First Baptist Church of Winter Park was organized by thirteen people in the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Betts on Welbourne Avenue, Monday, April 21, 1913. All thirteen charter members were from First Baptist Church of Orlando. They were as follows: Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Betts, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Trovillion, Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Stone, Willie Stone, Miss Annie Stone, Miss Florence Stone, Miss Marie Darby and Mr. A. J. Driggers. The text for the inaugural message, delivered by Dr. A. J. Holt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Kissimmee, was based on Matthew 16:18, “Upon this rock I will build my church”. The first pastor was Rev. E. Lee Smith who served on a quarter-time basis beginning on June 1, 1913.

Ground was broken on August 1913 for a house of worship to be built on two lots on Interlachen and Comstock Avenues which had been donated by charter members, Mr. & Mrs. J. A. Trovillion. Through the years as the church grew in membership, more property and buildings were acquired. Finally it became evident that a new location must be found for the church. The Interlachen and Comstock Avenues property was sold to Rollins College. The former church building stands on the campus of Rollins College, and is now known as the Fred Stone Theater. The current church property was purchased on New York Avenue and ground breaking was held on New Years Eve, 1960.

First Baptist has been the mother church to Goldenrod Baptist, Killarney Baptist, Aloma Baptist, Sweetwater Baptist, Orlando Central Baptist (a Korean congregation), Tuscawilla Baptist, Celebration Church Lake Mary, New Community Baptist Church, and our current mission, Waypointe Church in east Orange County. A mission team has traveled to Brazil each year since 1986 to construct new church buildings and we are currently sponsoring the building of a sister church in Indonesia and a training center in China. In the Ukraine, the cities of Sumy and Kiev each have a church started by our mission teams. Many members have responded to God’s call to go and serve in a full time capacity in ministerial and missionary endeavors.

With godly pastoral and lay leadership, our church history has been one of carrying out the Great Commission both at home and abroad. As we move forward in the new millennium, we anticipate, with great excitement, the continuing fulfillment of our Kingdom Mission in Winter Park, in Florida, the United States and around the world.