The history of First Baptist Church of Mesa (FBCM) goes back one hundred and sixteen years to 1892 when a group of people began holding services under a shady trellised area on South MacDonald Street near the heart of downtown Mesa. The Reverend Hitchcock, pastor of the Tempe Baptist Church, came to Mesa on Sunday afternoons and helped establish the mission church. Two years later a one-room building was erected at the corner of MacDonald Street and First Avenue, just north of the trellised area. The first regular pastor was Reverend A. B. Tomlinson who divided his time between Tempe and Mesa. He served from 1894 to 1897.

During the pastorate of the Reverend Forsythe (1912-1916), additions were made to the building. The congregation worshiped and had Bible study at this location under the leadership of several pastors from 1916 through the 1920's. The First Baptist Church of Mesa (FBCM), along with the Mesa’s older churches, “struggled” through the depression and at one time the financial conditions were so dire that some thought they would have to merge with First Methodist Church just east of First Avenue. The two churches did have some joint activities such as Vacation Bible School.

It became apparent in the latter part of the 1940's, that the congregation had outgrown the space at MacDonald and First Avenue. Under the direction of Reverend John McFarlane, the congregation purchased the lots in the 200 block of North MacDonald Street. A building fund was established and a study of possible plans was begun. A dedication of the church lots and acceptance of the architect’s model of the proposed building were held at a public service on February 13, 1949. The Reverend A.M. Engle was called to be the pastor before the new building was started. Ground was broken on June 13, 1949 and the structure was completed at a cost of $92,000 excluding furnishings. The first service was held on Christmas Sunday Evening, December 25, 1949. What a marvelous Christmas present for a happy congregation! The formal dedication was not conducted until March 1, 1950. Sometime later the Children’s Chapel was added to the original structure. This addition housed the nursery, beginner and primary departments of the Sunday School. While FBCM had been erecting buildings and enlarging the congregation, the church also had been working to establish two mission churches - The Church of the Savior at 1720 E. Broadway and the Covenant Baptist Church at 1830 S. Alma School Road in the Dobson Ranch area. A number of young families left our fellowship to form the nucleus of these two churches.

The church property at 245 N. MacDonald included a sanctuary which seated approximately 250, adequate office space and large educational wings. A large parking area was provided at the rear of the complex.

After spending 35 years at the MacDonald Street location, the FBCM awakened to the fact that it had outlived the community in downtown Mesa and that the fast growth of the city would eventually force the church to move from that area or literally “die on the vine”. The ministry of the church had begun to decline with the loss of the families to the mission churches and other members relocated to the suburbs. The area was saturated with churches and the outreach in that vicinity was very limited. Under the leadership of the Reverend Edward Burgess, the decision was made to relocate and a relocation committee was formed. The city of mesa was interested in the property on MacDonald Street where they could build a Senior Citizen Center, so negotiations began. After much prayer and discussion, the congregation voted to well the property to the city at a price of $615,000.

The building, which had served the congregation for seven years, would have been bulldozed by the city except for the insight of a small group of people in Star Valley, Arizona. Members of that small Southern Baptist Church, with the aid of other Southern Baptist churches in the area, disassembled the building and then reassembled it four miles east of Payson. It continues to be used today for its original purpose for worship and Bible study to the glory of God!

A search for a new location began and the committee came up with several prospects. They finally settled on a five acre plot in the fast growing section of northeast Mesa at East Brown Road and 48th Street. It seemed so far removed that members had difficulty envisioning such a drastic move. Dirt roads and farm fields were all around the property in the mid-eighties. Early in 1985 the congregation voted to buy the property at a cost of $396,455. The last service at North MacDonald was held on June 16, 1985 with many members telling of the warm memories they had of their church such as weddings, dedication of children, funerals, and of course the joyous fellowship of church family! The members of the Church of the Savior graciously offered the use of their building and facilities until our new home was ready.

On June 30, 1985, our church body voted to begin our building project with the first two buildings being a sanctuary and office/education building. The ground breaking took place on Sunday, April 27, 1986. The building was constructed and ready for the first service on Sunday, March 8, 1987. What a celebration! A new minister of music, Christian education and youth, Ken Montgomery, came on the staff just before the congregation moved from the Church of the Savior. Since we relocated to a fast developing area, a visitation program got underway almost immediately with the result being the addition of numerous new families and young adults to our fellowship.

The formal dedication of the building was held Sunday, April 5, 1987 with the sanctuary filled with friends from far and near to help us celebrate. The Sunday School began to grow so fast that the rooms on the perimeter of the building could not hold the children and there were no rooms left for most of the adults. At this point our Trustees and Board of Education began negotiations with La Petite Academy next to the church, to use their facilities on Sunday mornings for the Children’s classes and junior church until our education building was completed.

In the fall of 1989 the congregation voted to accept plans presented by Craftmasters of Mesa for a building to be built with 6,000 square feet, matching the design of the sanctuary. It included four nursery room, a kitchen, offices, storage rooms, and a fellowship hall. This building was made flexible for our needs by adding folding dividers for four adult classrooms. The cost of about $325,000 was paid by the congregation without the borrowing of outside funds. The Sunday School classes moved from La Petite into a new building on Sunday, August 5, 1990.

After the retirement of Dr. Ed Burgess in October 1991, and the help of interim pastors through the following six years, the search committee had the challenge of locating our next shepherd. After much prayer, the Lord brought to us in the summer of 1997, Rob and Judy Perkins, along with their son, Nathan and their daughter, Leah. Pastor Rob was installed as the Senior Pastor on October 19, 1997.

By the year 2003 FBCM was “bursting at the seams” again and by November 2004, building was begun again this time on a approximately 40,000 square foot Educational building. Included in this building were twenty-one class rooms of which four were expandable. In this two story with a sub level, was included a future new kitchen, a new larger fellowship/Dinning Hall which is also used by the Awanas, a ministry Board Room /Library room, a nursery, children’s class rooms, a youth room and Adult Sunday School rooms. The cost of $4 million was supported by the issuance of church bonds by a Christian church oriented company. Upon moving into our new facility in late 2005 we began operating our own preschool and daycare ministry in this building. As of July 2006 FBCM joined in partnership with “Faith Christian Schools” to fully integrate schools and utilize our new Educational Building.

Today with our Interim Senior Pastor Bob Orr, J. D. Tutell and Bobby Stephens our associate pastors, FBCM is moving into the twenty-first century with boldness to reach people for Christ. We do this through our Oikos outreach ministry, AWANA ministry, Senior Adult ministry, Women’s ministries, Youth ministry, Worship ministry and a strong Mission ministry team. Our greatest calling is to be what we have always been; a church where you are a visitor only once, then you are a friend. Together with a staff of leaders and the very important volunteers that we have in all areas we invite you to be a part of our Bible Study and Worship Services.

Praise God! From whom all blessings flow.