History

Rich in history, our church is almost 200 years old. In the year of 1821 fifteen people met to form a new church, then named the Bethel Baptist Church. The church called Rev. Joseph Jones to serve as their first pastor. The church initially had two branches, one in Rockville and the other in the neighborhood of Brother Rev. William Brewer on Poolesville Road. The church continued its ministry with two branches until December 30, 1831, when it decided that the two branches should separate into individual churches. The "upper branch" retained the name Bethel Baptist Church, and the lower branch took the name of Rockville Baptist Church. In June 1863, the church incorporated under the laws of Maryland and took the name of the Baptist Church of Rockville. Later the name changed to the First Baptist Church of Rockville. When the Southern Baptist Convention formed, the church became a member of that organization.

The first church building was erected in 1823 at Jefferson and Van Buren Streets and rebuilt in 1864. The "Baptist Cemetery" still exists at that location. After the turn of the century, the growth of the church and the growth of the City of Rockville necessitated a larger facility, so in 1908 the church dedicated a new building at the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets.

In the 1950’s, the church’s remarkable growth resulted in Sunday School classes meeting at various places around the city. To be able to unite the congregation again, an educational building was built and dedicated on March 9, 1958. On September 26, 1960, the church purchased the Masonic property adjacent to the parsonage on Washington Street in anticipation of rebuilding and enlarging the sanctuary. However, continued growth through the 1960’s exhausted the capability to expand at this site and the church leaders realized that simply enlarging the facility would not be sufficient.

In 1968, First Baptist was blessed to be able to purchase an ideal new nine acre plot at West Montgomery Avenue (Rt. 28) and Interstate 270. This attractive site combines a convenient location, ample parking and room for expansion. A new sanctuary and educational building were constructed and opened on April 1, 1973, and are still in use today. Paintings of our present and two previous buildings are hung in the church hallway, reminding us of our long history and the dedication of those who have preceded us. In 1996, members, friends, former members, pastors, and former pastors gathered to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the church with a weekend celebration.

Because of our fine location and facility many other organizations use our building. In 1976 we formed our own Weekday Early Education (WEE) Center as an outreach mission. The WEE Center’s purpose is to enrich the life of children in a nurturing Christian environment.

Currently, we are working on plans to build the ROC (Recreation Outreach Center) to expand our ministry to Rockville and reach more people for the glory of God. We welcome your prayers as we move forward with this project.

The First Baptist Church of Rockville has a long and proud history, but we also understand that the past is prolog. Over the centuries, Rockville has grown from a small rural town to a major city consisting of people from all around the globe. The church has called 17 pastors to serve with the congregation in extending God's Kingdom in Rockville and throughout the world. In the rear of our sanctuary the flags of thirty nations are displayed along with the words "A House of Prayer for All Nations." These flags represent the native bonds of our congregation. We want to be a diverse congregation because God created His people that way; we strive not for uniformity but embrace unity in our Lord Jesus Christ. Please accept our invitation to join us in worship upon entering our third century as a dynamic, dedicated church fellowship and join history in the making for God's Kingdom.

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