First Baptist

Prior to formal organization of the First Baptist Church, the group was known as the Baptist Mission. Services, Sunday School, and prayer meetings were held in homes and in the Oak Lake Schoolhouse, District No. 60, from 1910 to 1943. The work of the mission was under the supervision of the First Baptist Church of George, Iowa. Its pastor, Pastor Jordan, came every six weeks by train. His salary was $5 per trip.

As far back as 1911, Peter L. Kruse, Bert Fehr, and Joe Fischer led Sunday School and prayer meetings. Martin DeVert and Herman Remsma were called in as student pastors to assist in the work. Knock Block also ministered at different times. Later, Pastor Dallmus and Pastor Swyter served, changing off every three weeks as pastors.

The present building was purchased from the German Methodists in 1920. The building was built in September of 1893 by S. E. Wood for the Elkton and White Mission of the German Methodist Church. The plans were drawn up by F. E. Spencer. A parsonage was also acquired at that time. 

Under Pastor Swyter and Pastor Harm Johnson of George, Iowa, on August 21, 1943, the mission organized into an independent Baptist Church. The twenty charter members were from the First Baptist Church and Tabernacle Church of George, Iowa. They accepted the New Hampshire Confession as the form and expression of their doctrinal convictions. 

The first resident pastor, the Pastor Edrie Regier, served the church from 1945 until February of 1950. On May 18, 1950, the church voted to call Pastor James White to be pastor. He served the church for nearly four years, resigning on December 27, 1953. 

On January 27, 1954, Pastor Stanley Goercke became the pastor. The church became affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of South Dakota on April 6, 1955, and also with the National Association of South Dakota. Pastor Goercke resigned on March 2, 1959. Under the leadership of Pastors Regier, White, and Goercke, many were converted, baptized, and added to the membership of the First Baptist Church. These fine men were a blessing to the White community, and to the church they faithfully pastored. The church later left the Conservative Baptist Association and the National Association and remains totally independent to this day.

Pastors that followed are: 

• Pastor Howard J. Locke: March 29, 1959 until May, 1961. 
• Pastor B. H. Frey: September 8, 1961 until May 15, 1966.
• Pastor Harris Melin: September 18, 1966 until August 20, 1972.
• Pastor Roger Edwards: December 3, 1972 until August 26, 1979.  
• Pastor David Johnson: June 15, 1980 until July 11, 1982.
• Pastor Edwin Eloe: April 6, 1983, until June 28,1992.
• Pastor Buddy Harms: July 15, 1992 until March 29, 1995.
• Pastor Jon Knapp: January 7, 1996 until January 14, 1998.
• Pastor Mike Bruni: July 5, 1998 until May 28, 2000.
• Pastor Dale Goetz: November 19, 2000 until Dec. 14 2003. Pastor Goetz went into the Army Chaplaincy.  He died in Afghanistan, August 30, 2010 from an I.E.D. He was the first Chaplain to be killed in active duty since the Vietnam War.
• Pastor Paul McDowell: August 29, 2004 and still at present.