The First Baptist Church of Jacksonville is a Baptist megachurch in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. As of 2023, First Baptist Church has 2,100 members and an average attendance of around 3,000 for Sunday services. The main Downtown Campus comprises several square blocks of property connected by above-ground crosswalks. The campus includes several auditoriums for services, a Sunday school building, and facilities for First Baptist Academy, a private K-12 school.
First Baptist Church has its origins in the oldest Baptist congregation in Jacksonville, Bethel Baptist Church, established in 1838. The church experienced a period of considerable growth in the mid-20th century, eventually encompassing eleven square blocks of downtown Jacksonville. Several former pastors, including Homer G. Lindsay Jr. and Jerry Vines, were widely influential in the Southern Baptist Convention, leading it in both growth and a shift towards conservatism.
History
Early years
First Baptist Church traces its origins to Bethel Baptist Church (now Bethel Baptist Institutional Church), the earliest Baptist church to be founded in Jacksonville. Bethel Baptist was established under co-pastors James McDonald and Ryan Frier in July 1838 with only six charter members, four whites and two blacks, the latter of whom were slaves of white members. Membership quickly grew, with most early congregants being black slaves who received day passes from their masters to attend. Len G. Broughton served as the next pastor of the church from 1923 to 1927.
20th century to present
The church did not fare well in the early 20th century. By 1940, First Baptist had accumulated a debt of $125,000 and saw its educational building repossessed by its creditors. That year, the church hired Homer Lindsay Sr. as their senior pastor. Under his leadership the church reversed its fortunes, and within a few years it paid off its debt, acquired a new education building, and grew its congregation. In 1969 First Baptist hired Lindsay's son, Homer G. Lindsay Jr., as co-pastor; he took over sole pastoral duties upon his father's retirement in 1975. Under Lindsay Jr. the church experienced even faster growth, emerging as a megachurch with thousands of members and many new buildings, including a new 3,500-seat auditorium. Vines and First Baptist Church received national attention in June 2002 for Vines' controversial statements regarding Islam. Lindsay died in 2000 and Vines retired in 2006; Mac Brunson was hired as senior pastor that year. Recent developments include the establishment of First Baptist Academy and of a satellite campus of the church in neighboring St. Johns County.
In 2012, Bethel Baptist Church and First Baptist had a joint service, celebrating their 160th anniversary. A second campus was established in Nocatee, Florida. First Baptist Church's attendance and influence has been declining for the past 20 years.