The Journey

A Brief History of First Baptist McAlester 

For more than 100 years McAlester's Exciting First Baptist Church has been on a JOURNEY - A JOURNEY to Seek God's Best for McAlester and Beyond.  The JOURNEY began when Civil War veteran W.A. Tredwell, and 10 charter members founded the First Baptist Church of McAlester in 1892.  From that small beginning, First Baptist Church began to grow through an ever-expanding ministry.

In each generation of the JOURNEY church members walked together by faith and made the commitments necessary to reach the community and the world for Jesus Christ.  Even during the Great Depression First Baptist Church built buildings, retired debt, and purchased property to accommodate an expanding ministry.  Today, we are the recipients of the sacrificial commitments of our forefathers.

The first meeting place of First Baptist was a small wooden structure on the corner of 1st and Grand Avenue (now Carl Albert Parkway).

By 1910 church membership numbered 426 and a large dome-topped worship center was built on the corner of 1st and Washington.

In 1925 the church added an education building, which is still in use.  Then, in 1938 First Baptist purchased the Yowell Hotel to add additional education space for a growing Sunday School.  In 1956 a five story education building was built.  In 1967 the present worship center was dedicated.  In 1985 administrative offices and additional education space was added.  And in 1996 a major renovation was completed.

In recent years the JOURNEY has led us into new and exciting ways to reach to our community.  The addition of a second morning worship service, combined with an expanding Sunday School and Music Ministry have resulted in growth unprecedented in our church's history.  New ministries such as our Hispanic Mission have lengthened our reach into the local area.

In February of 2000 First Baptist Church voted to relocate to a new home that will enable us to continue expanding our ministry in the decades ahead.  In March of 2001, a Task Force Committee recommended that our church purchase a 25-acre site near the intersection of Highway 270 and Highway 69 By-pass.  On March 25, 2001 our church voted to purchase the property and begin our JOURNEY to a new home. Shown here is an architectural drawing of what our new home will look like.