home
ministry
doctrine
service times
pastoral staff
salvation
sermon audio
history
directions
links
contact us

 

 

Our History

In March of 1997, Pastor David Warner, who had just resigned his church, gathered with a group of people who had decided to leave their church over doctrinal issues. On Sunday evening, March 16, around 28 people including 8 to 10 children, met for worship at the home of Tom and Lorraine Reed on Ludlow Road near Urbana. The home provided not only a good size living room to put extra chairs but also a loft which served as a kind of balcony which the children loved, sitting on the floor and looking through the rails. After the service it was decided to meet again on Wednesday for prayer, and then again on Sunday. A Sunrise Service with breakfast and Resurrection Sunday service were held on the Modie Farm on Twp. Rd. 163 in West Liberty. It was brought up to ask Pastor Warner if he would lead them in forming a church and become their pastor. His immediate reply was that he would pray about it. Sensing God's leading over the next couple weeks he agreed. A 3-car garage was offered by Jerry and Jacque Arms for weekly meetings on East State Route 296, about 3 miles from the first "loft house". Chairs were purchased, a pulpit and communion table were brought from a church in Kentucky, 2 20# propane tanks with heating attachments were brought in and each week the garage was converted into a meeting place with the house rooms serving as Sunday School classrooms and for Junior church. As the meetings continued a group of men were designated to draw up articles of faith, a constitution with by-laws, and a covenant. There were a number of meetings necessary lasting hours each time mostly held at the home of Phil and Nancy Fry in Urbana. When these were completed, they were distributed to each adult and a meeting to act on them was announced for 2 or 3 weeks. Then on June 16, 1997 those present voted unanimously to accept the documents for organization purposes and the complete word of God of the King James Bible as our church documents for faith and practice. Fellowship Baptist Church was formally organized on that date with 32 charger members. (list attached) After several months of meeting in the garage, the church rented a former church building from Mark Moody at 5500 E. St. Rt. 296 in which the church met for the next 8 years. God added many to the church during those years. Often whole families were saved, baptized, and united with the church. The Tuesday after Memorial Day 2006, a plan to move all our church furniture and belongings from the rented church house to our newly purchased building at 27 North Sycamore Street was announced. However, several families couldn't wait and much of the things were moved on Memorial Day. The Koby's provided a pickup and trailer, Dwight Thompson who had a furniture store in the village sent his moving truck to haul the piano and organ. By Tuesday, the ladies were putting the finishing touches on things. God was so good to us that it cannot be explained how He worked all things together. By our mid-week prayer meeting the Bible was being studied and the gospel preached in the Lord's building on Sycamore Street in North Lewisburg. The church continues to occupy till Jesus comes again. Even so come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha!