First Baptist Church celebrates 175 years

First Baptist Church turned 175 years old in June.
First Baptist Church turned 175 years old in June.

It’s hard to find institutions in Cleveland County that are older than First Baptist Church of Shelby.

At 175 years old, the church is just six years younger than the county itself. It has stood through two world wars, a civil war, economic depression, eras of segregation and integration, and it has found ways to be relevant in its community through each.

It has seen pastors whose legacies live on today, including like James Milton Webb, who served as the first pastor of the church and whose descendants helped establish Gardner-Webb University.

The church has grown from a single-story wooden shack into the massive structure found today on Lafayette Street, boasting the highest architectural point in the county, though that title may soon go to the Two Kings Casino once it is fully built.

A model of the single-story building First Baptist Church of Shelby began in.
A model of the single-story building First Baptist Church of Shelby began in.

“The continuity of 175 years for me says there is something other that is guiding the process here, and that other to me would be God,” said Doug Hankins, lead pastor at First Baptist Church of Shelby. “It’s certainly not me. I haven’t done anything for 175 years, and I think a lot of credit goes to people of this church who have a clear vision of what it means to be a follower of God in the community and to not only preserve what God has done but to leverage for what he wants in the future.”

On June 25, First Baptist Church celebrated its 175th birthday with a community cookout that invited anyone and everyone in uptown Shelby to come and celebrate eat, examine church artifacts and generally celebrate the milestone in church history.

But already, Hankins was preparing to look at what has to come next for the church.

“Even in this 175th, we want to make sure it’s 175 years of our history but about here is what Jesus has done in 175 years through our church,” he said. “You can’t stare at (our history), you’ve got to stand on it.”

Former North Carolina Governor Oliver Max Gardner was a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Shelby. The church still has a photo of his Sunday School group in front of the building on display.
Former North Carolina Governor Oliver Max Gardner was a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Shelby. The church still has a photo of his Sunday School group in front of the building on display.

For most of its existence, the two cornerstones of First Baptist Church’s efforts have centered around community building and education.

Members of the church have assisted in church planting efforts around the county, allowing people in neighborhoods without a nearby church a place to practice their faith, and the membership rolls have numerous teachers, administrators and staff members for Cleveland County Schools and Gardner-Webb University.

Before the coronavirus pandemic put an end to many gatherings, the church hosted English courses for non-native speakers. Those classes haven’t resumed yet, though Hankins said he hopes to see them starting up again soon. On Fridays, the church still opens its kitchen to feed people who need a meal.

“This has been a part of Baptist church strategy in America for years. Let’s see a need and meet a need. Not because we need people to come to our church but because we care about God. We care about our church family growing, and we care about our community,” Hankins said.

First Baptist Church Pastor Doug Hankins examines artifacts and history of the church.
First Baptist Church Pastor Doug Hankins examines artifacts and history of the church.

In preparing for the next years of the church, Hankins said he hopes to prepare his congregation to meet whatever needs may arise. He also hopes to continue to expand the reach of its education and community programs.

“And to use those avenues to engage and understand our community. Our community is our mission field. It is the people God has given us. It’s where he’s working. Some new needs are going to emerge, and I think we are going to be at our best when we are a church who solves big problems,” he said.

Dustin George can be reached at 704-669-3337 or Dustin.George@ShelbyStar.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: First Baptist Church celebrates 175 years