Church History

First Baptist Church of Harrison was founded on August 30, 1890. In the beginning, the church was known simply as the Harrison Baptist church, for there was no other Baptist church in town. Baptists, however, had lived and worshiped in Boone county for many years. The Crooked Creek Association (a forerunner to our current North Arkansas Baptist Association) met in 1889 to appoint those who would look over the Baptist cause in Harrison. After a revival led by evangelist and musician Bro. William Evander Penn (where converts were baptized in Crooked creek), First Baptist Church was born.

The first church building was contructed on the side of a hill (west) overlooking what is now "downtown" Harrison and served as the home of the First Family from May of 1892 until the mid-1920's. At that time, the intent was to build a new facility on the corner of what is now Main and Ridge, but the church ended up meeting in what it referred to as "The Tabernacle" for several years. By 1929, a new structure was being built and was soon occupied. It took many years to pay for the new structure as the great depression hit just as FBC was completing the building process. But, God blessed and that building served as the church home until 1977.

The first phase of the current facilities were completed in 1979 and became the new home of First Baptist Church. Additional education and fellowship space was added in 1995 and the Recreation Outreach Center completed in 2005. Although these facilities exist as a place of worship and fellowship for the First Family, the buildings and grounds are also available to all the residents of Harrison and surrounding areas.

Over the its many years of existence, First Baptist Church has been a pillar of cooperation and support for the Harrison community. During its time serving in this area, FBC has helped to start missions that have later become Eagle Heights Baptist Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and what is now Western Grove Baptist Church. Although things have changed over time the goals have remained the same: worship God, love each other, reach the lost.

What We Believe

First Baptist Church functions in cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention, Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and North Arkansas Baptist Association. Although we firmly believe in the full autonomy of the local church, we choose to affiliate with these organizations for missions support and ministry resources. In addition, our statement of beliefs can best be summarized by the Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention.

Some basic tenants of this document are as follows:

- The Holy Bible is the exclusive, inspired, and inerrant Word of God, and is our sole authority in all matters of faith and practice.

- God is the sovereign creator of the universe, and is expressed eternally in the triune God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

- Mankind is a sinner by both disposition and action and as a result is separated from God, who cannot look upon sinfulness. Man is unable to remedy this separation by his own will or devices, and thus needs to be reconciled unto God by the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit and new Birth.

- Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, He lived a perfect, sinless life, and suffered and died upon the cross for the sins of the world and was buried. It is His sacrifice in our stead that provides the means of man's redemption. He was literally, bodily raised from the dead on the third day for our justification.

- Eternal life is a free gift of God and comes only through faith and trust alone in the work done solely by Jesus Christ upon the cross, and in His subsequent resurrection. Eternal life is not only a quantity of life, but a quality of life available to all who will surrender their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

- Jesus Christ, though now unseen in heaven, will unexpectedly and visibly return to the earth as its Judge and King, and will establish a thousand year reign of peace and justice under his authority. He will then re-create the heavens and the earth, undoing the curse brought about by sin, and all those who are saved will reign forever with Him.

How to Join the First Family

There are several ways by which an individual may join FBC:
1. By professing your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and by being baptized by immersion.
2. By transfer of membership by letter of recommendation from another Baptist Church.
3. By statement of faith that you are a believer and have been baptized by immersion in a church of similar faith and order.

Membership in the First Family also involves the attendance and completion of a Membership Orientation class. This class, lead by the pastor and/or staff, is designed to give our guests an overview of our beliefs, an understanding of Baptist church life, and present every prospect with the opportunities for ministry that exist through First Baptist Church.