About us
Our Vision
We are a multi-cultural, multi-dimensional, multi-generational community of faith supporting the local, national and global community. We do this through a personal relationship with God in worship, living in community with each other and serving our communities.
Our Mission
We are a community of faith committed to Outreach, Christian Education,
Christian Fellowship and Community Service.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Reverend Bell is the Senior Pastor of First Pilgrim Baptist Church, Camden, Delaware. She is known by her love for God and her love for people. Pastor Bell has a big heart and a warm smile that reaches out to all she meets. Her life expresses her desire to see all come to know Jesus and to live in relationship with other believers to fulfill their God given potential.
Pastor Bell was called as the Senior Pastor on February 22, 2015, after serving as the Assistant Pastor to Bishop Doreina Miles for 8 years. Pastor Bell has over 22 years of experience in ministry and has served in a variety of capacities, including Youth Pastor, Church Administrator and Children’s Pastor.
Pastor Bell has worked in the field of Health and Human Services for over 25 years. Her experience includes Organizational Leadership and Administration. She has held a number of board positions over the years. These positions have included The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dover & Vicinity; Executive Women International, Inc., an organization that brings together key individuals from diverse businesses for the purpose of; promoting member firms, enhancing personal and professional development, and encouraging community involvement; COPE, Inc. (Community Outreach Prevention and Education), and Covenant Sisters Inc., both of Delaware. She desires to see First Pilgrim become a church for the community where all are welcome.
Pastor Regina, as she likes to be called, most recently has started an outreach to the community, state, nation and the world with her weekly devotionals on social media, In addition she is the founder of “Arise Women’s Quarterly” a ministry to women in Delaware to strengthen their faith, purpose and influence. She is known as a student of the Bible and an outstanding preacher. Pastor Regina is called to this generation as a mentor, coach and Pastor of Pastors.
Pastor Regina is a native of Norfolk, Virginia. She is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. On August 29, 2015, Reverend Bell was installed as the 5th Senior Pastor of First Pilgrim Baptist Church, Camden, Delaware. She is married to Dr. Cardell Bell and together they have three adult children and they are the proud grandparents to seven: Christian, Layla, Ivy Rose, Myles, Serenity and Naomi Bell, and Maurice Clark.
She holds both an undergraduate and Masters in Ministry Degree from Christian World College of Theology - Camden Extension. She is a member of The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dover & Vicinity. She is also an adjunct instructor at The Christian World College of Theology - Camden Extension.
Pastor Bell accepts the assignment that God has given her, “… that all may know Him…” She continues to impact the kingdom of God by equipping and preparing other to propel into the fulfillment of their God-given purpose and potential.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
ARTICLES OF FAITH
God
We believe there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three equal persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the beginning, God demonstrated His power, wisdom, and goodness by creating the world and everything in it. Through His divine power and providence, God continues to sustain His creation, operating within history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
The Bible
We believe Scripture (Old and New Testaments) in its entirety originated with God and He revealed it to chosen authors. Scripture speaks with the authority of God while simultaneously reflecting the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of these human authors. We hold that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are infallible and inerrant; they are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. There are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
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Salvation
We believe that salvation is the work of redemption to the sinner. Originally created to be in relationship with God, mankind defied Him by going their own independent way, resulting in alienation from Him and the innate inability to please God. This fall took place at the beginning of human history; since then, all people have suffered these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God.
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The salvation of humanity is completely a work of God’s free grace; it is not in any way the result of human works or goodness. Each person can receive salvation by repentance and faith. God’s Word assures individuals that He will continue His saving work in them forever.
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Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the eternal second person of the Trinity, was fully united with a human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father, voluntarily paid the price for the sins of all people by dying on the cross as their substitute, and satisfied divine justice, bringing salvation to all who trust in Him alone. After His physical death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father as the only intercessor between God and humans. He promises to return to earth, personally and visibly, to fulfill history and the eternal plan of God.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s saving work by enlightening the minds of sinners to their need to be saved. He renews and indwells each believer upon salvation, becoming their source of assurance, strength, wisdom, and gifting for building up the church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Bible. Appropriated by faith, His power and control empower believers to lead a life of Christ-like character and bear fruit for the Father’s glory.
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Baptism
Baptism is an outward expression of an inward commitment to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe the decision to be baptized is up to the individual and that he or she must fully understand what it means to be a Christ follower.
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Communion
During Jesus’ last days, He gathered the disciples in a room and asked them to consume bread and wine “in remembrance” of Him. Two thousand years later, we regularly observe the act of consuming bread and grape juice as a community for the exact same reason—to remember our Savior, who sacrificed Himself for our sins.
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5-fold Ministries
We believe in the 5-fold ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) to equip believers in Christ to do the work of service.
HISTORY
Sometime around the middle of the year of 1953, Rev. Thomas E. Freeman, who at the time was a member of Union Baptist Church, felt that the Lord had a larger and more progressive work for him to do, the organizing of a Baptist church.
On October 20, 1953, at 8:00 pm, Dr. J.H. Williams accompanied by members of Union Baptist Church, went to Wyoming, Delaware with the following persons (all from Union Baptist Church): Charles H. Coston, Deacon Dennie Miller, Deacon Robert Filmore, Brother William Clayton, Brother Alfred Tatman, Rev. Thomas E. Freeman, Mrs. Frances E. Clayton, Mrs. Della Freeman and Mrs. Clara L. Matthews. With these persons, the church was organized. The Installation Service was held on the 8th day of November, 1953 and the dedicatory sermon was given by Dr. J. H. Williams. The text was taken from the third chapter of Joshua – Subject, “A New Experience”. In 1955, the church purchased an acre of land and decided to build a new church. Construction began on March 10, 1961 and was completed on February 20, 1962. Dedication services were held on March 18, 1962.
On August 11, 1977, the Founder and Pastor of the First Pilgrim Baptist Church, Rev. Thomas E. Freeman passed away, ending 24 years of faithful, dedicated service. A year later, in 1978 the church called Rev. Phillip H. Blake, Sr. as Pastor. Under his leadership, the church grew. He served until October of 1983. In May of 1984, Rev. Albert L. Walker was elected Pastor and served until October, 1987, when he relocated. It was at this point that the Holy Spirit led the church in a totally new direction. First Pilgrim called one of its own ministers, Minister Doreina C. Miles, who was ordained February 7, 1988 and installed as Pastor on March 27, 1988 of a small congregation of twenty. After 27 years of faithful, dedicated service, Bishop Miles retired to continue the work of ministry locally and abroad. On February 22, 2015, First Pilgrim called its 5th Senior Pastor and the installation service for The Reverend Regina L. Bell will held on August 29, 2015.