Staff & Ministry Team: First Baptist Chuch

Rick Sweenie: Pastor

Associate Pastor

Cathy Stange: Church Secretary

Deb Cook: Christian  Education and Children’s Education Coordinator

Randall McQueeney: Diaconate Moderator

Karen Lund: Worship Coordinator

Ron Stange: Missions Coordinator

Judy Lee: Outreach Coordinator

Peggy Cavanaugh: Church Treasurer

Bonnie Buswell: Finance Coordinator

Pat Lund: Property Coordinator

 Church Clerk

Teresa Hildreth: Food Pantry Coordinator

Pastor Rick Sweenie graduated with honors with a double major in Bible and Human Resource Management at Grace University.  Rick became ordained to preach the Gospel at Central Baptist Church 1998.   Rick was with Good News Jail and Prison Ministry for 40 years training, placing and mentoring chaplains for correctional ministry in 12 states while serving as Director of Ministry Growth and Expansion.  While speaking at churches all over the country, Rick fell in love with First Baptist Church in Council Bluffs.  Rick Sweenie then left his long career with Good News, started out as interim pastor in 2019 and started as permanent full-time pastor First Baptist Church in January 2020.  Rick and Margie have been married for 51 years.

Pastor Isaac Erickson is a graduate of Bethel University (MN) and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Isaac has previously served at Emmaus Bible Church in Omaha. After meeting Pastor Rick through the Council Bluffs farmer’s market, Isaac came to love First Baptist and was brought on as the Associate Pastor and ordained to preach the Gospel in November 2024. Isaac has a great love for Christ, His Church, and enjoys studying theology to the glory of God. He and his wife Leslie have been married since 2020.