Restoring God's Ideal
At First Church, we seek to make a difference in our world for Jesus Christ by connecting people to God and letting God transform lives. We believe it’s important to be a bridge to each other, our community and the world.
LAKE MICHIGAN BAPTISM
Lake Michigan Baptism Service
📅 Sunday, August 3, 2025
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Jean Klock Park, Benton Harbor
There’s nothing quite like witnessing lives transformed by Jesus—right on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Join us for one of the most powerful events of the year: our annual Lake Michigan Baptism Service. We’ll gather for a beautiful evening of worship, celebration, and public declarations of faith. Whether you’re coming to be baptized, support someone taking that step, or simply experience the joy of this moment—this is a night you won’t want to miss.
Want to be baptized?
If you’ve said “yes” to Jesus but haven’t yet been baptized, this is your opportunity to go public with your faith. Baptism is a step of obedience and a symbol of the new life we have in Christ.
Let’s celebrate new life in Christ—together.
This is my YES.
DO SOMETHING - COMMUNITY SERVE DAY
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Serving the Village of Eau Claire
Join us for Do Something, our annual Community Serve Day where all four First Church campuses come together as one church family with one mission: to serve and love the Village of Eau Claire in tangible, meaningful ways.
Whether you’re young or old, a seasoned volunteer or brand new to serving—there’s a place for you! We’ll tackle a variety of projects that directly bless local schools, parks, neighborhoods, and community spaces. From painting and landscaping to trash pickup, fire hydrant beautification, note writing, and lunch delivery, there are opportunities for every ability and energy level.
This is more than a service project—it’s a powerful way to live out our mission of Restoring God’s Ideal in real places, for real people, through real action.
Come with your small group, your family, or on your own—and let’s Do Something together!
JOURNEY OF PAUL
Meet Our Staff
David Colp | Lead Pastor
Pastor David Colp serves as Lead Pastor at First Church of God, St. Joseph, Michigan and was officially installed on Sunday, September 16, 2007.
Pastor Colp was born and raised in Marion, IL and was a member of the Marion First Church of God. He went on to graduate summa cum laude from Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with a BA in pastoral ministry. He also has a Master’s in Church Leadership from Regents University. He has served in pastoral positions in Oklahoma (1989-91), Illinois (1991-96) and Ohio. Previous to his current pastoral position at First Church in St. Joseph, he led the Breiel Boulevard First Church of God in Middletown, Ohio (1996-2007).
David currently serves as a member of the ministries council of the Church of God, the Church Health board for the State organization of the Church of God in Michigan and is the Regional Pastor for Southwest Michigan.
He has been married to his wife, Crystal, for over 30 years. They have two adult children, Caleb and Jacob.
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