First Montgomery Baptist Church — Church Directory

Quick Facts

Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable Chris Gober (Senior Pastor, since December 2015)

Founded 1850

Denomination Southern Baptist (SBC)

Service Times Sunday morning worship at 20423 E Eva St; sister site montgomeryfbc.org also active

Men's Ministry No

Kids Ministry Yes

Website firstmontgomery.org

Pastor Credentials B.S. Computer Engineering, Texas A&M (1996); pursuing M.Div. at B.H. Carroll Theological Institute; called to ministry on a 2011 mission trip to El Salvador

10-Point Theological Scorecard

Christology

Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)

BFM2000 SBC orthodox.

Strong

Scripture

Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?

BFM2000 inerrancy.

Strong

Men's Discipleship

Intentional formation for men?

Not visibly featured on staff/leadership page; yellow.

Caution

Soteriology

Faith alone? How is salvation presented?

Standard SBC: grace through faith.

Strong

Gender / Biblical Design

Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?

SBC complementarian per BFM2000 Article VI; male senior pastor.

Senior Pastor Chris Gober (male); SBC complementarian polity

Strong

Leadership Structure

Male elders/pastors? Accountability?

YELLOW — 2025 incident: former worship pastor Jon Paul Sheptock (also a Christian recording artist) was arrested in September 2025 for distribution and production of child sexual abuse material per Baptist Press, Biblical Recorder, and Julie Roys reporting. Pastoral oversight and reporting timeline are under public scrutiny. Adjust as facts develop.

Caution

Preaching Style

Expository or topical/therapeutic?

Preaching style not specifically reviewed; yellow until verified.

Caution

Mission Clarity

Great Commission central?

175-year SBC heritage with cooperative program participation.

Strong

Cultural Alignment

DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?

Rural/exurban Montgomery County conservative SBC context.

Strong

Accountability Structure

Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?

SBC affiliated.

Strong

Assessment

MOOP attended First Montgomery Baptist Church (often called 'First Montgomery') in Montgomery, TX. Founded in 1850, this is one of the oldest churches in Montgomery County and celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2025. Senior Pastor Chris Gober (since Dec 2015) is a Texas A&M computer engineer turned pastor pursuing M.Div. at B.H. Carroll. SIGNIFICANT FLAG: Former worship pastor Jon Paul Sheptock was arrested in September 2025 for child sexual abuse material possession and production (Baptist Press, Biblical Recorder, Julie Roys reporting). The full institutional response and reporting timeline are still developing as of this entry; pastoral oversight on this hire merits follow-up. Otherwise standard SBC BFM2000 frame.

#moop-attended#sbc#montgomery-tx#houston#historic-church#scandal-flag-2025

MOOP Engagement Tracker

How this church was personally verified by the MOOP directory team:

✓ Visited the facility in person

✓ Attended a worship service

✓ Researched church website