First Baptist Church - Columbia, SC - A Church That Was Founded Over 200 Years Ago

Throughout the late 1700s, Baptists moved from northern states to take up residence in South Carolina. The First Baptist Church was founded in 1809. In 2009, the First Baptist Church is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary.

The first building of the First Baptist, which is located on the corner of Hampton and Sumter Streets, was dedicated on March 2, 1811.The single-story church was 40 square feet and was constructed out of handmade brick. At the time, it was the only brick church in Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. James P. Boyce was the pastor at the original church. A new church building was eventually developed and completed in 1859. The new sanctuary had the largest seating capacity (900-1000) of any Baptist church in South Carolina. In 1973, this building became a National Historic Landmark. Since the World War II era, several additions and renovations have been made to the church. These additions include two wings, Lindsay Hall, and a new sanctuary.

Located at 1306 Hampton Street, First Baptist is centrally located in downtown Columbia and is only two blocks from the State Capitol. Worship services are held on Sundays at 10:30am. On Wednesdays, there is a mid-week service held at 6:00pm. Sunday School is held at 9:15am on Sundays. In addition, there are over twenty classes geared towards adults.

For 23 years, Pastor Wendell Estep has served First Baptist. In 2001, he also served as President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Estep can be contacted at 803-343-8540.

First Baptist has a number of ministries available for members. These include: adult, student, college, international, women's, and children's ministries. Vacation Bible School began at First Baptist in 1927. First Baptist's mission was primarily evangelistic in nature, and more than 400 children and adults participated in missions work in 2008. In 2000, the AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) program was started. This group focuses on Scripture memorization, missions education, evangelistic training, and Bible skills. The children's ministry is run by Rev. Charlie Wallace, and he can be reached at 843-343-8547. First Baptist also has a Prayer Ministry that features a 24-hour phone hotline and online submittal service for prayer requests. The request line is can be reached by calling 803-343-8560.

In 1955, First Baptist began televising their worship services. Originally, broadcasts were limited to Columbia, Florence, and Greenville. Currently, broadcasts are distributed throughout South Carolina, sections of Georgia, and parts of North Carolina. Services can also be viewed on the internet.

Additional services and programs offered at First Baptist, such as Forever & Ever, which is a six-week course for couples preparing to be married. The Profit & Loss Series is led by Pastor Estep and includes a lunch buffet. The Annual Columbia Christmas Pageant is a performance of the Christmas Story that lasts roughly 1.5 hours. The Feed the Homeless Program takes place in the First Baptist parking lot on the last Saturday of every month.

The Music Ministry is led by Reverend Steve Philips and includes a variety of choirs and orchestras for all age groups. The main choir has 250 members. In August of 2009, Philips was chosen to receive the Heart of Servant Award, which is given by Christian Supply. Philips has been with First Baptist since 1988, and he can be reached at 803-343-8550.