About Us

We are a multi-generational church with a blended worship service on Sunday mornings. We believe that our worship is best expressed through our love for each other and our community.  We seek out real ways to love and serve our community. We are doing this in many ways including the establishment of an Overnight Warming Location in our facility throughout the Winter. We strive to love and serve our community in as many ways as we can!

meet the staff

The Rev. David S. Bilyeu
interim pastor

​The Rev. David S. Bilyeu is Interim Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Edwardsville, Illinois and the Area IV
Minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region (Springfield, Illinois).

Growing up in Central Illinois, Pastor Bilyeu was active in his church and youth group, high school musicals, and
the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned Scouting’s highest honor, the Eagle Scout, achieved by only 1.5%
of scouts. He was elected by his peers to Scouting’s Honor
Society, the Order of the Arrow, which recognizes Arrowmen for exceptional service, personal effort, and
unselfish interest. The Vigil honor was later conferred upon him marking the highest level of distinction
bestowed only upon 2% of lodge members nominated by their peers annually.

The Rev. Bilyeu is a graduate of two American Baptist institutions. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Judson College in Elgin, Illinois in 1988. While at Judson, he served President of the Judson College Choir and 
traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean and Europe. He received the Master of Divinity degree at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard,
Illinois in 1994. He was ordained into the Christian Ministry in the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers
Region at the First Baptist Church of Marengo, Illinois in 1994.

With over the three decades of experience in Christian ministry, The Rev. Bilyeu has served American Baptist
churches as pastor in Illinois and Ohio. Additionally, he has been a music minister, youth pastor, associate pastor, 
and hospice chaplain. Pastor Bilyeu has taken several
short-term mission trips including to Nicaragua, Israel, Costa Rica, and Italy. He semi-retired in 2025 following a
fourteen-year pastorate at the First Baptist Church of Greenville, Illinois.

Pastor David’s hobbies include collecting coins, stamps, baseball cards, and scouting memorabilia.  David and 
his wife, Patty, have been married for 33 years. The Rev. Patty King Bilyeu is the Executive Minister of the American
Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region.  The
Bilyeus have three grown sons and three grandsons. They enjoy traveling, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and of course,
spending time with their family!

ALLISON BELL
​YOUTH DIRECTOR

Allison and her family moved to Illinois from West Virginia two years ago because her husband Steven (16 years) got a job as a welder at the Wood River Refinery. Allison and Steven have three children, Angeleah - 15, Jaylen - 14, and Preston - 11. 

Allison graduated with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and taught in public schools for four years. She now homeschools her children which she greatly enjoys! She takes "great joy and pride in preparing them for the future."

More about Allison:
Allison's favorite trip was their family trip to Hawaii in January 2024. She fondly remembers SNUBA diving (yes it's a thing), seeing whales and their calves, and many other once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

The book that was most impactful on her life (apart from the Bible) is the Throne of Glass series.

Allison is happiest when life is simple. She enjoys homeschooling, tending her garden, and preparing food from scratch. 

As our Youth Director, Allison oversees all of the classes and events for youth from 6 grade through high school. She and her team "work hard to share God's story and love with all of the youth that come to our church, whether they be regular attenders or for just for one service."

Angie Fish
children's Director

​Angie and her husband, Mike, have been married for 17 years (December 12, 2008) and have 2 children together.  Tyler just finished his studies and gained his National Paramedic License.  He is excited for this new chapter in his life. Angie is currently homeschooling her younger son, Matthew (14), who is entering High School this Fall.  Matthew is a dedicated student who is self-driven to complete his work.  Angie is a loving mother who enjoys educating her son, while balancing all of her other responsibilities. 


Angie is a valued member of our church, who is constantly working hard to help others and complete tasks that need done.  Her main focus is working with the children of our church and ensuring that our Children’s Ministry is a fun, educational place for all of the children that attend any of our classes.  She also enjoys planning fun, Christ-centered activities and events for our children. Angie is also a vital member of our Outreach Groups.  She selflessly works hard to support all of our outreach events both with her time, effort, and finances. 


Angie enjoys watching tv with her family in her free time.  Her favorite shows include: The Rookie, Master Chef, Survivor, and Sweet Magnolias. She loves working with Allison to bake new things with sourdough and making things for her family out of fresh grown garden items.  She is also a master coffee barista.  Several church members enjoy the benefits of Angie’s espresso machine and coffee making skills. 

Dale File
secretary/treasurer

Dale has been a member of First Baptist since 2001. She and her husband David have been married for 21 years and between them they have three adult children.

Dale was born in Memphis, Tennessee but moved to STL when she was two. She lived in St. Louis City for a while but moved to Spanish Lake and graduated from Hazelwood in 1966. She obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education and did coursework in Computer Science which she continues to use to this day.

More about Dale:
Dale is happiest when she is on a beach, river, when she is boating, or with nature. Her favorite trip was to Europe in 1984 where she traveled from Israel to Athens, Italy, Germany, Paris, and Amsterdam.

The most impactful books on Dale's life (besides the Bible) are books "which were insightful about other cultures and their worldviews that were different than mine."  Examples include War and Peace, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, The Arab Nations.

Dale is currently reading Paul by N.T. Wright.

Dale describes her role at First Baptist as "busy and helpful," a place where she can "use my inherent skills for the good of my church."

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First Baptist Church of Edwardsville, 534 St. Louis Street, Edwardsville, IL  62025-1502
Phone:  (618) 656-1008