Our History

Vintage newspaper front page with headline “Cave Springs Scene,” article columns, and a church photo

On October 5, 1880, at the “Stick-in-the-Mud” schoolhouse near Cave Springs, eighteen people gathered to establish a Baptist church in the area.


By the end of the month the church had grown to 41 members.

In 1885 the church built its first building one mile north of Cave Springs and changed its name from Cave Springs to Bethesda.


By 1910 the church had relocated to its current location. During a November meeting in 1914 the name was changed again to Cave Springs First Baptist Church.

Black-and-white photo of First Baptist Church of Cave Springs with a crowd gathered outside.
Man standing beside a brick roadside sign reading “Centennial” in a sunlit rural setting

The church began associating with the American Baptist Association during the 1920s and referring to itself as a Missionary Baptist church.


By 1950 the church was active in the North American Baptist Association (now known as the Baptist Missionary Association of America).

FBC Cave Springs has enjoyed many seasons of revival and blessing over the years. The greatest single meeting occurred in April 1954 under the preaching of Elder A. R. Reddin.


At the end of the week’s meeting the church baptized 56 souls and received six more by letter.

Large crowd standing by a riverbank near trees, reflected in the calm water

FBC Cave Springs has been involved in planting churches in Northwest Arkansas and sending missionaries around the world since its inception in 1880. It continues to take an active role in local, state, and national missions through the BMA of America.