ABOUT US
OUR VISION
We strive toward authentic spirituality over religion through silent prayer, glorious music and stressing the concept of love instead of comparison or judgement.
WHAT WE DO
We are an American Baptist Community with a history of mission, ministry, and fellowship that has guided First Baptist Church for over 138 years.
OUR COMMUNITY
We are an Open and Affirming Church Community who believes in Loving Everyone – No Exceptions! We can't wait to meet you and learn your story.
FBC LOVELAND: A HISTORY
In 1879 the founding families met in homes. Prior to 1900 worship started in a building at Fourth Street and Jefferson in Loveland. As there was no baptistry in the church, members were baptized in the Big Thompson River near the old St. Louis Bridge. In 1904 a new church building was completed at Sixth and Cleveland during the pastorate of Reverend Frank L. Rozelle. Membership grew with the community and in December 1959 the congregation moved to the current building at Sixth and Douglas Street. The Reverend Francis K. Hauseman was the pastor at that time. The sanctuary was completed in March 1965. In honor of the many years of Rev. Hauseman’s service to our church, Hauseman Hall, our fellowship center, was dedicated in his memory. Following his service to our church has been the pastorates of Rev. Ted Nutting and Rev. Ross Sackman. In 1988 Rev. John B. K. Turnage accepted the call to become our pastor, a duty he served fully until retiring in 2018.
MEET OUR NEW PASTOR
Pastor Brian Keithline
Welcoming Pastor Brian September 2021
Pastor Brian has long had a love for words, images, personal stories, and photographs. Throughout his life travels, as he pursued his journalistic profession, he encountered Christians who led him toward and into the church. He was eventually drawn to Denver Seminary and to his calling—to become a joyful and spiritual pastor. His mission is "to love God and all of God's people, which begins by serving those closest to us, but it also expands to supporting national and global outreach efforts. God is in the process of transforming people..."
Pastor Brian's family includes his wife, Kristy, and two sons—Austin, who has just begun studies at Casper College in Wyoming, and John, who is at Garfield School in Loveland. Kristy has been a middle school teacher at Mapleton Public Schools, Thornton, for more than twenty years, and she continues to teach there.
Pastor Brian also works with our American Baptist Conference Rocky Mountain Region. His background in technology and graphic design/marketing has led to his assistance with our ABCRM region as its Communications Specialist.
More elements of Pastor Brian's vision include being a neighbor to our neighbors, using his passion for developing children's curriculum and activities that appeal to youth members, teaching from the Bible and using that learning to encourage each other, sharing helpful and inspirational material, making the church a centerpiece of the community (one example: events hosted at the church), using technology to help share the Gospel, and being invested in our community.
About being truly invested in community, Pastor Brian writes, "I've been known to tend to cattle and sheep, to help care for goats, to see the artistic talents of church members, to visit shops, factories, and local businesses, and to join in the events that make each town unique!" We welcome him and look forward to his ministry!