Our History

First Baptist Church of Douglass was first petitioned for admission to an association in 1869. Originally, however, the church was a part of a union church where the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians took turns conducting Sunday services. The building also served as a school.

There were few records kept until the church petitioned to be accepted into another association in 1887. In 1925, a petition was made and it was accepted in the present day Shelby-Doches Association. It is not known how long it was a church before petitioning to an association where annual church letters were sent and records were kept.

There were some outstanding things that were recorded throughout the years. In 1869, the records show that there were 28 members and 18 baptisms. In 1925 the church membership grew to 99 with a Sunday School enrollment of 100. In the 1930's, the church membership kept growing. The church's membership had grown to 297 and 90 were enrolled in Sunday School. In the 1940's the Sunday School had reached a peak of 164.

The church was built at its present location in the 1930's. In the 1950's the church members donated yearlings to help build Sunday School rooms. In 1957 the old tin roof was rebuilt and the auditorium was remodeled. In 1968 the sign in front of the church was added, which was followed by a new addition on the west end for Church socials. The room was named the "Mrs. Kitty King Room." In the 1960's the ceiling fans and the wooden pews were taken out to make way for new lighting, air conditioning/heating, and cushioned pews. During this time carpet was also installed. In the mid 70's, the church built a new 4 bedroom parsonage. In the early 90's, the church added a front vestible and two more bathrooms. The front parking lot was also paved with asphalt. Most recently, a Family Life Center is being constructed. We plan on eventually adding more classes and a basketball court. The Family Life Center is almost complete.

Because our church began in the late 1800's, we have gone through several pastors. Here is a list of all the pastors of First Baptist Church of Douglass.

LIST OF PASTORS

1869-1876 J.S. Lambert

1878-1881 W.W. Albritton

1882-1883 E.D. "Ben" Blankenship

1883-1887 W.M. Gaddy

1887-1888 W.W. Albritton

1888-1892 No regular pastor

1893..... Rev. Jefferson

1894........ Rev. J.C. Fondren

1895-1908 The records had burned

1908-1909 N.C. Partin

1909-11 Associational Missionaries Only

1911-1913 L.O. White

1913-1915 G. E. Hammonds

1915-1916 J.E. Adkinson

1916-1925 E.M. Gentry

1925-1926 J.W. McCall

1926-1927 W.E. Hill

1927-1930 A.T. Garrard

1930-1934 H.F. Sanders

1934-1938 C. Weldon Sanders

1938-1940 Fred Higginbotham

1941-1943 J.E. Johnson

1943-1944 L.A. Willingham

1945........ S.A. Bonner

1946-1951 R.R. Davidge

1951-1953 Charles Baty

1953-1956 C.T. "Pete" McGuire

1957........ James "Jimmy" Bird

1957-1964 Bobby King

1964-1967 Bobby Powell

1967-1968, 1976 (Interim) W.H. Collins 1968-1973 Kenneth Baker

1973-1974 Kenneth Ells

1974-1976 Wayne Stephens

1976-1980 Kenneth Baker

1980-1984 John McGuire

1985-1986 Calvin White

1987-1988 Steve Ewton

1989........(Interim) Brent Kirkley

1989-1990 (Interim) T.D. Lunsford

1990-1991 Dwain Miller

1992-1993 (Interim) T.D. Lunsford

1993-1995 Keith Weaver

1995-1997 (Interim) T.D. Lunsford 1997-2000 Bruce Bear

2001-2003 C.T. "Pete" McGuire

2003-Current Randy Arnold