First Baptist Church Pastoral Inauguration
Historical Church, First Baptist Church of Chesterfield Installs New Pastor
By Joyce Jefferson
Christopher “Chris” Rogers, Sr. has a 22-year history with the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield (FBCC). Chris arrived back to his home town of St. Louis in February 2001 with his young family of six after serving four years in the United States Navy. After joining FBCC in October 2001, he and his wife Tamra Rogers became very active serving as members of the Marriage Enrichment Ministry and teachers in Vacation Bible School (VBS). Within 2 years Chris assumed his first leadership role, serving a 3-year term as the youngest member of the Trustee Board. In 2007, he was called to the preaching ministry, and delivered his first sermon in 2008 under the tutelage of Dr. T.D. Stubblefield, Senior Pastor. The year 2009 began a series of “first” for FBCC and Rev. Christopher Rogers, as he became the first Assistant to the Pastor for Ministry Support and Administration, followed by the first Assistant Pastor in 2016. In 2020 he was unanimously selected as the Interim Pastor upon the retirement of Dr. T.D. Stubblefield. Immediately following his newest assignment as Interim Pastor, he became the first Pastor/Interim Pastor to lead through a global pandemic, which he navigated safely and successfully with lasting benefits through the expansion of the FBCC Online Campus. After 21 years of Christian service, 2022 closed out with Rev. Chris Rogers being elected as the church’s 21st Pastor, a natural progression in his spiritual journey. The past 22 years for Pastor Christopher L. Rogers Sr. have been spirit-filled with faith, family, and favor, as he matriculates through the preaching-teaching ministry. However, Pastor Chris Rogers’ spiritual journey didn’t start there.
Pastor Chris Rogers, affectionately known as Pastor Chris, was born in St. Louis, MO into a spiritual family, where three generations of family served in the same church and served in many integral capacities in the church. He was baptized at age six at Olivette Missionary Baptist Church where he worshiped for the next six years. At age 12 he moved his membership to Lite of Jericho Baptist Church where his uncle was Pastor, and remained there as he grew into a young Christian man. There he had his first experiences in leadership ranging from Choir Director to Vice President of Junior Laymen.
Leading up to his new position of Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Chesterfield, Pastor Chris had a 21-year career with National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency where he last worked as the IT Strategy Program Manager with management oversite of IT equipment, requirements to procurement, at the new NGA Headquarters at Jefferson and Cass Avenues.
The inaugural celebration begins Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 9:45 AM with Pastor Reginald Rogers, Sr., Senior Pastor of Lite of Jericho Baptist Church, followed by First Baptist Church of Chesterfield Pastor Emeritus T.D. Stubblefield on Sunday, May 28th at 9:45 AM. The installation ceremony of Pastor Christopher L. Rogers, Sr. will be June 3rd at 11:00 AM where Pastor Bryan Carter, Senior Pastor of Concord Church, Dallas, Texas will be the guest speaker. The inaugural celebration will culminate on Sunday, June 4th at 9:45 AM with Pastor Clifford Mayes, Senior Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio. All events will be held at the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield, and all are welcome to participate in the full celebration of Pastor Chris Rogers as the new Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Chesterfield.