Our Heritage

The First Baptist Church of Ardmore was organized April 21, 1889, with Rev. J. R. Master as pastor. They organized and met for a time in King College which was located across the ally from the present Y.W.C.A. building. A little later the group met in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, then located on the Southwest corner of the block occupied Tby the present Court House. Soon the church built a frame building on West Broadway.

At the same time another group organized the Central Baptist Church and erected a brick building on the corner or Broadway and C street N.W. Under the leadership of Pastors J. T. Bagwell of Central Baptist Church and J.L. Keller of the First Baptist Church, the two churches united a became known as the Broadway Baptist Church.

In 1927, the present building was constructed and the church name was changed to the "First Missionary Baptist Church."

Dr. Alton Fannin, assumed the pastorate September 4, 1988. In 1989 the Church celebrated its 100^th anniversary. On August 5, 1990, under Dr. Fannin’s leadership, the church moved into a new adult education complex. In 1995 and 1996 the interior of the auditorium renovated and the Clay building was bought and completely renovated to be used as our Youth Building. The former Youth Building was converted for use by our children’s ministry. In 2001 a new Fellowship Hall and additional Adult Bible study space was completed.