Kevin D. Spears was born on July 3, 1979 in DeKalb, Illinois and was raised in the small country town of Big Rock, Illinois. Kevin believed on the Lord Jesus Christ on March 5, 1997 after reading the plan of salvation from a Gospel tract he picked up from the foyer table of the church his parents had been attending.
Several years after he got saved, he was going through his keepsake box and found an autographed collector's card of former National Football Player, Don Beebe. Upon looking at the card he realized it was more than just an autographed football card, it was a Gospel tract.
He received that Gospel tract when he was a child in grade school from his recess monitor. The recess monitor who gave him the Gospel tract was Don Beebe's sister in law. He never read the Gospel tract/card when he received it, but put it into a protective sleeve. It only was only after he got saved that he realized God was trying to get ahold of his heart when he was a child.
On September 2, 1998, he surrendered to God's call on his life to be a pastor. He believed the Lord wanted him to return back home and minister to those in northern Illinois. He pursued this calling by studying at Commonwealth Baptist College in Lexington, Kentucky. He graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Theology.
At Commonwealth Baptist College, Kevin met Kimmie and they were married on April 18, 2003. The Lord has blessed them with three children, Isaac, Aaron, and Elias. From 2003 until the fall of 2008, he was on staff at Clays Mill Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Lord made it clearly known in 2008 that He wanted them to move to DeKalb area and begin a local church. So, in August of 2008, they packed up everything they had and by faith moved to DeKalb. Pastor Spears started Fellowship Baptist Church and they held their first church service on Sunday, November 2nd of 2008 in the Haish Gym.
Over the past 16 years, the Lord has allowed the church to reach many people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to help those who have been saved to grow spiritually, to support the work of worldwide missions, along with adding many ministries to the Fellowship Baptist Church. His strong remaining desire is to, "Hold Forth the Word of Life."
The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally, plenary, inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and practice. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. We believe that the King James Version of the Bible, preserved by God for English speaking people, shall be the official and only translation used by the church. (Psalm 12:6-7; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)
The Trinity
We believe in One Triune God eternally existing and manifested in three personal distinctions known respectively as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection and execute distinct but harmonious offices in work of redemption. (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 135:6; 18:30; 147:50; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:9; Philippians 2:5-6; I John 5:7)
The True God
We believe in one true God Who is personal, spirit, and sovereign; perfect, infinite and eternal in His being, holiness, love, wisdom, power. He is self-existent and self-revealing. (Psalm 135:6; 147:5; Mark 12:29, John 4:2)
The Saviour
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the second person of the triune God, the eternal Word and only begotten Son, our great God and Saviour. He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary; as a man He was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself freely in death upon the cross, bearing the sin of the world; that He rose again from the dead and glorified in the same body, ascended into Heaven and is now our advocate and intercessor. (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26-38; 24:1-8; John 1:1, 29; 3:16; 20:25-28; Titus 2:13)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, co-equal with the Father and the Son and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, bears witness to the truth, is the agent of the new birth and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God. (John 14:16,-17; Romans 8:14-27; I Corinthians 12:13; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:13-14)
The Person of Satan
We believe Satan is a personal being, a fallen angel, a prince of demons, the god of this age, the great enticer and deceiver, the adversary of Christ and His people, an accuser of the brethren, whose end is the lake of fire. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matthew 25:41; II Corinthians 4:3-4; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10; Revelation 20:10)
The Creation
We believe God created the world in seven literal, twenty-four hour days. (Genesis 1:1; Genesis 2:1-3)
The Fall of Man
We believe that man, in the person of Adam, was created in innocence, but by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God man became a sinful creature. By Adam’s sin, the entire human race has inherited a sinful nature and is alienated from God and have within themselves no possible means of remedy for this lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:10-19)
The Eternal State
We believe in a literal Heaven and Hell. Heaven is the place of eternal conscious joy for all who receive Jesus as their personal Saviour. Hell is the place of eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire for all who reject Jesus as Saviour. (John 8:24; Revelation 20:10-15)
The Way of Salvation
We believe that faith in the finished work (shedding of blood, death, burial, resurrection) of the Lord Jesus Christ in the only condition of salvation from sin. We believe this salvation is wholly by grace. We believe that once an individual is saved, they are eternally secure. (John 10:28; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Hebrews 9:22)
The Church
We believe the church is a congregation of immersed believers; associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His Word; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastor and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church, the Body of Christ, is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity, the subsequent baptism into the church of those who receive Christ, and the continuous training of believers in the teaching of Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:17-28; Ephesians 1:12; 22-23; Colossians 1:18)
The Ordinances of the Church
We believe there are two ordinances which are committed to the church which are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion in water for believers only that symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The second ordinance is the Lord’s Supper. It is a commemoration of His sacrificial death. The elements of the Lord’s Supper consist of unleavened bread and the unleavened (unfermented) fruit of the vine. (Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:26-29; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:2; 23-29)
The Work of Missions
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20)
Future Events
We believe the Scriptures teach that at death the spirit and soul of the believer pass instantly into the presence of Christ and remain in conscious joy until being reunited with the body at the resurrection when Christ comes in the air for His own. The blessed hope for the believer is the imminent, personal, pre-tribulation, pre-millennial appearance of Christ to rapture all believers. His righteous judgments will then be poured out on an unbelieving world during the Tribulation. The climax of this fearful era will be the physical return of Christ to the earth in great joy to introduce the Millennial Reign of Christ. During this 1,000 year reign, Satan will be bound. Following the Millennium, the Great White Throne judgment will occur at which time the bodies and souls of the wicked shall be reunited and cast into the lake of fire. Following this, God will create new Heavens and the new Earth. (Matthew 24:21; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 15:51-57; II Corinthians 5:8; I Thessalonians 4:14-17; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-6; 20:2-3; 11-15)
Ecclesiastical Separation
We believe in total and complete separation as taught in the Word of God from all forms of heresy and ecclesiastical apostasy. Any associations with other churches and fellowships shall never be anything other than voluntary and shall continue only so long as these groups are in agreement with the doctrine of Fellowship Baptist Church. (Romans 16:17; II Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 5:11; II Thessalonians 3:6, 14; I John 4:1; II John 10, 11)
Personal Separation
We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach non-conformity to the world for every believer. Born-again people should be separated from the world unto Christ. We believe that positional sanctification is to be progressive throughout the entire life-span of a believer here on earth. God’s provision for holy living is in the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and with the indwelling of the Person and power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:1-14; II Corinthians 6:14:17; Galatians 5:16-26; Titus 2:11-14)
Doctrinal Declaration
To members, prospective members, and friends, be it known that Fellowship Baptist Church is holding tenaciously to the cardinal doctrines of the faith and we, at this time, most happily bring them to the remembrance of all people that they may know our doctrinal position. Fellowship Baptist Church is opposed to any kind of compromise with error. Let all who read this Doctrinal Statement be assured that Fellowship Baptist Church of Dekalb, Illinois is absolutely opposed to liberal Theology, Neo-Orthodoxy, New Evangelicalism, and the Charismatic movement. Fellowship Baptist Church is an old-fashioned Baptist Church that is “…holding forth the Word of God.”
FBC's Beginning - 2008
Pastor Spears started Fellowship Baptist Church in November of 2008. FBC had its first service on Sunday, November 2nd, 2008 in the Haish Gym in DeKalb. The church would be set up every Saturday evening and taken down every Sunday after the morning service. The church was set up and held at the Haish Gym for eight months. Pastor Spears, at the same time, also started a service for the residents at the DeKalb County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Sunday afternoons.
FBC's First Year 2009
In July of 2009, the Lord allowed them to secure their first building at 129 East Locust Street in DeKalb. At this new location, they were able to begin holding, in addition to the Sunday morning service at 11 am, a Sunday school service. Shortly thereafter, they began a Wednesday Prayer and Bible study service, and eventually a Sunday evening service. The church had the privilege of having over 150 visitors in their first year!
FBC's Second Year - 2010
FBC officially chartered on March with 31 individuals signing the charter document. Some of the highlights of the second year include holding their first Vacation Bible School (having 30 children in attendance), installing a brand new baptistry, starting two children's Sunday school classes, and financially supporting their first missionary, Bro. Bill Hensley, missionary to Macedonia. The church set an attendance record of 58 on their 2nd Anniversary. They also held their first Christmas play.
FBC's Third Year - 2011
FBC began 2011 by voting to support their second missionary, Bro. Jeremy Benbrooks, missionary to Togo, Africa. They also voted in their first 4 trustees. They held their second Vacation Bible School and two children were saved. The church's attendance record was again broken during their third annual Harvest Revival in September with 70 in attendance. As of September 2011, over 300 people have entered the doors of the church and heard the preaching of God's Word. Along with many visitors, over 25,000 Gospel tracts have been distributed to the surrounding areas. In October, the Sunday school classes were expanded, a new ministry designed to minister to those who are not physically able to attend church began, and a Gospel Box (an outside box containing Gospel tracts) was added. The Lord blessed their third anniversary with a record attendance of 65 with one trusting Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
FBC's Fourth Year - 2012
Just like last year, FBC began the year by voting to support another missionary. The church unanimously voted to financially support Bro. Barry Hoffman, missionary to South Korea. Throughout the year, the auditorium was filled. The theme for their Vacation Bible School was The Garden of Eden. Many boys and girls attended this time and learned the Word of God! There were several men and women who were saved and some of those who followed the Lord in Biblical baptism. The church prayed the Lord would open the door and guide them to another location which would allow them to continue to grow. The Lord miraculously provided a new location at 2425 Bethany Road. The building is 5,000 square feet and will feature a completely new renovation. The lease for this new building was signed on December 31, 2012.
FBC's Fifth Year - 2013
The new year began with hammer in hand - working to renovate the God-given building. After four months of the Lord's hand of blessing and over 800 hours of volunteer labor, the renovation was completed debt-free. The first service in the new building was held on Sunday, May 5th, 2013. They celebrated their fifth anniversary on Sunday, November 3rd. They set a goal to have 75 people in attendance and the Lord blessed them with a record-breaking attendance of 104!
FBC's Sixth Year - 2014
2014 began very, very cold. Despite the long and cold winter, the Lord provided for all the needs of the church. The church took up a, "Meet the Need" offering to help offset the expenses of the harsh winter weather. There were more people saved in this year than any other previous year of the church! The Children's Church ministry was expanded to meeting every single Sunday. They also added another ministry called the Meal Ministry. This is a ministry designed to meet the needs of those who become ill or are hospitalized because of sickness or because they are expecting. The church underwent some improvements such as new curtains, a fresh coat of paint in the Fellowship Hall, and new pews in the auditorium. The church was able to increase the Pastor's salary, taking one more step closer to him working only for the church.
FBC's Seventh Year - 2015
FBC set out in this year to learn the Word of God with even more fervor and dedication. Each month, the church family has memorized a verse of Scripture. The Spring brought many warmer days and a Sunday school program which emphasized church attendance, punctuality, take-home Bible work, and bringing their Bible to church. The Lord allowed more first-time visitors (60 visitors) in the first six months than any other year in the church's history. Along with the church's regular spiritual work, there was an extra, exerted effort given to spreading the Gospel during the Spring. Over 2,000 Gospel door hangers were placed on the homes in DeKalb and the surrounding area. Whereas at one time we worked hard and set a goal to have fifty in attendance for a single Sunday, we have had twenty Sundays where there were fifty or more people coming to church on Sunday morning.
FBC's Eighth Year - 2016
The seventh year proved to be blessed of the Lord and the church is anxiously looking forward to its eighth. This new year began with the church increasing the pastor's salary and caring for his health insurance. Despite cold weather, attendance was been great and the Gospel was still been spread. As of January, over 250 Gospel tracts had been distributed. That Spring, Pastor Spears challenged every member to invite one friend to a special Sunday called "Friend Day," on Sunday, April, 17th. They had 81 in attendance with a great spread of homemade food following the service. The summer VBS theme was, "The Lion's Den," and there were 31 kids that attended. The Lord also allowed the church to purchase 100 brand new hymnals for the auditorium in memory of Sara Jane Hlousek, a member of FBC who passed away after battling cancer.
FBC's Ninth Year - 2017
With a mild winter, only a few snowfalls, attendance was strong through the winter. The two areas which have sprouted and grown are the children's ministries and nursery. The church remodeled the nursery so as to provide enough area for the babies. Work was done to care for the many children who have been attending. On one Sunday, there were twenty one in children's church along with eight in the nursery. April included a Spring program called the Everywhere Program. The church ran 30 Gospel ads on the radio, four Gospel ads in the Daily Chronicle, placed two roadside banners in front of the church, handed out 1,500 Gospel tracts, took up a special missionary offering, and had two special Sundays (Easter and Friend Day). The church launched a new website on the first of August. Throughout each month of this year a different Scripture verse put to music has been memorized.
FBC's Tenth Year - 2018
Fellowship Baptist Church set some goals they seek to accomplish by the time they celebrate their tenth year anniversary in November. The three areas of their 10th Year Plan includes ministry, building, and finances. Praise the Lord, one of these goals was met at the beginning of 2018! This accomplished goal was to completely support the pastor financially. Through financial gifts given towards a memorial of the passing of a loved one last year, the church was able to purchase and dedicate a brand new sound system to the glory of God. In July, the church voted to take on Missionary Tim Lewis (Papua New Guinea) for financial support. On Saturday, August 4, a permit was issued to construct two new women's bathrooms. A special love offering was taken to give to Bro. Tim Lewis for the purchase of a printer and ink. The people of FBC sacrificially gave close to $1,000. In the Fall, they began a Wednesdays children's class that focuses on Bible memorization and music which they have called Kids For Christ. For Christmas, they presented a Christmas play, "A Christmas Window," along with a candlelight service on that same Sunday.
FBC's Eleventh Year - 2019
The church was invited to minister to the residents at Oak Crest Retirement Center in DeKalb on a regular monthly basis (3rd Sunday of every month). At the end of January, the new bathrooms were completed. The Lord allowed them to increase their current support of three missionaries as well as add two additional missionaries to their monthly support. They now support five missionaries. The ladies of FBC submitted their signature dish recipes and a cookbook has been printed. The Lord opened another door for them to hold a church service at Heritage Woods of DeKalb on each 4th Sunday at 3 pm. Over 20 volunteers gathered together on two days to assemble over 10,000 John/Romans for a church plant in Swaziland, South Africa. They dedicated them to the Lord on the second Sunday in September. This was done with the help of Bro. & Mrs. Dan Gill of the Seedline Ministries of Bearing Precious Seed of Milford, Ohio. On Sunday, September 22, the church held a H.U.H.A.H. (Help Us Have a Hundred) Sunday. The Lord blessed with 110 people in attendance - a new record attendance! At the end of October, they designed and printed a Spanish Gospel tract. The week following their celebration of 11 years, the church voted unanimously to add their sixth missionary. At the end of the year, as a church, they worked to memorize the 66 Books of the Bible.
FBC's Twelfth Year - 2020
The beginning of the year has been marked with several people battling sickness (flu). In spite of this attendance has been steady, one has been baptized, and three people have been added to the church. They had an I Love Missions Sunday in which they turned in their Faith Promise Giving Cards along with having a banquet which featured dishes from the various countries of the missionaries they support. On this year they faced an unprecedented time in which the State of Illinois mandated a shelter-in-place order which spanned four weeks. During that time the church held a Saturday meeting prior to the order beginning and continued during the mandate to record their services on YouTube. They also held a drive-in church service on May 10 with 46 in attendance! Pastor preached from a platform and the people listened to a FM station which the sermon and music was broadcast through. It was cold (43 degrees and rainy). They ended up holding four drive-in church services and began once again holding in person services on Sunday, June 7th. On their second in person service they had four visitors, one baptized, and four people join the church. On the following Friday, a gentleman trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. On the 4th and 5th of September, 30 volunteers accomplished assembling 10,417 John & Romans in Spanish. These will be sent to a missionary in Mexico City. Each month they learned a new hymn from the hymnal. The church decided after celebrating their 12th anniversary in November to host a Drive Thru Nativity. With many hands pitching in and helping in preparation and in setting up they hosted this Drive Thru Nativity on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before Christmas. Over 350 people drove through while receiving a Gospel tract. To God be the glory!
FBC's Thirteenth Year - 2021
The church began its 13th year by approving a new budget which included taking on a new missionary, Bro. Dan Gill of Bearing Precious Seed. Their former missionary to Martinique felt the Lord leading them to leave the mission field and begin pastoring in the states. Their continued and increased giving towards the work of worldwide missions they were also able to add their seventh missionary who is working to reach those in an undisclosed location. Continuing in their endeavor to reach the lost with the Gospel they began what they have called the Gospel to Every Door Campaign. Prayerfully they entered into this program designed to get the Gospel into every home in twelve surrounding cities (over 18,000 homes) by the end of December. All twelve cities were accomplished by August and they were able to add an additional two cities, totaling 14 cities collectively with close to 20,000 homes receiving the Gospel. In the first part of September, with over 30 volunteers, they were able to assemble 15,000 John and Romans in the Cebuano language. These, along with another 160,000 copies assembled by other local churches, will be shipped to a missionary in the southern part of the Philippines at the end of the year. They also held their 2nd annual Drive Thru Nativity and over 400 people drove through, viewed this year's Nativity, and received hot cocoa and a Gospel tract.
FBC's Fourteenth Year - 2022
With the approval of the new budget came the renovation of the church's Fellowship Hall. A new drop ceiling was added, new light fixtures were installed, and a fresh coat of paint made it much accomodating for the many times it is used throughout the year. The church's theme for the year (based on Matthew 5:14) is Ye Are the Light of the World. Throughout this year they are striving even more earnestly and diligently to spread the Gospel to the world. They worked in the month of May to distribute 1,500 Gospel door hangers to 1,500 homes in the city of Sycamore. They did not quite reach their goal, but accomplished 1,200 of them. The church voted to take on their eighth missionary, Bro. Josh Van Trump (Missionary Church Planter - Maine), for monthly financial support. The Lord allowed them to minister to 32 children at their yearly VBS that had the theme of, "The Great Commission." In the Fall time they again assembled 17,500 John and Romans in the Italian language which are scheduled to be delivered in the Spring of 2023. They also held their 3rd annual Drive Thru Nativity with some of the most inclement weather - cold temperatures, mixed with ice, and then snow. Nevertheless, each night they enjoyed having many cars, trucks, individuals, and families drive through and be reminded of the birth of Jesus Christ.
FBC's Fifteenth Year - 2023
The church has adopted their yearly theme of, "That He Might Present It To Himself a Glorious Church," taken from Ephesians 5:27. They are anxiously looking forward to how the Lord will sanctify and cleanse them in this year. The church visited a number of Biblical sites in their series, "Journey to Calvary," and made numerous, unforgettable memories and decisions. In the Spring time they enjoyed many first time visitors and have had great weekly attendance at their services. This year's VBS theme was, "The Church." The children learned how God made the church, that the church is people, and what the church is to be doing. With the Lord's leading, FBC committed and accomplished assembling 20,000 John & Romans in the Croatian language. The church also had as their special guest, Rob & Myra Jones, who are on deputation, seeking to serve the Lord in South Africa. One of their missionaries (to a closed country), came off the field and has filled the office of pastor in a church in one of the southern states. They held their 4th annual Drive Thru Nativity with record-breaking numbers. They had over 160 cars come through their display totalling over 460 people!
FBC's Sixteenth Year - 2024
One of the churh's winter projects was to get the Gospel into the country homes of the city of DeKalb. By the first part of March they were able to collect all the addresses to these homes and send a postcard with the plan of salvation on it. They sent out over 600 Gospel postcards. On the third Sunday in March, they sought to have the greatest fellowship meal they had ever had. On this third Sunday they had 77 people in attendance and a great time of fellowship. Up until the month of March they enjoyed over 50 first time visitors. Towards the end of April, the church voted to add another missionary on for financial support (Bro. Jaekeun Park - South Korea) as well as increasing their financial support of three other missionaries. They held their annual Vacation Bible School and were allowed of the Lord to teach 32 children about Heaven. They learned from the Bible the answers to the questions, "What Is Heaven? Where is Heaven? Who Is In Heaven?" This year's John & Roman Project was assembling 20,000 John & Romans in Ukrainian.