Brief History

In 1925, the First Baptist Church of Fort Myers, Florida gave to the Immokalee Church 5 acres of land where the cemetery is now on North 11^th Street.  In the same year a letter was sent to the Peace River Baptist Association asking to become a member of the association.  At the fiftieth annual session of the Peace River Baptist Association, Rev. W.B. Davidson presented a letter requesting that First Baptist Church of Immokalee be allowed to become a member of the Peace River Association.  As the information in the letter was complete as to what the church believed, on October 1, 1925 they were received as a member of the body of the Peace River Baptist Association.   

The church wanted to have their own building for worship and so to start building on their first structure they appointed three men to serve as trustees of the project.  They were as follows: James Gouldin, J. I. Widden, Robert Roberts. 

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This is a resolution adopted by First Baptist Church in 1937 because of a concern for the moral decline of their city and county:    

To the HON. Sam Fish, Justice of the Peace and the HON. Ralph Walker, Constable and Deputy Sheriff of Immokalee, Collier County, FL.

     Whereas, there exists a considerable amount of law violations in Immokalee among which is the operation of Bar Rooms, Beer Gardens, Stores and so called Jooks on Sundays which is contrary to the Laws of the State of Florida and detrimental to the moral and religious life of the community.

     Therefore, be it further resolved that the low abiding citizens of this church will co-operate with the officers of the law to the best of their ability in the enforcement of the law.

     Passed in regular Conference of this church this the 4^th day of July AD 1937.

Signed: 

Grady A. Smith

Church Clerk

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In 1942 a mission was started on the Big Cyprus Indian reservation and was dedicated as a church in 1948.  This mission was sponsored by First Baptist Church of Immokalee and First Baptist Church of LaBelle.

In 1952 they broke ground for a new church building and it was completed late that same year debt free.

The Spanish Baptist Mission began in the original church building, which had been moved to North Second Street. 

In 1954, the educational complex was completed at the church on Main Street. 

 

In 1957 First Baptist Church along with ten other churches and 3 missions felt that the time had come to organize their own association.  At the Annual Meeting of the Peace River Association at First Baptist Church of Nocatee on October 16, 1957, during the morning session the churches of the south group were granted permission to withdraw from the Peace River Association in order to constitute a new association.  The Royal Palm Baptist Association was officially organized on October 17, 1957, at Riverside Baptist Church in Fort Myers, Florida. 

 

 

That same year, 1967 the church voted to purchase 8.3 acres of land on the corner of highway 29 and Lake Trafford Road, this is the site of the present church building.

In 1976 the original church building was situated just behind the sanctuary on Main Street and was used for youth activities.

In 1979 Glendale Baptist Mission, an African American congregation, became part of the ministry of First Baptist church.

 

On May 12, 1986 they moved into the present building.

 

Between 1999 and 2000, First Baptist Church baptized so many new converts that it was ranked in the top 50 Southern Baptist Churches in America for number of per capita baptisms in a single year.  This was due in part to some dynamic outreach and evangelism by a handful of faithful members, and special events held at the church.
"Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames" was one of the evangelistic events that was used during that time.  It was a play that depicted several short scenes of people just before and after their final moments on earth, and where they went after death based on how they had responded in life to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The scenes were played out by members of First Baptist Church.  Each performance played before a packed audience, requiring the play to be held over for additional performances. Over 200 people who came to see the play made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Also in 2000 and 2001, First Baptist Church held Block parties. These outdoor events offered food, clothing, entertainment, and a presentation of the gospel to close to 100 Hispanic and migrant workers in the community.  

In May of 2001, a team of 10 men traveled with Clay Cartwright to Tambov Russia to help with the construction of a new church building. Brother Clay & Connie Cartwright had worked and served with the Russian Baptist Church in Tambov from 1994 - 1997. The construction team, along with bro. Clay, included Herrod Spangler, John Giddons, Chris Plunkett, Wayne Chism, Mike Ball, L.B. Gross, Sidney Platt, and Harold Rentz.  When they arrived, the construction of the new church had come to a screeching halt. But the team, with their knowledge of building, welding, and brick laying, were able to get the project moving again.   Two years later, in 2003, the building was completed and dedicated. The mayor of Tambov, and the President of the Russian Baptist Union were on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony. To this day, many members of the First Baptist Church of Tambov can still name all of the men from First Baptist Immokalee who served on that team. They are forever grateful for the work that they did, and how they helped encourage the church to finish the project.

Immokalee, Florida

 

 

1916       Rev. A. M. Bennett

1929–1932  Rev. Frank W. McGee 

1932–1933  Rev. M. G. Morrison

1938–1939  Rev. A. V. Reece

1939–1942  Rev. John A. Moore

1942–1943  Rev. Robert F. Simmons

1944–1948  Rev. O. O. Roberts

1948–1949  Rev. George Alderman

1949–1952  Rev O. O. Roberts

1952–1960  Rev. Kline Williams

1960–1963  Rev. L. E. Daniel 

1965–1966  Rev. Robert S. Geer

1981–1982  Interim – Rev. Gilbert Speak

1982-1985  Rev. A. L. Finley

1985-1986  Interim – Rev. Colvard

1986-1991  Rev. Daryl Alexander

1992-1993  Interim – Rev. Roger Bradley

1993–1998  Rev. Byron Hendry

1998-2001  Rev. Bill McLeod

2001-2002  Interim – Rev. Herman Clark

2002-2004  Rev. Scott Rowlett

2004-2006  Interim – Rev. Phil Messinger

2006-2007  Interim – Rev. Bob Stucky

2007-2008  Rev. Richard Fountain

2009-      Rev. Dennis Norvell (Came 10/11/09)