CHURCH HISTORY - HIGHLIGHTS

• In 1925, the Baptist Young People's Union (B.Y.P.U.) was established on January 14, starting with eight enrolled members. A Sunday School was initiated on May 11 at the residence of Mrs. G. W. Thomas, where H.S. Sellick was elected as General Superintendent. The new church building was occupied, with the inaugural Sunday School and preaching services taking place on May 15, 2025.
• From 1932 to 1936, Reverend R.D. Carrin played a crucial role in helping the church endure the Great Depression, even reducing his salary to sustain the church. He resided in the back of the church at that time, but later purchased a home when those rooms were needed for expansion.
• Between 1936 and 1942, Reverend L. E. Thomas focused on fostering fellowship within the church, with membership reaching 272 in 1936.
• During the years 1944 to 1948, Reverend Phil Maxwell enhanced the Church Training program and organized groups to attend Ridgecrest for training and guidance.
• In 1948 to 1950, a Sunday School was launched in Rio on August 7, 1949, with its first preaching service occurring on December 20, 1950, under Reverend Ralph Acree's leadership. This marked the first mission of the First Baptist Church, which later evolved into the First Baptist Church of Jensen Beach.
• In 1953, the church decided to hire George Painter, a junior at Stetson University, as the Educational Director for the summer. His salary was set at $50 per week, along with a $10 car allowance, marking the first staff member employed apart from the pastor.
• On September 4, 1955, the Rio Mission officially became a fully cooperating Baptist Church, with fifty-nine members departing from the mother church to become charter members of the new Rio Church.
• During Reverend Robert E. Lee's pastorate in 1956, First Baptist became the first church in Stuart to install air-conditioning, funded by a special offering.
• In 1959, mission churches were established in the Palm City and Tropical Farms areas, both commencing on May 3, 1959.
• Mrs. Bettye Rogers organized and promoted the inaugural Junior Choir, which she directed for many years. The First Stuart Junior Choir consistently won first place at Music Festivals, with offerings averaging over $1,000 each Sunday.
• 1960: The First Baptist Church, Tropical Farms Mission, and Palm City Mission collaboratively initiated a Sunday afternoon jail ministry. Later, Palm City Mission evolved into the First Baptist Church of Palm City.
• 1963: Tropical Farms Mission became a self-sustaining Southern Baptist Church, with the chapel property being transferred to the church.
• 1964: The congregation voted to hire Courtney Stewart from Fort Lauderdale to design plans for the proposed sanctuary and expansion of First Baptist Church of Stuart, which we enjoy today. The construction cost was $150,000.
• 1966: The new sanctuary was dedicated on May 22, 1966.
• 1968-76: Under the leadership of Reverend Clinton Marlow, December 1969 saw record offerings, reported at over $2,200 per week. During his tenure, a bus ministry was launched, and Children's Church began, averaging around 180 attendees each Sunday in 1972.
• 1974: The First Baptist Christian School opened its doors on August 26, 1974, initially serving grades 1 through 6. Grade 7 was added later that year, followed by grade 8 and Kindergarten in 1976. Edward Smith became the headmaster in 1976. The first Living Christmas Tree presentation occurred in 1974 as one of Stuart's premier annual events.
• 1977: Reverend L.C. Campbell, Jr. assumed pastoral responsibilities following the passing of Reverend Clinton Marlow.
• 1991-92: The new Education & Fellowship Building was contracted and completed during this period. 1992: Reverend Darrell P. Orman was called as pastor in July. His first sermon at First Baptist Church of Stuart took place on August 2, 1992, where three individuals accepted Christ, including Carey Brown, who was later ordained as a deacon. In the fall of 1992, Pastor Orman encouraged the church to conduct a Chest of Joash Offering to fund the completion of the new education building and fellowship hall, raising $63,000 in cash-the largest single offering in the church's 75-year history. 1993: In Pastor Orman's first full year of service, 155 individuals were baptized.
• 1994: In June, fifteen members embarked on a mission to Varginha, Brazil, where their evangelistic efforts resulted in over 6,000 conversions and the establishment of a church.
• 1995: In August, Pastor Orman and twenty-three others contributed to building a second church in Divinopolis, Brazil. The team led over 11,000 people to Christ, with 2,000 conversions occurring in just one night at the Town Square Rally.
• 1996: Pastor Orman was elected president of the Florida Baptist Pastors' Conference. The First Baptist staff and choir contributed to this ministry, supporting over a thousand pastors, staff, and laypeople from across the state. Pastor Orman led a team of eighteen on a mission trip to Itauna, Brazil, where a third church was established and hundreds professed their faith in Christ.
• 1997: During our inaugural mission trip to Montana, more than 126 members and staff from First Baptist ministered to five different churches through Basketball Camp, VBS, and areawide rallies, alongside repairing and refurbishing their church buildings.
• 1998: In March, a Spanish Mission was launched with Joseph Chripczuk serving as pastor. Pastor Orman, together with the First Baptist Church Drama team, undertook an evangelical trip to Chandigarh, India, resulting in hundreds accepting Jesus as their Savior.
• 1999: In June, twenty members traveled to Natividade, Brazil, where a fourth church was built and many were saved.

CHURCH HISTORY - HIGHLIGHTS

• 2000: In June, First Baptist Stuart sponsored the First Baptist Mission of Sebastian, with Wesley Weaver as pastor. A second mission trip to Montana took place in July, involving sixty of our members who ministered through basketball camp, VBS, various church construction projects, and an area-wide rally. Over the past twenty-four years, mission efforts have led to thousands professing faith in Jesus Christ in Brazil and India, along with over 1,000 baptisms locally.
• 2004: First Baptist Stuart formed Disaster Relief Teams to aid during two category three hurricanes. The first, Hurricane Frances, struck the Treasure Coast on September 5, 2004. First Baptist provided extensive support to its members and neighbors through tree removal, hurricane cleanup, and sharing food and water. The second storm, Hurricane Jeanne, made landfall on September 25, 2004, prompting another response from First Baptist.
• 2005: On August 29, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, displacing hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and causing over $100 billion in damages. First Baptist Church went to Gautier, Mississippi, equipped with chainsaws and cases of water. A second team returned to Mississippi with trailers filled with backpacks of clothes, organized by size and gender, as well as cleanup tools to remove debris. We established the church as a Regional Disaster Relief Center.
• 2006: First Baptist organized a mission trip for our youth, sending a team of eighteen to Costa Rica to share the Gospel at schools and orphanages. Pastor Orman earned his Doctor of Ministry degree and was recognized as the Doctor of Ministry Student of the Year at Liberty University. He also served as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee for the Southern Baptist Convention.
• 2007: The First Family supported and sent Ryan and Lisa Worley's family to Mexico for New Tribes Mission. First Baptist held a mission trip to Altamira, Brazil, with a team of twenty conducting daily witnessing, visitations at churches and schools, and evening church meetings, culminating in an evening crusade at the local soccer stadium.
• 2008: The First Baptist mission team traveled to Bennington, Vermont, where they completed renovations for Capstone Church, conducted VBS, and shared the Gospel in nursing homes, retirement facilities, and evangelistic programs.
• 2009: A mission team of forty-three from First Baptist Stuart went to Asheville, Noth Carolina, to conduct VBS, home repairs, and Gospel presentations at a veterans' restoration center and nursing homes, as well as completing an evangelism rally with local churches.
• 2010: First Baptist sent a team of forty-eight to Pipestem, West Virginia, for light construction, VBS, nursing home and retirement ministry, and to share the Gospel.
• 2011: First Baptist initiated a mission trip to Jacmel, Haiti, where they constructed a guest house for local families involved in ministry and visiting missionaries. Furthermore, a team of fifty journeyed to Pipestem, West Virginia, to host Bible conferences, undertake work projects, engage in nursing home ministry, lead VBS, and spread the Gospelthroughout the community.
• 2012: A team of thirty from First Baptist went to West Liberty, Kentucky, to assist with cleanup and reconstruction following a tornado that struck the area in March 2012. Pastor Orman celebrated twenty years of dedicated service with FBC.
• 2013: First Baptist dispatched a team of twenty-five members to Townsend, Tennessee, with the mission of sharing the Gospel at local campsites, prisons, retirement homes, and community churches. Additionally, the FBC mission team built a 200-seat sanctuary and community center, supplying fresh water to a village situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet south of Jacmel, Haiti. Under Pastor Orman's guidance, three young men - Brad Ragel, Joshua Gardner, and Justin TenCate - were ordained into the Gospel ministry.
• 2014: First Baptist dispatched a team to Bennington, Vermont, to carry out light construction for Northeastern Baptist College. The team engaged in evangelism with local churches, Vacation Bible School, a patriotic musical, and a nursing home ministry. The church supported Steve and Nikki Simpson and their family in their service with Mission Aviation Fellowship in Mozambique, Africa. Tim and Gina Matthews are also serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea. Additionally, First Baptist sent nine mission team members to Altamira, Brazil.
• 2015: Joshua and Cherith Gardner are currently preparing to qualify for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to serve in Southeast Asia. May God inspire many more families from our congregation to answer the call to serve Him around the world.