First Baptist Church Tipton Oklahoma

Pastor Bro. Paul Beam - Pastor

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Some of the very first memories of my childhood are about church.  I can remember being in my Aunt Dorothy's Kindergarten Sunday School class as a young child and her teaching me about a Man named Jesus on a flannelgraph board.  She would tell stories about Him and we would color pictures of Him, but I really didn't understand what the big deal about Him was.

Going to church at Trinity Baptist Church in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma was something that my family just did.  I went to church with my immediate family, my Aunts, Uncles, and many of my cousins; it was a big family affair.  As I grew up, loving and obeying God meant staying out of trouble, going to church, and listening to my Mom and Dad.  And these are all good things that kids should do, but when I was 13 years old my concept of God began to radically change.

I remember listening to our pastor, Bro. Joe, one Sunday talk about being saved and that if Jesus has not saved us, then we are headed for hell. Well, that scared me! I had never been to heaven or hell, but from what I knew, I didn’t want to go to hell. At the end of the sermon, I knew that I needed something but I just didn’t know what that something was.

Over the next few days, I began asking my parents about what it meant to be saved. We discussed this a little, but they suggested that I talk with Bro. Joe about this. A couple of days later, Bro. Joe came by my house and began to answer my questions.

Bro. Joe said that the Bible tells us that we have all done wrong things in our life which the Bible calls sin.  Romans 3:23 says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."  And then he told me that because of that sin, we deserve death; and not just any kind of death, but an eternal death in a place called hell.  The first part of Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death..."  But he told me that there was hope.  The last part of Romans 6:23 says, "...but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." He said that God did not want eternal death for us, but eternal life. And that life is found in His Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay for our sins. Romans 10:9-10 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” And as he finished, he read I John 5:11-12 which says, "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."  He made it clear that if I wanted to go to heaven, then I must trust the sacrifice that Jesus made for us to take care of our sins and make us right with God.

As he finished telling me about how to know Jesus, something inside my heart began to stir. Bro. Joe asked me if I would like to invite Jesus in my heart and receive His salvation and I told him “yes”. Together we prayed, and on that Fall afternoon, I received Jesus as my Savior.

Now, I don’t pretend to say that I understood everything at 13 years old.  But I did understand that I was (and still am) a sinner, I believed that Jesus is God’s Son and that He came to this earth being born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the “wages” of my sins, and then He rose from the dead on the third day gaining the victory. And now, because of my confession of Jesus as my Savior and my belief of who He is, I know beyond any doubt that I have been saved from hell and one day I will be in heaven with Christ.

Are you sure of that in your life? If you are not, I would love to tell you how you can be sure. This is the desire of my heart and life. To helping people understand how they too can know Christ and have an active relationship with Him.

My wife Taima and I, joined the First Baptist family on August 1, 2011.  We have two beautiful children, Elias (2000) and Gade (2005).  We enjoy spending time with our family and watching our boys grow and mature in the Lord. 

I have a degree in Criminal Justice from East Central University in Ada, and a Masters and Doctorate in Religious Education from Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, Georgia. 

Prior to becoming Pastor of First Baptist Church, I served as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Sulphur, Oklahoma; Minister of Youth & Media at First Baptist Church in Perry, Oklahoma; Minister of Youth & Education at Calvary Baptist Church in Lindsay, Oklahoma; Minister of Youth at First Baptist Church of Olive in Drumright, Oklahoma; and Minister of Youth at First Baptist Church in Asher, Oklahoma.   

Dale Degan has been in bi-vocational and full-time music and youth ministry for the past 30 years. He and his wife Lois have served in churches in Oklahoma City, Friendship, Tipton (May '82-Nov. '87), Cordell, Altus, Eldorado, Valley View, Texas and Tipton (June of 2000 to present). Dale & Lois have twin daughters Audra Sherman and husband Chris and GRANDSON! Ethan Christopher Sherman of Altus, OK, and Allison Stroud and husband Travis and GRANDAUGHTERS!! Taylor Grace & Kanna Leigh of Frederick, OK . Dale and Lois both attended Galludet College for the Deaf in Washington, D.C. and work with deaf and hearing impaired. They have been on mission trips to Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, China, and Australia in affiliation with the Singing Churchmen and Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma. Dale retired from the U.S. Postal Service in '06 and is now employed by JCMH Home Health Products. They enjoyed traveling and spending free time with family.

Les Banks has been in the ministry for over 30 years. Les is married to Millie, they celebrated 28 years of marriage on September 3, 2008. They have two children and a grandson. Dawn is their oldest, who is married to Dean Morrison. Devin the youngest, currently resides in Chickasha. They have a two grandsons, Dawson born August 18, 2007and Dillon born September 23, 2010.  Les, also, serves as Director of Missions for Tillman Baptist Association. He has lived and served in Frederick for almost his entire life. He began his ministry with Tipton FBC on June 29, 2008.

Carl Ann Ward has been employed at First Baptist Church since April 11, 2006. During this time she has worked as Church Secretary, Sunday School Teacher for 1st & 2nd grade and prepares monthly FBC Newsletter. Carl Ann has worked for 26 years for United Supermarkets and 5 years in Human Resources for Jackson County Memorial Hospital. Her experience as been in bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, and recruiting. She married Bobby Ward on October 13, 2000 at First Baptist Church, Olustee, OK. Together they have eight children and four grand-children. Mack & Cynthia Mains, son Trey, Tony & Carla Fancher, sons Kolbie & Brayden, daughter Kaydee. Wesley, Cassie, Kayla and Caleb Ward. Carl Ann enjoys spending time with her family, grandchildren, friends, best friend, flower garden, and helping with the prayer ministry.