Our History

On March 21, 1838, a dozen families who had settled in Michigan, coming from New York State, organized under the leadership of Pastor C.P. Goodrich, “The First Free Baptist Association of Commerce.” They met in homes until 1845 after which they met in a red frame school house 36 x 40 feet. This stood by the road in what is now the Wixom Cemetery. A balcony over the front door seated the choir; the pulpit was opposite. On either side were three rows of splintery plank seats on three levels.

A new pastor, James D. Drew, thought the church should have its own building. On June 24, 1864, Alonzo Sibley deeded land from his farm on the corner of West Maple and Wixom Roads “for meeting house purposes only.” The cost of building the church, with specifications as detailed as those given to Moses in the building of the tabernacle, was a total of $625.00. On January 12, 1865, the new church was dedicated with a sermon by President Fairfields of Hillsdale College.

In 1897, Pastor J.C. Robinson proposed moving the building into the center of town. This took two weeks in October 1897, using a team of horses and a sweep with planks underneath on which rollers were used. It was moved across the corner down through a cornfield where the present church now stands and across the road to a site located in front of what is now the Wixom Elementary School. The young people, led by Pastor H.E. Sayles, built the first addition, dedicating it in October 8-9, 1910. H.J. Thibault was pastor from 1921-1925, and led by him, a basement was put under the first addition. Before Pastor Whaley left in 1952, a program of addition was instituted which was carried out under the ministries of Pastor Bill Green and Pastor Ed Caes.

The new church building, measuring 106 x 37 and costing $100,000.00 was dedicated in 1960. In 1966, the old church, which was still being used for Sunday School purposes, was torn down, having been purchased by the Walled Lake School Board. Remodeling and the addition of a new two-story, 100 x 40 Educational Unit, was completed in 1968 at the cost of $150,000.00. In 1974, under the ministry of Pastor Robert V. Warren, a new auditorium was erected. The cost of this building came to $500,000.00 and was completely paid for by 1988. In 1980 First Baptist Church established the Wixom Christian School. WCS currently ministers to about 130 students from preschool through the twelfth grade. In 2004, First Baptist Church opened the Foundations for Learning: Preschool & Daycare.

On February 5, 2012, after serving as school Administrator for nine years, Pastor Brad Stille accepted the role as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church.

Nearly two centuries have passed, but First Baptist Church of Wixom still preaches faithfully the same gospel message it proclaimed way back in 1838. In a changing world, we preach a changeless Christ who is able to meet the needs of people in today’s society.