The First Free Will Baptist Church was organized on November 14, 1947 in the home of Pastor I.L. Florence. A gathering of close to fifty people represented the congregation at its founding. From the time the church was organized until 1958, the pastors were bi-vocational. The church went through many pastoral changes and difficulties, but by August 1, 1958 the church grown to afford a full time pastor. The first full time pastor was Bailey Thompson.
In the years since First Free Will Baptist Church’s founding, Poteau and Leflore County have changed greatly. New faces have moved into the area and new families have taken root. In all this change, First Free Will Baptist Church has never lost the desire of its founding members: to reach the community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
