First Baptist Church of Fayetteville - Fayetteville, AR
N 36° 04.002 W 094° 09.495
15S E 395695 N 3991967
Located the northwest corner of Dickson and College, FBC has been around for over 150 years. 20 E Dickson St
Waymark Code: WMKDHT
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 03/26/2014
Views: 5
"First Baptist Church was officially organized in August, 1854, with nine members. Founders were its first minister, Elder T.B. Van Horne, who was also a Professor of Language at Arkansas College in Fayetteville, and John Mayes, Deacon and Licentiate. At the time the church was associated with the Missionary Baptists. The church met in members' homes until the Civil War. During the War, the church did not meet for three years.
Fayetteville was a divided city with soldiers from each side passing in and out of the city. Schools were closed. T.B. Van Horne moved from Fayetteville in 1861, leaving John Mayes as pastor. Mr. Mayes longed for a meeting house. He built the first white frame building on College Avenue, just a block south of the present church location. This church was dedicated in 1879, and by this time the church was associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Dr. Whittle came as pastor of the church in 1906. The congregation had now outgrown the white frame church and needed a larger church. A Dallas architect designed a grand Greek Revival church with a dome, stained glass windows and the largest pipe organ in northwest Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma or southwest Missouri. This new church was completed by 1907. A separate Education Building was added in 1950 under Dr. Walter Johnson.
Dr. Andrew M. Hall came as pastor in 1953. The domed church was still a distinctive Fayetteville landmark, a center for congregational and student life. By the late 1950s the congregation was again outgrowing the church building. In addition, different building inspections deemed the old domed church building unsafe. The present contemporary church was built just to the north of the older church in 1960. The old church was then torn down. Dr. Hall served with the church for 17 years.
Dr. Jere Mitchell came as pastor in 1979. Dr. Mitchell saw through the renovations of the church, and oversaw an ongoing process of remodeling and addition. There have been ongoing plans and acquisitions to accomplish our mission. Dr. Mitchell served as pastor for 21 years.
The present pastor is Dr. Douglas Falknor who came in July, 2001. In 2006, under his leadership, the sanctuary was completely remodeled. This was the first phase of a 12-year building expansion currently underway.
During its 154 year history, the First Baptist Church of Fayetteville, which began with small meetings among associated families, has seen three different church buildings, 33 pastors, and presently has a congregation of around 1200."
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