FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CAMERON

“Our Local Heritage” 

The First Baptist Church of Cameron, Missouri was organized in August, 1866, by W.W. Wheeler, Israel Christy, Joseph Yates and nine other members.  In 1868, they went into partnership with the Presbyterians and built a building costing $3,000.00, on the corner of Fourth and Orange St. Two to three years later they bought out the Presbyterian interest in the building, and in February of 1878 the church house was dedicated.

With growth, the congregation needed more space.  So, in 1891 another building was begun, this time at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut.  The church was built at a cost of $10,000.00, and the debt was retired in 1899.  Worship services were held in this building until 1959, when growth again necessitated a move.

On May 1st 1955, under the leadership of pastor Fred Terry, a dedication service was held at 202 East Ford St. where our current worship facility now sits.  Pastor Marvin Hughes officiated over the ground breaking ceremony on January 12, 1958 and led the first worship service in the new building on May 10, 1959.  The building was officially dedicated November 15, 1959.  Building cost was $250,000.00.  Pastor Herb Clinton officiated over the Cornerstone Service on June 5, 1966.  A Bond Burning Ceremony was held on November 17, 1974.

In May of 1979 plans were begun for our ministries building under the leadership of Pastor Tommy Blair.  Bonds were issued in the amount of $408,000.  Ground Breaking Ceremony was held on October 21, 1979, and the Cornerstone Ceremony was held on October 18, 1980, Pastor Blair presided over both ceremonies.  This debt was retired July 31, 1993.

Those are the facts and figures to our heritage, but what is now and has always been important is the people who make up First Baptist Church.  This congregation is dedicated to reaching its community for Christ. The Great Commission is our purpose for existence.  We are happy that you have decided to be a part of what God is doing in this community.  It is people like you, who are committing themselves to God’s work that will insure future generations a proud and lasting history of faithfulness!

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS

“Our Denominational Heritage”

While denominations such as the Methodists, the Lutherans and the Presbyterians can trace their roots to individuals like John Wesley, Martin Luther, and John Calvin, we as Baptists trace our roots back to a movement. 

Our movement finds its roots in what is known as the Protestant Reformation.  Now the word Protestant actually means “Protestor”.  It was a name given to those people who rebelled against the Pope and the Roman Catholic domination of religion.  The German Bishop Martin Luther was the first protestor.  Luther’s protest was fueled by the Churches practice of selling “Indulgences.” An indulgence was a religious symbol, like a cross or praying hands, which traveling priests would sell. It was the Catholic Church’s position that if a person were to give money for a worthy cause, or visit a holy shrine which housed some religious artifact, or bought an object that had been blessed by the Pope; one would receive grace in the hereafter.  Martin Luther rebelled against that, saying grace was a free gift and could not be bought.  After him came a number of other religious leaders who rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church.  But while many pulled away from the Catholic Church, their denominations became official state churches, which were ultimately controlled by those governments.  Lutheranism, for example, became the official state religion of Germany. 

Now Luther taught the common people that they had a right to study the Scriptures for themselves and come to their own convictions.  But for some, Luther’s reform didn’t go far enough.  Another wing of this reformation was embraced by a group of radical reformers who were not content with just the issue of grace, they wanted to reform everything about Christianity; these were called Anabaptists.  The word Anabaptist means “Re-baptizers.”  It was pinned on them by their enemies because of their conviction that only believers should be baptized by personal choice and not as infants which was the state church’s practice.  They were persecuted terribly by the state churches for this conviction, and many Anabaptists were killed for their convictions.  These people were devoted to the study of Scripture, and they adhered to only those things which the Bible instructed, everything else was considered meaningless tradition.

While there are many Baptist Denominations, most of them hold to the convictions of these early Anabaptist.  From these roots, Baptists have held vehemently to certain convictions, the infallibility of God’s Word, Spiritual Regeneration (the need to be Born Again), Believer’s Baptism, the Priesthood of the Believer, the Sanctity of Human Life, Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State. 

Baptists find their beginnings in England.  Thomas Helwys started the first church known as Baptist in England, 1611.  The Baptists came to America with the Puritan exodus from England.  In their search for religious freedom from the Church of England, many Puritans sought refuge in the New World.  Roger Williams started the first Baptist church on American soil.  It was started in a community started by Williams called Providence Plantation, (know today as the state of Rhode Island).  This community was based solely upon religious freedom where no one could be persecuted for their faith.  From that point Baptists began to flourish.

There were many other separations of the original Baptists.  They separated due to differences in Scriptural interpretation of things such as who should be allowed to partake of the Lord’s Supper – any Christian, or only members of that local church.  Southern Baptists began in 1845, splitting away from what we know today as the American (Northern) Baptists.  It was over such issues as missionary representation and slavery.

Today Southern Baptists are the largest Protestant denomination in the world.  We have over 42,000 churches with over 16 million members.  Southern Baptists organize voluntarily by local Associations, (of which we belong to the Heartland Association), State Conventions as well as a National Convention.  But ultimate authority in decision making rests in the local church.  We are not hierarchal; meaning, no one sends down decisions that we must follow.  All Southern Baptist Churches are autonomous.  It is our belief as Southern Baptists that we can do more for the glory of God working cooperatively, than any one church could do alone.  And that is, and always has been, our goal as a denomination–to reach as many people for Christ as we possibly can.

    FOR FURTHER READING ON BAPTIST HISTORY AND HERITAGE;

Baker, Robert A., ed. A Baptist Source Book.  Nashville: Broadman Press, 1966.

Estep, William R. The Anabaptist Story.  Nashville: Broadman Press, 1963.

Howe, Claude L. Glimpses of Baptist Heritage. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1981.

Lumpkin, William L., ed. Baptist Confessions of Faith.  Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1959.

                 .  The Trail of Blood.  Lexington, Ken.: Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, 1931.

McBeth, Leon H. The Baptist Heritage.  Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987.