On Sunday, Nov. 15, a ceremony commemorating the 180th anniversary of First Baptist Church of Chesterfield will honor an act of devotion that predates the freedom of its founders.
“Theirs was a sustaining faith,” said Rev. Christopher L. Rogers Sr., the church’s 21st senior pastor. “When I think about 180 years of First Baptist Church of Chesterfield, the first words that come to mind are perseverance, endurance and faith.”
In 1846, a small group of enslaved people were granted land by their owner, Maria Long, near the Missouri River to build a church.
The founding members were denied freedom and basic rights, yet they created a place where faith, fellowship and hope could flourish.
“I believe that for us, our history is more than a date on the calendar,” Rogers said. “During the time when our ancestors were denied so many of the freedoms that we enjoy today, they still stood the test of time. It is our responsibility even now to carry it forward.”
Sunday’s service culminates the church’s anniversary observance. Under the theme “180 Years of Legacy: Rooted in Faith, Rising in Promise,” the congregation hosted a series of free community events.
Rogers, the youngest person to serve as senior pastor in the church’s history, said leading one of the region’s oldest Black congregations comes with a profound sense of responsibility.
“It is humbling,” Rogers said. “That God would use even me for such a time as this. I’m honored not only to serve, but to be chosen by Him to do that for such a faithful people.”
What began in a one-room log cabin, which also served as a school, grew into a congregation that endured slavery, emancipation, segregation, the civil rights movement and generations of social change.
The cemetery beside the original structure still bears the names of members, some of whom never lived to see freedom.
Rogers said a tree near the church serves as a reminder of the conditions the founders endured.
“We’ve been told that this tree is anywhere between 200 and 300 years old,” Rogers said. “I recognize that our very ancestors could have hung on that tree.”
Chesterfield has evolved into one of the most affluent suburbs in the St. Louis region. The church has remained there through every stage of that growth.
“We are the beneficiaries of this sacrifice, the stewards of their legacy and the bridge to generations that are yet born,” Rogers said.
The original log church was replaced in 1870 by a sanctuary known as the “little white church on the side of the road.” In 1990, church leaders purchased 11 acres and, under Pastor Robert F. Loggins, completed a 35,000-square-foot worship center in 1996.
Today, with more than 500 members, the church’s impact extends beyond Sunday worship.
Under Pastor Emeritus Dr. T.D. Stubblefield, who led the church from 2000 to 2020, First Baptist broadened its reach through international missions, local partnerships, youth development and radio ministry.
During the church’s 164th anniversary, Stubblefield recalled a visit from a descendant of Maria Long.
“I think it was a great-great-great-great granddaughter, and they came and shared Sunday worship with us,” Stubblefield said. “We learned some things about our history that we didn’t know.”
For Stubblefield, seeing descendants of enslaved worshippers and a slaveholding family gathered in worship reflected the church’s remarkable journey.
“For them to come here and think that from that gesture came this ministry that has had such an impact on the world, I think that was very encouraging and inspiring,” he said.
Sixteen years later, Lynne M. Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred Scott and founder of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, spoke during the 180th anniversary observance. Her family, including her father, John Madison, has longstanding ties with the congregation.
For generations, Black churches have served as centers of worship, education, civic engagement and community support.
“Our church has been more than a place of worship,” Rogers said. “The Black church has historically been a place of spiritual formation, a place of education, a place of encouragement, community engagement and hope. First Baptist has been part of that sacred tradition, but we recognize that our responsibility extends far beyond the walls of our sanctuary.”
That work continues through Touches of Love Delivered, partnerships with local schools, blood drives supporting sickle cell awareness initiatives and missions throughout the United States and abroad. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church maintained virtual worship, expanded assistance efforts and partnered with community organizations to host a vaccination clinic that administered more than 1,100 doses.
Rogers describes First Baptist as “a remarkable historical anomaly,” born during slavery and sustained through every era that followed.
“What began under the shadow of slavery continues to stand as a beacon of faith, freedom and hope,” Rogers said. “Here we are. Still here. Still strong. Our church represents a legacy of faith that refuses to surrender to circumstances.”