Fairview Baptist Church History
Fairview Baptist Church, 1100 North Franklin Street, Blytheville, Arkansas, had its beginning as a Mission arm from Beacon Baptist Church, 20th. & Ash Street, of Blytheville. The new work became a project of the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas under the direction of Bro. Jack Rainwater, Secretary-Treasurer of State Missions.
Bro. Noel O'Steen of Hope, Arkansas was the first Missionary Pastor to serve the congregation. The first service was held Sunday, June 1, 1969. The meeting was conducted in a double-wide mobile unit which had been specially designed by State Missions for beginning churches. There were 30 in attendance at that meeting. Three members and one candidate for baptism were received into the membership of the sponsoring church (Beacon Baptist) at the close of the service.
The Mission was organized into a New Testament Church August 12, 1969 with 26 charter members having letters of recommendation from Beacon Baptist Church (Noel O'Steen, Ola Faye O'Steen, Otto Boyett, Sherry Boyett, Donald Causey, June Causey, Gerald Causey, Kenneth Causey, Susan Causey, Pat Cole, Norman Covey, Jean Covey, Kenneth Gipson, Louise Gipson, Gary Gipson, Betty Massey, Gary Ozment , Pat Smith, Albie Poff, Lawrence Powell, Willie Powell, Benny Powers, Bonnie Powers, A.D. Priest, Loyce Smothers, Leona Wilson). Brethren Kenneth Gipson and Lawrence Powell were the first two men to be recognized as Deacons. Bro. Donald Causey was the first deacon to be ordained by the church. Concerning the number of professions of faith and baptisms witnessed by Fairview Baptist Church God alone knows who has been genuinely saved by His grace and have lived committed spiritual lives to His Glory. We leave those numbers to his sovereign record and pray to see many, many more enrolled in His Book of Eternal Life!
The church secured a $30,000.00 dollar loan from Blytheville Federal Savings on December 1, 1970 for the construction of the original building. Construction was begun on three acres of land purchased by the Revolving Loan Fund of the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas at a cost of $14,000.00 dollars. Bro. Van Anderson (Missionary Builder for the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas) was the lead carpenter in the construction work using volunteer labor to complete the structure. A dwelling located at 117 South Crescent to house the pastor's family was later purchased. A large four bedroom house was later built at 1016 North Franklin Street for the pastor's family.
Tenure of Pastors
Noel O'Steen, Missionary/Pastor: December 30, 1968 to the fall of 1971 (resigned due to illness)
Jim Ford, Missionary/Pastor: December 1971 to May 1973
Richard A. Wiles, Pastor: July 15, 1973 to July 13, 1977.
Jerry Jolly, Pastor: August 28, 1977 to July 8, 1979
Mike Edmondson, Pastor: September 8, 1979 to September 9, 1980.
Ray Bowman, Pastor: December 28, 1980 to December 1985.
David Gibson, Pastor: April 27, 1986 to March 18, 1987.
Fred Vogel, Pastor: August 2, 1987 to October 3, 1990.
I.D. Riddick, Interim Pastor: November 1990 to June 23, 1991.
Larry D. Haynes, June 30, 1991 to the present.
Present Staff of Fairview Baptist Church
Larry Haynes, Pastor (June 30, 1991)
Tony Gilbert, Youth Director/Associate Pastor (February 1, 2005)
Rodney Cooper, Minister of Music (July 9, 1989)