First Baptist Greenville traces its beginnings to 1822, when Reverend William Bullein Johnson began preaching in the local courthouse after moving to Greenville to lead the Greenville Female Academy. With no Baptist church in the village, Johnson organized services and oversaw the construction of a meetinghouse completed in 1826. The congregation was formally organized on November 2, 1831, with ten charter members—nine of whom were women—and grew quickly in its early years.

During the mid-nineteenth century, the church became closely connected to Greenville’s expanding educational and theological institutions, including Furman University, Greenville Female College, and the founding of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which began in the church’s former meetinghouse. These relationships helped shape the church’s thoughtful and forward-looking spirit. As the congregation grew, a new sanctuary was dedicated on West McBee Avenue in 1858.

A strong commitment to missions emerged early and expanded alongside the city’s growth. The church supported local and global mission efforts, established mission churches in surrounding communities, and sent members into international service. In recognition of this expanding role, the congregation became known as First Baptist Church in 1890. Throughout the twentieth century, the church continued to grow in worship, education, and music ministry, laying the foundation for the vibrant programs that remain central today