151 YEARS...1856-2007

Richard Howard, a South Carolinian, moved his family to Texas in 1855.  He was employed by the Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and organized many Baptist churches in Central Texas.  July 15, 1856, he organized a church at White Sulphur Springs in the town of Lampasas.

Many preachers and missionaries served Lampasas Baptist Church during the unsettled years prior and during the Civil War of 1861-1865.

In 1872 a new church house was constructed on the north east corner of Fourth and Main Streets.

Meeting in Lampasas in 1885, the Texas Baptist State Convention organized a Board of Relief of Disabled Ministers and a home for older ministers was operated in Lampasas from 1892-1893 on behalf of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Probably the greatest growth of Lampasas Baptist Church occurred at the terminus of the new railroad when newcomers were pouring in by the hundreds. During a five year period over four hundred were received for baptism and several hundred by letter.  The wooden church house seated about 300. A new church building was begun at Third and Key Avenues, but when half was completed, the financial bottom dropped out of all businesses and construction of the new church house was temporarily suspended.  It was finally completed in 1890. This church house was destroyed by fire on February 20, 1937.

One year later on the third Sunday in February 1938, opening services were held in a new church house built on the same site. Cut stone from the former structure was used at the bottom of this new building.

Opening services were held in the present sanctuary, which joins the site of the past two churches, on January 17, 1960.

First Baptist, Lampasas has been blessed with many multi-talented pastors and ministerial support staff. Many have served as pastors, Baptist college and Baptist school presidents, missionaries, denominational leaders, Baptist Standard editor, authors of books on Baptist history, and in many other Christian leadership positions. Throughout the years many lay people, men and women, have supported the work of this church.  As a result of the dedication of former pastors, ministers and lay people, today we enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Since the earliest days of the city, First Baptist has been an active leader in civic development, missions, and Baptist Associational work. The church helped in the organization of the Lampasas Baptist Association in 1896 and assisted in the establishment of the Lampasas Baptist Encampment which met annually on the present site of Hancock Park through 1928.  In 1946 the church organized a Spanish mission church which is now Primera Mission Bautista and the Baptist Chapel which today is  Second Baptist Church. In 1968 our kindergarten was organized and classes started that fall. Our Woman on Mission Organization has been active for over 100 years.

On October 1, 2006 we celebrated our 150th anniversary.  The future of First Baptist Church is set forth in our objective: to be a church with Christ as our leader and the Bible as our authority.