Records show that Henry Paddleford was the first deacon elected by the church in 1878.  L. F. Collins came to Coleman in 1876, but did not become a member of the church until he was converted in a meeting held by Dr. J. D. Robnett in 1886.  Mr. Collins was ordained as a deacon in May, 1887 and was elected chairman of the deacons when they began having officers in the early years and served in that capacity until his death in 1943.

As is the case in most of the older churches, the records are rather incomplete in the early days of First Baptist Church.  The old minutes of Pecan Valley Association in its second session held at Lone Oak Church in Brown County on September 14 and 15, 1877, show that the Coleman church joined at that meeting by petitionary letter and was represented by Elder J. C. Averett as messenger.  Elder Averett was elected moderator of the association and selected to preach the introductory sermon the next year.  For the first twelve years of the life of the church its meetings were held in different buildings, first in the “Rawhide Courthouse” and then in the upper story of a building over a store and then in the Presbyterian building.  In August, 1879, the pastor was authorized to appoint men to select a suitable site for a building.

On February 2, 1885, the church purchased the lots and material of the Presbyterian building, which had been blown down in a tornado.  When the storm was over the lectern was still standing with an open Bible on it.  It is believed that this lot was on the northeast corner of West Elm and South Neches Streets.  February 28, 1886, J. F. Gordon, H. C. Pinkston, and B. F. Rose were appointed to solicit funds for the erection of a building.  In March, the male membership of the church were made building committee with instructions to proceed at once.  Nothing else shows up in the records until November 27, 1886, when the church voted to repair the church seats and loan them to the Southern Presbyterians for an indefinite time.  Then on January 22, 1887, the church voted to accept the invitation from the Southern Presbyterians to worship in their house when completed.

Next reference to a building was on June 9, 1889, when the minutes read: “Coleman Baptist Church met for the purpose of dedicating the church building.  The dedicatory sermon was preached by Elder J. H. Boyett.”  This was during the pastorate of Moss Martin and was the first building for the church.  It was located where the present auditorium is located and faced west on Colorado Street.

These interesting facts are taken from old church records: May, 1903, electric lights were installed.  In 1907, a committee was appointed to repair hitching posts on north and south sides of the building.  June 7, 1916, the name was changed from Coleman Baptist Church of Christ to First Baptist Church.

While Rev. R. F. Streetman was pastor the auditorium was remodeled and the entire plant redecorated and air conditioned.  This was in 1953-1954.

During the pastorate of M. Ted Cotten in 1959 a beautiful parsonage was built on Austin Street and the former parsonage was used to house a Sunday School department.  This house was named Moss Martin Cottage in honor of the early pastor of the church.

Pastors who have served the First Baptist Church are:  John C. Averett, January 27, 1877; T. H. Lydstrom, December 1877; R. L. Baker, July 1878; D. M. Matthews, August 1881; J. D. Robnett, November 1883; R. A. Sublett, June 1886 (1 month); J. D. Robnett, August 1886; Moss Martin, September 1888; A. J. Tant, April 1890; R. F. Stokes, May 1891; J. B. Permenter, April 1895; J. R. Cason, May 1896; D. H. LeSueur, July 1897; W. S. Maddox, October 1889; C. C. Howard, August 1901; W. B. Holland, August 1904; J. D. Allen, November 1906; J. J. Kellam, March 1910; F. E. Dawson, July 1919; W. Y. Pond, January 1922; F. F. Dawson, May 1923; C. F. Lancaster, April 1925; P. F. Squyres, September 1930; O. L. Savage, December 1934; Floyd Chaffin, December 1938; T. Lynn Stewart, July 1943; Levi Price, April 1948; R. F. Steetman, July 1951; M. Ted Cotten, May 1958; Lester O. Probst, October 1960; Horace Crowder, April 1966; Bill Merritt, June 1968, and Gary K. Boyd, August 1, 1977 to the present.  Roger Hammonds was called as full time Associate pastor and began his work early in 1979.

On April 24, 1887, it was decided to organize a Sunday School on the following Sunday to meet in the afternoon provided there were no conflicts with other denominations.  Bro. Halbert was elected superintendent and Bro. Collins was elected assistant.  There are no records as to early enrollment in the Sunday School, but in 1977, it had grown to 707, with 12 departments and a Pastor’s Auditorium Class.  During the forties enrollment reached over the 900 mark with average attendance nearing 500.  This was during World War II and “boom” days.  Other departments of church work grew correspondingly.

Sister Edna Collins (sister of L. F. Collins and later married Marcoot) was elected organist on August 10, 1893.  The pipe organ was installed in 1917.  Mrs. J. M. Sewell was organist.  Since that time, Mrs. Adele Adams, Miss Will Gideon, and Flora Dee Daughtry have served as organists.  There is no record of early choir directors, but during the period between 1915 and the late thirties, there were at least 3 women directors, one of which was Mrs. Ethel Nance, a daughter of Rev. Moss Martin.  The first paid music and education director was John H. Gary, who began his work January 31, 1926.

On March 10, 1898, a Baptist Young People’s Union (B. Y. P. U.) was organized.  The women are always interested in the work of the church and we find this record dated July 16, 1886: “The ladies of the Baptist Church met for the purpose of organizing a Society (for the benefit of the church fund.)  Organized with twelve members, this society was called Baptist Helpers and continued through 1886 and 1887 with members busy with the project of raising money for the church building.  From July 1887 until August 1891, there seems to have been no active society, but an “Aid Society” was organized on August 3, 1891.  In 1893, the society was again called “Baptist Helpers.”  Money was raised by giving suppers, ice cream festivals, and entertainments. 
The ladies approved the suggestion that they use their money to buy a lot adjoining the church with the view of building a parsonage.  The record in the church minutes is as follows: “The Baptist Church of Christ at Coleman sat in conference after 7:30 services.  It was voted by the church that we borrow $100.00 from the Ladies Aid Society to buy a certain lot lying just east of the church building.”  One writer makes this comment: “Did the ladies offer to make the loan or did the brethren just conscript it, and did they ever pay it back?”  (The parsonage was built in 1902-1903.)  There are no records of a society from 1892 until November 1896, when a group of ladies met again and reorganized.  One of the projects of 1897 was to raise money to help pay on the church organ.  (Not the pipe organ.)  They also paid for building a fence around the church yard, carpeted the aisles and put in stained glass windows to match the memorial window.

The goal for 1927 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering was set at $800.00, a missionary’s salary for one year.  Each circle member pledged to keep a cent-a-day jar for this offering.  In 1946, a new Mission Action project was introduced by Mrs. T. C. Hart - A Ready to Wear Room for the needy.  Another project for the year was making baptismal robes.  Two ministerial students, J. D. Cox and Jimmie Hamilton, were adopted.  In 1954 the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions was $3,506.89, the highest received to that time.  In 1976, the offering reached $3,818.79.  In accordance with Southern Baptist WMU policy, new terms and new plans of work were adopted in 1970.  W. M. S. became Baptist Woman, V. W. A. and older C. A’s became Acteens. Younger C. A.’s and older Sunbeam girls are now Girls in Action and younger Sunbeams are Mission Friends.  All boys from 1st grade through high school are Royal Ambassadors, which had been transferred to Brotherhood direction some years previously.  Youth organizations have always been a major concern of W. M. U. and Mrs. J. M. Duncan was C. A. Director for many years.  The Girl’s Auxiliary organizations have been a part of W. M. U. work in the church since the 1920’s, but a record of the work has been kept since 1962.  During the Week of Prayer for Foreign Missions in 1976, a very colorful and inspirational Parade of Nations was held when flags of the more than 80 countries where 2700 Southern Baptist missionaries serve were presented.  Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal for 1976 was set at $4,034.00.

Some of the other deacons of the church: Donald Baird, Bill Barsch, Jack Baucom, E.B. Blackwell, C. F. Blanton, Seth Burkett, Dewey Cason, Alfred Chambers, Arvel Cullins, B. J. Deal, A. F. Dodson, Dennis Gaines, Richard Garner, Fred Garrett, W. T. Graves, Jim Guthrie, Wade Hemphill, Truett Hipsher, Don Howard, Artie Irby, Robert Jameson, J. T. Laird, W. A. Lengefeld, D. F. Loveless, Raymond Mathis, J. F. May, Jerry May, Herman Mercer, F. L. Miller, R. B. McHorse, Tom Newman, Gordon Pearce, Robert Pearson, Harold Phillips, Otis Powers, Pete Simmons, Bill Sneed, Fred Sparks, I. R. Wagnon, Win. M. Wheat and Roy Winburne.