About Us | First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula

Our Mission

Our mission is to lead people to trust Jesus, thrive in the faith, and transform the world.

What We believe

For a concise but through summary of Baptist beliefs, click here for the Baptist Message & Faith.

Affiliations

First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula is non-denominational in the sense that we are autonomous and independently governed. In order to most effectively carry out Jesus' Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you," First Baptist Ponchatoula cooperates with other churches through the Northshore Baptist Association, the Louisiana Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention

Church History

First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula began meeting in 1901 with Reverend J.P. Harrington serving as pastor. In 1915, the church was formally organized with 35 members under the leadership of Reverend J.B. Polk. As the church grew, a building was constructed in 1925 with a seating capacity of 600.

From 1925-1960, FBC Ponchatoula experienced great growth under the leadership of some godly men. In 1961, the church called Dr. Lawrence Clegg to be pastor. During Dr. Clegg's tenure, FBCP reached new heights, baptizing 675 people!

In 2008, Dr. David E. Cranford was called to be Senior Pastor. Under Dr. Cranford's leadership, the church has progressed forward and positioned itself for growth. 2022 saw the beginning of the Emerge Next Gen Building Campaign with the aim of providing a place to disciple the next generation for many years to come. See Emerge to learn more about this exciting new time in the life of our church!