m. every Sunday. Our G.R.O.W. Outreach program takes place every Sunday afternoon. Sunday Evenings are devoted to discipleship activities at University of Life.  Tuesday Nights we come together for Encounter, a time of prayer and praise where we fall deeper and deeper in love with God.

Since its inception, First Baptist Church has maintained strong ties to the Rio Grande Baptist Association, the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, and the Southern Baptist Convention.