Our History

The New Testament Baptist Church was organized as the Fundamental Baptist Church on Sunday, March 21, 1943, with 34 charter members in a rented store building on South Main Street.  The church moved from there to the corner of West Cunningham and New Castle Streets.  It was at this location that the church used a tent.  This tent was destroyed by a fire, which was set by enemies of the Gospel.  The church lost songbooks, pews and a piano in the blaze but not its desire to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.  It was necessary for the church to start meeting at the Y.M.C.A.  Shortly thereafter property was purchased at 405 West Jefferson Street in Butler. After renovating the three-story house and tearing out partitions, the church had an attractive chapel, which could seat about 120 people. The church continued to meet in the chapel while beginning construction to make improvements and additions. The building was completed in 1958 and was renamed the Butler Baptist Temple.

R.L. Throne initially pastored the church for 32 exciting years.  In June of 1975, K.L. McDeavitt was called as pastor.  During his tenure as pastor, the church bought additional property at West Jefferson property and made improvements to the church facilities.  The church eventually purchased property on North Duffy Road in Center Township.  The new parsonage was completed in December of 1990 and almost five years later the first service was held in the new church facilities on North Duffy Road in May of 1995.  Besides the relocation project, the church was renamed as the New Testament Baptist Church.  Pastor McDeavitt faithfully served for 27 years.  After his retirement, the church installed Dr. Steve Fisher as their third pastor on June 9, 2002, with a unanimous vote.

While the church has a glorious history of proclaiming the Gospel here and abroad, the future could not be any brighter.  The church continues to serve as a Gospel beacon to our community and across the globe through worldwide missions.  We anticipate God “lengthening our cords and strengthening our stakes” as we build on the foundation that has been sacrificially laid over these many years.  May God empower our church to rise to the opportunity that is ours as we seek to send laborers into the harvest field.