Mission:

First Baptist Church of Elon is a Christ-centered family of believers reaching out to all people through worship and service.

History:

Our church has a rich and dynamic history. Beginning as a mission sponsored by Brookwood Baptist Church of Burlington, 47 charter members officially constituted Elon Baptist Church on August 8, 1948. Services were originally held in the Grange Hall on Williamson Avenue. Our church moved into its own facilities on the corner of Trollinger Street and Hold Avenue in 1950. James M. Horne was the first pastor, serving from August 1948 until August 1952. Rev. Truitt Gannon began as pastor in October 1952 and served until July 1956. The church purchased a parsonage on Summerbell Avenue in June 1953. In 1954 the church voted to change the name to the First Baptist church since it was the first Baptist church located in Elon College Planning for a new Sanctuary begain in January 1956. Rev W. T. “Tip” Cockman began his ministry in December 1956.

In April of 1957 the new sanctuary on Trollinger Street was completed. In December 1962, Dr. Thomas E. Powell Jr., owner of Carolina Bological Supply, offered the church two and one half acres of land on which our present facilties are located. Although the church on Trollinger Street was new, the congregation voted in June 1963 to accept a gift from Dr. Powell. In 1966 work was begun on a new educational building on Lawrence Avenue The old church was sold and our first service was held here in September 1968. The parsonage was sold in 1970. Rev. Cockamn served until July 1978.

After several months of the Intentional Interim Program, the church called Rev Mark Mofield, who served from October 1, 2001 through June 30, 2013 as Sr. Pastor. From “Get Out of The Boat at Lake Macintosh, special church wide studies such as “Klesis” and “I’ve Got Time”, and a Vision process, the church delved into understanding its identity, values, resources, challenges, and the kinds of ministries God is calling FBC-Elon to do. Local community ministries we have supported included Career Net for the unemployed, assisting with the Hispanic Mission, Angel Food ministry, baseball camp for children, and outreach to Elon University students. The church sent a group of adults and youth to Kiev, Ukraine to minister to children in 2006.

The church sanctuary renovation was completed in 2004. The entire debt of the renovation plus the remainder of the debt for the addition of the Fellowship Hall and Education Building expansion in the 90’s was paid in 2011, at the end of the 1st year of a 3 year Capital Campaign, Debt Free in ’13 followed by a mortgage note burning in early 2012.