The first meeting of the First Baptist Mission of Trenton was held on Sunday, August 3, 1958, in the Trenton Fisherman’s Club building. They continued to meet there each Sunday through October. On Wednesday evening and for special meetings the church met in the homes of its members. From November 1958 through March 1960 a one-room block building located at the corner of Pierson Road and Maple Avenue served as the church’s home. Wednesday services were also held there. The members of the mission and of the sponsoring church (Calvary Baptist in Middletown) believed the mission would grow and be of greater service to their community if they became a church.

On December 21, 1958 with 28 charter members the First Baptist Mission became the First Baptist Church of Trenton. It was the 161st Southern Baptist Church in Ohio. On Sunday, October 25, 1959 at 3:15pm a groundbreaking ceremony was held at 305 Cypress Avenue for the proposed new church building. Less than 6 months later on Sunday, April 3, 1960 (Easter Sunday) services were held in the new sanctuary and on April 24th the first baptism in the church baptistery took place. Eleven individuals were baptized.

Many improvements have been made to the building over the years. On March 12, 1989 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the construction of a half-court gymnasium and preschool classrooms to the south of the original building. The dedication ceremony was then held on Thanksgiving Sunday in 1989. This added facility almost doubled the size of the church building.

In early 2000, due to an increase in attendance that prompted the need for a second Sunday service, the church started a “Building for Life” fund raising campaign and plans were made to build a new worship center. Construction began in June 2001 and the 300+ seat sanctuary was completed in January 2002. The first service was held on February 3, 2002, with the official dedication of the building on March 10.

Over the next few years, God continued to bless us with many new believers and families. Because of these we saw the need to complete the expansion that was started in 1989. In May 2005, the “Building A Legacy” fund raising campaign began and construction started in May 2006 to expand the gym building. The expansion was completed in October 2006 and is now the Family Life Center with a middle school size basketball court, a large kitchen, new restrooms with showers and two large classrooms.

These two building projects (valued at about one and a quarter million dollars) were completed for seven hundred thousand dollars due to the many church members and volunteer teams who came from the south and around the area to help us with construction. Because of this and the sacrificial giving of our church family, we had only a minimal indebtedness.

The church called Tim Smith to be pastor in December 2014 and he continues to lead us to the present. Within a year of his calling the church became debt-free! We praise God that we can now fully focus on being a light in the city of Trenton and beyond! Tim and his family love to serve God and desire to see the vision of FBC Trenton fulfilled: 

Every member following Jesus, being changed by Jesus and committed to the mission of Jesus!

Praise God for His many blessings, and the great things He has done!