The presence of multiple Baptist churches with sequential ordinals like “First Baptist Church” and “Second Baptist Church” in the same city is a common phenomenon in many places across the United States. This occurrence can be traced back to the historical development of Baptist churches and denominations in America over the past few centuries.
Baptists originated in 17th century England, where they split off from the established Church of England largely over the issue of baptism. Early Baptists rejected infant baptism practiced by the Anglican church and insisted that baptism was only valid when administered upon a confession of faith by an individual. This belief, along with support for religious liberty and the separation of church and state, became foundational Baptist principles.
As Baptists spread to British North America in the colonial era, the first Baptist churches were established in places like Providence, Rhode Island. Roger Williams founded the First Baptist Church in America there in 1638. But these early Baptist congregations remained isolated and limited in number up through the early 18th century.
The First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s helped spark tremendous growth for Baptists in America. Dynamic evangelical preachers like George Whitfield and others drew large crowds and many new converts to Baptist beliefs. Dozens of new Baptist churches were formed during this revival period.
In most colonies, the Anglican Church was the established, state-sponsored church. Baptists and other Protestant dissenters faced discrimination and restrictions on their religious practice. However, as the Baptist movement expanded, the colonial Baptist churches began to organize into local associations and networks for support.
Because the Anglican churches were funded by colonial taxes, they were commonly called the “First Church” in each town or parish. As Baptist groups established a separate church in Anglican areas, they would often take the name “Second Church” to indicate it was the second church formed in that location.
Following the American Revolution, Baptists expanded rapidly as religious freedom was enshrined in the new United States. The Baptist denomination spread itself through an extensive network of missionary work, associations, and protracted meeting revivals.
As new Baptist churches were constituted in a town or city, they would be designated with an ordinal number based on the chronological order in which they were organized. The first became the First Baptist Church, the second the Second Baptist Church, and so on. Within a given town, the First Baptist Church was usually the oldest and typically the largest and most prominent Baptist church.
Several factors gave rise to the formation of multiple distinct Baptist churches rather than a single unified congregation in most cities and towns.
1. Governance – Baptist churches were independent and autonomous. Each church was self-governing and democratically controlled by its members. Churches may have associated together in larger bodies, but governance was always local. This inclined Baptists against very large congregations.
2. Geography – Early Baptist churches often formed along geographical parish lines as neighborhoods grew. New congregations would arise to meet the needs of different areas of town.
3. Population Growth – As towns grew and the Baptist population increased, existing churches would often spawn new church plants to reach more people. Church splitting allowed greater pastoral care for members.
4. Racial Segregation – Tragically, the growth of Baptist churches was accompanied by increased separation of whites and blacks even within the same denomination. Racially segregated churches proliferated.
5. Doctrinal Differences – At times, disputes over theology and practice led segments of an existing church to break off and form a distinct congregation more aligned with their views.
So while the First Baptist Church may have been the original or flagship church, the Second Baptist Church and beyond reflected growth, diversity, and change within the local Baptist community. They occupied their own niches.
A look at the historical origins of the First Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church in specific cities confirms thisgeneral pattern:
Richmond, VA:
– First Baptist Church – Founded as First African Baptist Church around 1841 by black members splitting from the integrated First Baptist Church over discrimination issues. Changed name to First Baptist in 1874. Oldest black Baptist church in city.
– Second Baptist Church – Founded around 1846 by white members of the original First Baptist Church. Second oldest Baptist church in Richmond.
Dallas, TX:
– First Baptist Church – Organized in 1868 as the first Baptist church in Dallas. Prominent Southern Baptist congregation.
– Second Baptist Church – Established in 1890 by members of First Baptist who wanted to plant a new church further from downtown. Later eclipsed First Baptist in size.
Los Angeles, CA:
– First Baptist Church – Instituted in 1874 as the first Baptist church in LA. Originally met in homes before constructing their own building.
– Second Baptist Church – Started in 1885 by members of First Baptist Church. Eventually became one of the largest churches in LA.
The precedence of the First Baptist Church reflects its priority and seniority in the development of local Baptist witness and ministry. Subsequent churches with ordinal numbers generally indicate the chronological sequence of when other congregations branched off or were planted in the area.
While naming practices could vary between locations, the general trend was for each Baptist church to adopt an ordinal number based on the order of its founding. So you would have the First Baptist Church, then Second Baptist Church, Third Baptist Church, and so on in a single town or region.
This proliferation of multiply numbered Baptist churches points to the remarkable denominational growth and evangelistic zeal that marked American Baptists during the 18th and 19th centuries. As Baptist influence expanded in many communities, new congregations arose to spread their message and meet needs.
Planting additional Baptist churches strengthened local Baptist work through increased membership, wider ministry reach, and additional church plants. More churches meant more Baptists and more opportunities for ministry.
So in many American cities today, you still find multiple Baptist churches bearing the names First, Second, or Third to indicate their seniority and origins in that location. They testify to the grassroots denominational growth that characterized early Baptist history in America.