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On a
day, probably in May 1818, a group from the Providence
Knob Baptist Church agreed to form a Baptist
church in Bowling Green. An itinerant
preacher, William Warder, was the first pastor of
the struggling young church. For a number of
years, services were held on an indefinite
schedule. In 1830 the church purchased its first
property - a building on what is now the northwest
corner of Main and Center streets. The
church showed consistent growth through a period when
Bowling Green was growing and becoming the focal
point for commerce and culture in a wide area of
Kentucky. This early period saw our church take a
stand with those who supported a strong support of
missionaries.
In
1854 a new church was constructed on the south
side of Main Street below Fountain Square on a
site now used as a parking lot. The ensuing years
were turbulent ones for Bowling Green - the Civil
War, the Reconstruction Period and the coming of
the railroad. Church records from these days
indicate a people very conscious of the demands of
the gospel. Problems were encountered but the
proclamation of the gospel of Christ was paramount in
the thoughts of our people.
In
June 1915 the church moved into a sanctuary located
where the present sanctuary stands. The
building, often called the "White Temple" was
for many years the largest auditorium in the area.
However, on Monday afternoon, October 14, 1991 the
Sanctuary was destroyed by fire!
From 1991 - 1994, the congregation met at the
Bowling Green Senior High School and the Bowling
Green Junior High School buildings. On Sunday,
December 18, 1994 the congregation gathered for
worship in the present Sanctuary.
Again,
we welcome you to the membership of First Baptist Church
Bowling Green. Our mission statement, we are a
community of believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior who are seeking to advance God's Kingdom
through worship, Bible Study, missions, evangelism, fellowship
and prayer challenges each member to be an active
participant in ministry. Welcome!
Dr.
Mark Hopper,
Pastor
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