Our church came into existence as the result of a small group of people who stepped out by faith. After having
visited several area churches these few families felt the Lord's leading to establish an Independent Baptist Church in Freeport.
The mission came into existence on January 20,1977.
We made contact with Bro. Doyle Lawson, pastor of the Twin Cities Baptist Church in Temple Texas to see if his church would
consider sponsoring us as a mission. After some discussion it was agreed that this would be a desirable opportunity.
Bro. Lawson made several trips from Temple to preach for and provide direction and counsel for this new congregation.
The name Faith Baptist Church was decided on because it was agreed that if a new church was to be started it would require
faith by all those who were participating.
On Sundays we would meet on the second floor of the First Freeport National Bank. We would set up
the room for services on Sunday and then return the room to its former status after the services on Sunday evening.
On Wednesday evenings we would meet in people's homes until we were provided access to the music room at the Jane Long Elementary
School. On March 6th the mission called Bro. Eugene Blankenship to be their pastor. He was very
instrumental in leading the congregation through the mission stage and preparing us to be organized into a New Testament
Church. Shortly after his arrival we were provided the opportunity to rent the old Gautreaux Laundry building on the
corner of West Park and Second Street in Freeport. There were a couple of weeks involved in remodeling but we finally
moved in and had a place of our own to meet.
Then, on September 9th the church had its present location donated. At the time there was just a makeshift house
on the property and another little storage building at the back. The house had been used as a church for years.
It had orignally been used by another Baptist church that disbanded years before. There had been a number of congregations,
of different denominations, in and out of the little building.
Eventually construction began on a new building and it was completed in March of 1981. This building remains the
church's present facilities.
Faith Baptist, while remaining a small congregation, has had the opportunity to minister to hundreds of individuals some
of whom have moved away and are faithfully serving in other churches. Our present congregation is made up of ten
families ranging from the mid-twenties into the early sixties. The age of our children range in age from two
to young adult.
A church's history is often marked by the tenure of its Pastors. Faith Baptist Church has been led by seven men throughout
her 33 years. They are as follows:
Eugene Blankenship ....................... March 6,1977 - January 22, 1978
Jerry West .................................... March 10, 1978 - December 31, 1978
Thomas Beard .............................. February 14,1979 - July 4, 1982
Bill Sutton ..................................... August 18, 1982 - August 18, 1985
John Hare ..................................... September 18, 1985 - August 31, 1988
Jeff McEntire ................................ August 27, 1989 - December 27,1989
James McEntire ............................ February 16, 1990 - Present
