Fairview Baptist Church had its beginnings in the Chick Springs Baptist Church that was organized August 13, 1864 and located near Chick Springs. On December 13, 1864, the Chick Springs Church, whose building was badly in need of repairs, voted to move to Taylors Station. The members who lived in Fairview community felt that it was too far to travel by horse and buggy to Taylors Station. They decided to see what could be done toward organizing a Baptist church in the Fairview community. The first preaching in the community was in the home of Amos Vaughn by Rev. Lud Vaughn. This house was located on Taylors Road. Thus in the early part of 1885 the idea of Fairview Baptist Church was born.
The first place of worship was in a log cabin. Then the group decided to hold a revival meeting, which was held in a brush arbor in a pine grove. Rev. Lud Vaughn did the preaching. A Sunday school was organized as a result of these meetings.
On July 17,1885, Fairview Baptist church was organized with 16 members. Services were held in a house located near the present Vaughn cemetery. The first house of worship was built in the corner of the present church cemetery on the south side of Highway 290, and was about 20 X 30 feet. The value of the first building was reported at $250. It was built by free labor and the members donated most of the materials. This first church met on the first Saturday and Sunday of the month.
In 1903, the church decided that it needed a larger building and it was decided that a 54 X 32 building with a metal roof would be built. When the building was just about completed a storm wrecked it. It was pulled back into place and served until a brick veneer building with 12 Sunday school rooms and an auditorium was built in 1924. During this year the church voted to have preaching two Sundays a month.
In 1924, a new building was built in the current site of the chapel. This building cost $7000 and was the first Fairview church to have electric lights. The church also purchased its first piano in 1924 for $300. The church was debt free by 1925. In 1925, a heating system was installed in the church building for a cost of $300.
By 1935 the church membership had grown to 500 members. An educational building was completed in 1949 at a cost of $56,000. In 1949, a parsonage was erected on the church grounds.
Some other highlights for Fairview are given below:
First service in new Worship center October 16 2005
Last service in old Worship center October 9 2005
New building completed October 2005 at cost of 12 million.
Ground broken for new building November 16 2003
The Reminder, our weekly paper was first sent to the homes of members during January 1954.
The existing Worship center was built in 1960 at a cost of $254,000.
A new residence for the pastor was completed in 1969.
A fellowship building was built in 1970.
The church recreation area was completed in 1975.
The first new church bus and van were purchased in 1976.
The church purchased land on Highway 290 for a ballpark in 1979.
A new education building was completed in 1981.
Fairview membership is currently 1800.
Below are listed the pastors of Fairview Baptist Church since the beginning.
Fairview Baptist Church Pastors with Dates of Service
Rev. Lud Vaughn 1885-1892
Rev. A. W. Bowers 1892-1897
Rev. R. B. Vaughn 1889-1900
Rev. G. E. Runion 1901-1906
Rev. J. P. Coleman 1906-1909
Rev. H. L. Riley 1909
Rev. Robert G. Lee 1909-1912
Rev. H. C. Hester 1913-1915
Rev. T. L. Cole 1915
Rev. J. T. Going 1916-1918
Rev. L. K. Simpson 1918-1919
Rev. B. G. Fields 1919-1920
Rev. A. L. Willis 1921-1922
Rev. J. A. Anderson 1922-1927
Rev. M. O. Owens 1928-1935
Rev. J. Horace Brown 1935-1939
Rev. James H. Cobb 1939-1942
Rev. S. W. Jolly 1943-1949
Rev. Frank P. Rogers 1949-1957
Rev. B. F. Hawkins 1958-1967
Rev. James W. Crocker 1967-1985
Dr. Lonnie Shull 1987-1997
Dr. Paul M. Welch 1998-2005
