A Brief History of First Baptist Church

     Chickasha, Indian Territory (later to be included in the State of Oklahoma) was chartered in 1892.  Four churches were organized that year.  First Baptist Church, the third church to be organized, was begun on December 12, 1892, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Claycomb, 203 Iowa.  They were assisted by Rev. Lodire Judson Dyke, General Missionary for the Oklahoma American Baptist Home Missionary Society.  By the following Spring, the first pastor, Rev. Thomas Edgar Covington, had arrived and the church had purchased land at Fourth and Colorado.  Though additional land has been acquired, the church still resides on this original property.

     Rev. Covington soon established a Sunday School.  Classes were held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoons and worship services were held at 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  All activities were held in the Private Tuition School.

     Two years after organization, the church was finally in its own building.  By the third year, First Baptist Church had 50 members, their first music director, J.C. Eisfelder, their first organ and their first organist, Laura Eisfelder (wife of J.C. Eisfelder).

     During this time of church organization, the ladies began organizing their activities.  The Baptist Ladies Aid Society (now called the W.M.U.) was organized by at least February 14, 1894.  Many of their activities provided a major source of revenue for the new church.

     By the turn of the century, First Baptist Church had about 75 members, a Sunday School, Sunday morning and evening worship services in their own building and was about to call their fifth pastor.  During this time, they had also had serious financial problems, one of the major reasons for the frequent change of pastors.

     FBC, however, continued with zeal and a true missionary spirit.  By 1906, two missions were begun.  The Second Baptist Church, which later became Michigan Avenue Baptist Church and another church which no longer exists.  They also increased their membership so much they had to start another building project.  This idea truly gained impetus when the ladies decided to do without new spring hats and donate the money instead to the new church building.  Classes and services were held in various buildings, tents, and brush arbors around town while the old white frame building was torn down and the new Grecian style church was built.  It was completed in 1911.

     Because of many unexpected construction costs, (mostly due to problems with the Washita River) the new church cost over $100,000.00 and left the church with a debt of over $40,000.00.  This debt was alleviated by an insurance plan whereby all heads of households in the church would purchase a life insurance policy and a percentage of the profits would be given to the church.

     The years around World War I were very sad and yet very fruitful.  In 1917 there was a "flu" epidemic and the pastor would conduct six to eight funerals a day.  Also during that time there were several revivals with well-known evangelists such as Dr. R.G. Lee, "Cowboy" Crimm, and Mordecai Hamm.

     Perhaps the most important happening during that time was the establishment of the men's Sunday School Class with Dr. George W. Austin, then president of Oklahoma College for Women as the teacher.  Under his dynamic leadership, the class grew from just a few men to an average attendance of over 125.

     In 1919, the church called Rev. Sam Taylor as pastor.  As with previous pastors, he lived in the parsonage at 320 Colorado.  The church had a total membership of 479, had begun a Baptist Young People's Union, and a Sun Beam group.  Judge Jed Johnson, a young lawyer and future U.S. Congressman, was very active in the church.

     Then beginning in 1922 and for the next 15 years, the church was led by Dr. J.W. Bruner.  His pastorate was remarkable in several ways.  there were 804 recorded baptisms, 2,724 people were added to the church membership, and they began operating the church office like a business.  Many members who had not attended in years were located and brought back into the church.  And the first Falls Creek Cabin was built.

     In 1924, FBC began its first Vacation Bible School.  The first year they had an enrollment of 100.  In 1935, they had an enrollment of 1,506.  The four years preceding his resignation, Chickasha enjoyed the distinction of having the largest VBS in the world.  Dr. Bruner was superintendent and general manager of the school most of the time.  The school lasted four weeks each year and would average 200 professions of faith.

     Dr. W.A. Criswell came to FBD in December of 1937 and remained for four years.  It was his first full time pastorate.  He possessed a great gift as an orator and had a deep concern for the unsaved.  This permeated his entire life and ministry.  He would even preach on the courthouse lawn on Saturday nights.

     The church had been and continued to be in a state of spiritual and physical growth.  To accommodate the large number of people, Dr. Criswell let the church to build a large tabernacle next to the current church building.  All church services were held there in the summer months.  On the first Sunday in the Tabernacle, over $10,000.00 was raised.  From the very first Sunday, the church was filled to overflowing.

     In 1942 jack Griffin became Director of the Training Union.

     The church celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 20, 1942.  This was a most exciting time because at the same service, the church was also declared debt free.

     In 1944, the church began designation 25% of its receipts for the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention.  They also decided to purchase more property (the same lot the church purchased in 1945 for $5,000.00 was a part of the original property of the church and was sold for $50.00 shortly after the turn of the century to meet pressing financial needs of the then struggling little church).  By the Summer of 1945, the remodeling was complete.  This remodeling included a nursery enlargement to care for 64 future baby-boomers.

     Even with the physical changes, the church continued to be very mission minded.  The total mission gifts increased from $5,755.00 in 1942 to $15,397.00 in 1944.

     Rev. R.C. Miller, Jr. came as pastor on February 24, 1946.  He was to remain for nine years.  Under his most capable leadership, the Sunday School became Standard (last seven years), the average Sunday School attendance wet from 926 to 1560.  The total gifts each year increased from $40,000.00 to $73,000.00 and the church averaged 97 baptisms annually.  In 1949, the Tabernacle building wa enclosed and air conditioned for a cost of $30,000.00.  Then on Sunday, March 7, 1954, there were 2264 in attendance.  This was a record for FBC and for the State of Oklahoma.  Guest speakers that day were Dr. C.Y. Dossey and U.S. Senator Robert S. Kerr.

     In 1951, our second Falls Creek cabin was constructed at a cost of $8,000.00.

     By 1956, the church owned the entire block facing Colorado between Third and Fourth Streets.  This led to the most important expansion program in several years.  Once again, the debt was paid off ($20,000) and the $10,000 was placed in the building Fund.  After consulting with the Architecture Department of the Sunday School Board, Nashville, Tennessee, the church made plans to build a three-story educational building (later known as the East Wing).

     Also, during this time our church sponsored two mission churches, the Fourth Street Chapel and the church at Middleburg and gave 31% of the budget to the Cooperative Program.

     On October 30, 1960, the new East Wing was dedicated.  then in 1969, under the leadership of Dr. Charles Sullivan, the West Wing Education Unit was completed.  When the West Wing was completed, the Fellowship Hall was used as a sanctuary and the Old Tabernacle Building was torn down.

     In 1970, our church experienced rapid growth under the leadership of Dr. David Hall.  Our average Sunday School attendance during this year was 570 and we baptized 101.

     Rev. Mart Hardin was called a pastor in 1971 and served for fourteen years.  Under his leadership, the first live TV program and the first regular telecast of any TV program originating from Chickasha was broadcast.  Also, under his leadership, the new sanctuary was built and dedicated April 10-17, 1977.  The beautiful mural behind the baptistery was of a scene on the Illinois River.  It symbolized the Jordan River which flows into the Dead Sea in the Holy Land.

     The intercessory Prayer Ministry began June 3, 1981 at 6:00 a.m. with Mart Hardin being the first Intercessor.  In the ensuing years, over 70,000 prayer grams have been mailed all over the United States.

     The first Living Christmas Tree was presented December 19, 1987, under the able direction of Rev. Dennis Goskie.  This Christmas present to the community has been continued under the direction of Rev. Jamie Killion.

     Dr. Kevin Clarkson served as our pastor from 1991-95. 

     In 1997 Rev. Johnny Tims came to pastor First Baptist Church.  During his ministry our church led out in Mission Chickasha where a number of churches from Chickasha joined together to prayer walk our city and distribute the "Jesus" film to every home. 

     In September of 2001 a committee to renovate our worship center began meeting.  The committee was comprised of Don Dunn (chairman), Becky Gordon, Saundra Pettigrew, Bill Miller and Mary Russell.  On Sunday evening, October 5, 2003 following the evening service the church family moved everything out of the worship center and the renovation project began the next day.  From October 11, 2003 until April 25, 2004 the church met for worship in the fellowship hall. 

     The first Sunday morning in May, (May 2) 2004 there was a great gathering of the church for our first service in our newly renovated Worship Center.  It was a jubilant celebration of the goodness of God as the church family filed into the building from the South singing, "I Will Enter His Gates".  To help us dedicate our newly renovated church, choirs from churches in the area joined with ours on Sunday evening, May 16 to present the worship musical, "God in Us".  The choir loft was filled to overflowing and the whole church was moved by the glorious sounds of the music resonating though our new worship space. 

     The total budget for the renovation was over 1.3 million.  Each year in October since undertaking this project we have taken a special offering and made pledges for giving to this project for the next year. The "Beginning Offering" for the renovations that came in Sunday morning totaled &146,768.65.  The gifts to the Building Fund that had come in before September 21 was $80,368.30.  That gave us a total of $227,136.95 to begin the renovations.  Besides these offerings, there was $147,766.00 pledged to be paid in over the first 12 months. As of May 1, 2006 the total "Building on Faith" bank note balance was $576,076.83.

     On July 4, 2004 the church also celebrated God's wonderful blessing by welcoming former church members, former pastors and staff for a homecoming and dedication.  This too, was a glorious day!  First Baptist has enjoyed a great history, but our eyes are looking forward and we believe and anticipate God's great and abundant riches and blessings for our future.  Until He returns we will continue to "...proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." Colossians 1:28