BARTOW–It was a day that was 150 years in the making.

A touch of excitement was in the air on a clear and calm Sunday morning at First Baptist Church of Bartow.

Longtime member Janet Pitts and her teammates were busy transforming the church’s ministry center into a beautiful dining setting for a historic occasion.

Outside, smiling greeters awaited the opportunity to welcome guests and members for worship.

The day had come to celebrate the church’s 150^th anniversary with a special service, followed by a churchwide dinner. Throughout the year, Pitts, the anniversary team and others had planned and promoted the event throughout the community. Pitts said she couldn’t have felt more privileged to serve.

Established in 1875 with 10 founding members

The church was founded Sept. 21, 1875, by 10 people as Concord Church, which later was named Bartow Baptist before becoming First Baptist Church of Bartow. The founding of the church came as Bartow was in its formative years. In 1866, Jacob Summerlin, a cattle businessman, wanted to help the town and donated land to establish government buildings, a school and local churches. Twenty acres were gifted to establish the Baptist church.

Elder Jeremiah M. Hayman led the founding members and became the first pastor of First Baptist Church of Bartow. Later, Hayman became a missionary in central Florida and helped start many churches throughout the state.

On Sept. 7, the church unveiled a Polk County Heritage Site marker on its grounds. The marker was sponsored by the church and the Polk County Historical Commission.

The marker is both special and personal to church member Emmett Ferguson Griffin, as he is related to Elizabeth A. Griffin, one of the 10 founding members noted on the sign.

The 85-year-old Griffin and several members of his family attended the anniversary service. They were part of the 333 people who gathered in the 100-year-old sanctuary, where at age 9, Griffin was baptized. He and his wife of 45 years, Margie, were also married in the historic sanctuary.

“I just feel comfortable in this church, and it feels like going home every time that I go,” said Griffin.

‘Lord has blessed this church’

At the beginning of the service, a congratulatory video welcomed the congregation. About 20 people, which included pastors, friends and various leaders from all over the country, sent their well wishes to honor the church’s milestone anniversary. Later in the program, another video was played that featured several members who gave their thoughts on the church’s legacy.

Senior pastor Matt McCraw, the church’s 28^th pastor, stepped forward to thank and welcome special guests such as Betsy Deaton, the widow of former pastor Norman Deaton, and local dignitaries, including Bartow Mayor Tanya Tucker and several city commissioners. McCraw then shared a congratulatory letter from former pastor David Sutherland, who served the church 1977-1982.

McCraw paused and smiled at the congregation.

“The Lord has blessed this church. Amen,” he said.

‘A beacon of the gospel’

“While it is good and right to celebrate all that God has done,” McCraw reminded the church of its mission to develop disciples and to look to its future.

“Our eyes should not only look backward but also should look forward to the future. God is not near finished with First Baptist Bartow. This church is a beacon of the gospel here in Bartow, Polk County, the state of Florida and beyond,” said McCraw.

McCraw then introduced his lifelong friend and guest speaker Aaron Burgner, senior pastor of Lakes Church in Lakeland, formerly First Baptist Church of Lakeland. Burgner and McCraw grew up together in Lakeland. Both men also serve on the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference. Burgner is president of the conference, and McCraw is vice-president.

Burgner drew his message, “An Authentic and Faithful Church,” from 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. He commended the church for always being faithful and Word-centered.

“It’s important that we know that what we’re celebrating today is not that we’re 150 years as a church but 150 years of God’s faithfulness to a people and a people’s faithfulness to God and His Word.

“For 150 years, you’ve been tethered to the Word of God,” said Burgner.

“And (McCraw) has always had his heart tethered to God’s Word,” he added.

‘Biblical truths alive in our hearts’

Member Sandra Waters said she appreciates how McCraw preaches from the Word.

“It’s really, really wonderful,” she said.

Waters is an advisory board member, and she and her husband of 64 years, Larry, have been members of the church for 50 years.

In September 2017 when McCraw came to serve as pastor, the church was struggling, Waters recalled. Attendance was down, and the church had been without a pastor for about 18 months.

“God had impressed upon my heart that we needed the Word,” she said.

“I knew when (McCraw) came, God had sent him here, and there was no doubt in my mind,” she added.

Waters also admires how McCraw reaches out to people.

“He cares about people, and that shows in what he does. And he cares about reaching beyond the four walls of the church too,” she said.

During the first couple of years McCraw served, he didn’t see much growth as attendance was running about 160-180. Also, several members passed away.

“But the Lord started blessing (us), and we started growing,” said McCraw.

The church grew every year since, except during the pandemic when attendance fell. Now the church averages about 200 in attendance on Sundays and continues to reach new people in the community. In 2025, the church had 12 baptisms.

McCraw gives credit to the Lord and the members for the growth. He said members invite their friends and neighbors to the church.

“I cannot remember a Sunday when we haven’t had at least one guest,” he said.

“And often we have multiple guests from multiple households,” he added.

Don Scarbrough, chairman of deacons, likes how the church is growing under McCraw.

“With Pastor Matt our church is headed in the right direction,” he said.

Scarbrough also thinks people come because they like hearing how McCraw preaches from the Word.

“Matt preaches directly from the Bible, and I think that’s what keeps people coming back,” he said.

“We want people to know that they are welcomed in our church, and that spreads pretty quickly,” he said.

Member Matt Ferrell and his wife Manda and their family felt the church’s welcome when they joined the church four years ago. The family with six children, now ages 13 to 21, had moved from Ohio to Florida.

Matt Ferrell also appreciates how McCraw teaches the Bible.

“Number one is that (McCraw) preaches the Word of God, and second is that it’s very much like being in a family here,” he said.

“As a church, everybody is so loving and caring for each other. We immediately felt like we were loved and taken in by the church. That’s been great,” he added.

Member George Grubbs calls McCraw “Rabbi Matt” because of his Bible teaching.

“Pastor Matt has been a blessing to the church and especially to me. He’s taught me a lot about the Bible and explains verses to me, and I am thankful for that and enjoy that very much,” said the 30-year member.

“The Lord has blessed us with good Christian families and is building the church up with Pastor Matt and his family,” he added.

“Everything is going great,” he said.

Jayme “DeeDee” McKinnish, 31, who serves as assistant children’s ministry coordinator, is also pleased with church growth with the new families and children.

McKinnish, who was baptized at age six in the church, grew up in the church and values all of her church teachers throughout her childhood.

“I am excited about the future of how we can continue to make disciples with these children and really just make a difference in their lives,” said McKinnish.

Member Cherylann McGirt, who joined the church by baptism about four years ago, enjoys working with the youth and with McKinnish.

“I am a new disciple, and I hope people know that biblical truths are alive in our hearts,” said McGirt who was baptized in her 60s.

“I hope that we can share the love of Christ with others and that (it) would explode in our city and that would go out into the world. We are a ripple in the water to let people know who we are in Christ,” she said.

McCraw thinks the future of the church is bright.

“I’m excited because I think the hard work of reunifying ourselves and realigning our church has been done, and we are now ready to be unleashed to make disciples, and I think the future is bright for us to do that,” said McCraw.