About

Why we’re here and what we believe

Our purpose is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and promote spiritual growth through education, fellowship, and service. If you’re looking for a home, we are here!

The Articles of Incorporation for First Baptist Church of Ogden from 1881 define our purpose and beliefs.

  • Purpose: The purpose of this church shall be the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the administration of the ordinances of the New Testament, the spiritual growth of its members through education, fellowship, missionary and philanthropic endeavor, and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.  ·
  • Statement of Faith: This church is a fellowship of believers, each of whom has made a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This church accepts the Scriptures as its authority in matters of faith and practice. Its understanding of Christian truth, as contained therein, is in essential accord with the beliefs of Baptist churches, but it has no statement of creed apart from the New Testament.

Any person who makes a public confession of sin, professes belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and accepts the Lordship of Christ in daily life is eligible for church membership. We symbolize our commitment to Christ through baptism by immersion.

First Baptist Church of Ogden is affiliated with American Baptist Churches of United States of America.

Our History

The first permanent Baptist organization in Utah began in 1881 when Rev. Dwight Spencer, a missionary representing the American Baptist Home Mission society, came to Ogden to explore the possibility of organizing a Baptist church. On Sunday, May 22, 1881, twelve Baptists met at the Odd Fellows Hall and resolved themselves into First Baptist of Ogden. Immediately after, four additional members were received by statements of their Christian experience, and the first baptism occurred on Sunday, July 10, 1881, when a young lady was baptized in the Weber River.

Though the members were poor, their zeal, dedication and sacrificial giving soon enabled them to begin construction of a church building. On August 13, 1882, the cornerstone was laid in an impressive ceremony. The site of this edifice was 24th Street and Grant Avenue. The complete building represented an investment of $10,000. The church continued to prosper and eventually felt the need for a larger facility, so in 1919 the present site at 25th Street and Jefferson Avenue was purchased and an ambitious building program started. The old church was vacated in 1923 and the congregation met in the partially completed new building until the spring of 1926, when the building was finally completed.

Built in the Federal style, the church building is a distinctive part of Ogden’s Jefferson Avenue Historic District.

In 2008, New Beginnings Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which had been sharing the church building, officially decided to join with First Baptist. Today, we worship and fellowship together.

List of Pastors

  1. Dwight Spencer, 1881
  2. Richard Hartley, 1881-1885
  3. Frank Barnett, 1885-1890
  4. J.F. Moody, 1890-1891
  5. M.M. Lewis, 1892-1893
  6. W.B. Morris, 1893-1894
  7. Thomas L. Crandall, 1894-1898
  8. W.G. Evand, 1898-1901
  9. Ora C. Wright, 1901-1904
  10. Horace B. Blood, 1904-1907
  11. H.D.Zimmerman, 1907-1915
  12. George F. Lowe, 1915-1917
  13. William Crawford, 1917-1918
  14. Ray Palmer, 1919-1921
  15. L.A. Garrison, 1921-1926
  16. Arthur J Hansen, 1926-1932
  17. William H Fowle, 1932-1940
  18. W.P. Whittemore, 1940-1946
  19. H.E. Coulter, 1947-1951
  20. Earl D. Sherman, 1951-1956
  21. A.C. Swenson, 1956-1958
  22. Roy E. Wiegand, 1958-1964
  23. Emmett Dosier, 1965-1970
  24. David Mallgren, 1971-1973
  25. Harold R. Perkins, 1974-1979
  26. Richard D Reese, 1980-1989
  27. Kevin Miller, 1990-1994
  28. David Sifford, 1995-2005
  29. Karl Dumas, 2006-2017
  30. Steve Tharp, 2017-2023
  31. Mike Mitchell, 2024-

Our Current Pastor

Mike Mitchell holds an MA in theological studies from Asbury Theological Seminary and a PhD in philosophy and religion from Liverpool Hope University. Mike lives in Ogden with his wife and five kids.

Call, text, or email Mike at (385) 246-5331 – mitchell435@gmail.com