A church with deep roots and a fresh start.
First Baptist Church has been part of Crawfordsville since 1838, when twelve people gathered to form a congregation on the banks of Sugar Creek. They couldn't have imagined what would follow — nearly two centuries of worship, community, loss, growth, and faithfulness in one town.
Built to last — and rebuilt more than once.
The church has occupied several buildings across its history, each one outgrown before long. The congregation that now meets on Lebanon Road traces its roots through a log cabin, a brick sanctuary, and the building dedicated in 1925 — a testament to generations of people who believed this church was worth sacrificing for. The current facility opened in 1975, built on borrowed faith and $667,000 the congregation didn't yet have.
For much of the twentieth century, FBC was one of the larger churches in Montgomery County. Membership reached 1,200 in the 1990s. The church supported missionaries in Congo, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and beyond. It trained ministers, launched ministries, and invested in the community for decades.
For much of the twentieth century, FBC was one of the larger churches in Montgomery County. Membership reached 1,200 in the 1990s. The church supported missionaries in Congo, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and beyond. It trained ministers, launched ministries, and invested in the community for decades.
A new chapter.
In 2024, Brian Hudson was called as lead pastor, and what followed has felt less like a relaunch and more like a homecoming — a congregation remembering who it is and what it exists to do.
We are not trying to be a different church. We are trying to be a faithful one. The same gospel that gathered twelve people in 1838 is still the center of everything we do. We exist to know Jesus and make him known — in Crawfordsville, and wherever God leads us.
If you're looking for a place to belong, we'd love for you to be part of what's next.
We are not trying to be a different church. We are trying to be a faithful one. The same gospel that gathered twelve people in 1838 is still the center of everything we do. We exist to know Jesus and make him known — in Crawfordsville, and wherever God leads us.
If you're looking for a place to belong, we'd love for you to be part of what's next.
