Thank you for your interest in learning more about First Baptist Church, Bradenton.

The First Baptist Church of Bradenton began March 10, 1889 when Elder T. J. Sparkman preached in the Manatee County Courthouse. Following the service, twelve people expressed an interest in establishing a Baptist Church in what was then Braidentown. The church was formally constituted two months later.

The church met in the courthouse for the next three years and were able to build a modest sanctuary in 1892, complete with steeple and church bell, on the corner of 12th Street and 6th Avenue.

The first 16 years of First Baptist Church were difficult, but in 1904, the Lord sent Dr. A. J. Beck, a man who was suffering from physical illness, to a church that was suffering from spiritual infirmity. It was the right medicine, and both improved! Dr. Beck’s wise leadership promoted substantial progress in every area, and it was during his pastorate that the church sold its original property and purchased land at 13th Street and Manatee Avenue.

It is to the credit of this early church to note that most of the construction was carried out by volunteers. They dedicated that beautiful building, which still stands on the corner of 13th and Manatee, on October 11, 1914. An annex (originally Sunday School and fellowship space – now the office suite) was added in 1924, along with a pipe organ.

A fire destroyed the interior of the building in 1945, and while renovations and repairs were carried out, the congregation continued to meet in the neighboring Ballard School Building. When the congregation finally reoccupied the building, it had undergone extensive changes, including the addition of air conditioning – an extraordinary luxury in Manatee County at the time!

Over the next two decades, there were additions to the FBC campus, including our three-story building that houses Sunday School space for our children, youth, and preschool. We also began three mission churches: Island Baptist Church, West Bradenton Baptist Church, and Bayshore Baptist Church.

By 1981, we had outgrown the sanctuary on the corner. We solved that problem by demolishing the former Morrison Cafeteria building that had housed our Fellowship Hall and constructed a new Worship Center in its place, seating approximately twice as many persons as the original sanctuary. A few short years later we had the opportunity to purchase the Bradenton Herald property on 13th street which was converted into our Family Life Center, housing classrooms, a gymnasium, kitchen and fellowship hall. As in years past, we again relied strongly on volunteer labor. We were to ask for volunteers once more a little over a decade later, as we refurbished our almost century-old historic sanctuary into what is now our Memorial Chapel which provides a beautiful room for Sunday School, various worship and prayer meetings, weddings, funerals and other gatherings.

In 2003, Dr. Rick Lineberger became our Senior Pastor. He brought with him a powerful vision to reach this rapidly-growing community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that in mind, we began renovating our current worship center in 2006, as well as improving other areas of our now-sprawling campus.

In addition to the physical improvements on our campus, there is a new spirit in our worship services! It can be heard in the passionate singing and preaching, and seen in the demonstrations of love and fellowship among our membership. We feel God calling us, yet again, into the harvest field where, with hands and hearts united, we are committed to reaching this community for Jesus Christ.

To God Be the Glory!