ABOUT THE CHURCH

The General Baptist Denomination's fundamental belief is that Jesus died for all people and that all people must come to Him in order to be saved. That is also the foundational belief of the First General Baptist Church of Bloomfield. It is a belief anchored firmly in scripture. We believe Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life" and that "no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6).

Obviously, every local church congregation had a beginning and First General is no exception. While our spiritual origin goes back to Christ, our local origin goes back to the working of the Holy Spirit primarily in the lives of some Christian ladies who were meeting together for fellowship and service projects in 1949. From their conversations, convictions, and prayers, a dream was born of a local Bloomfield congregation of General Baptist believers. The ladies shared this dream with others. Meetings were held. More prayers were prayed. A vision became clear. Evangelist C. E. Murray of East Alton, Illinois, was contacted and he conducted a two week revival in the Bloomfield community. the meeting was held in the rented Old Northern Methodist Church facility on Center Street (now the Stoddard County Historical Society Museum). The response to this revival led directly to the formal organization and establishment of the First General Baptist Church of Bloomfield on September 25, 1949. Rev. Murray served as moderator as 27 people formed the charter membership of the newly born congregation. In December of that same year, the young congregation purchased the Old Northern Methodist building for, we believe, only $1900. The figure of $2500 has been mentioned previously, but no accurate documentation of that amount can be found.

That was 55 years ago. Today, the church's facilities are located at 501 Christian Drive and have been since May, 1978. From beginning on Christian Drive with a sanctuary and basement classrooms, the congregation has additionally built, over the years, and education wing, a parsonage, a recreation/fellowship center, and in 2004 a new worship center. God gave this congregation life. We depend on Him to continue that life, as we work to build His Kingdom.