The View- Fairview Baptist Church

OUR HISTORY:

Fairview Baptist Church was organized in June 1909. Our first meeting place was 531 N. Kelham Avenue. The church was named Fairview because it faced the Fairgrounds, which stood at the present location of Douglass High School. Our first Pastor was Rev. Jeff Roberts. Fairview later moved to its present location of 1700 N. E. 7th Street.

In 1914, the church called Rev. J. D. Provo as its Pastor. He served for 19 years and resigned. Rev. S. S. Fairly was called to the church in 1933. Pastor Fairly led the church in the building of a new sanctuary, which was completed in 1954.

At the annual meeting of the church, December 31, 1962, the church extended the call of Assistant Pastor to the Rev. John A. Reed, Jr. On the second Sunday in January, 1963, Rev. Reed accepted the call to become Assistant Pastor. On January 12, 1969, at the close of morning worship, the yoke of pastoral responsibility was passed on to Pastor Reed. In June 1975, Dr. Fairly went home to be with the Lord. January 2010 marked 47 years of Pastor Reed’s continued, faithful spiritual leadership to the Fairview Baptist Church Family.

Fairview has continued to grow physically and spiritually. In 1990, we moved in our present sanctuary. The old sanctuary and fellowship hall were renovated and, in December 1999, dedicated as the Donald E. Burns Educational Center and Fellowship Hall. Under Pastor Reed’s leadership, the membership has grown from 500 to 2,500.

Fairview has continued to be one of the leading churches in our city, state, and nation. Pastor Reed currently serves as President of the Oklahoma Baptist State Convention, President of Oklahoma City’s Baptist Ministers Association (BMA), and President of the Concerned Clergy for Spiritual Renewal (CCSR). He has provided over four decades of strong, visionary Christian leadership in the community and state. January 2010 marked 47 years of leadership to Fairview. In June 2008, Dr. Reed was selected to serve as 5th Vice President of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, an auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. In September, 2009, Pastor Reed was recommended by Convention President Elect, Dr. Julius Scruggs, and confirmed by the Convention body to serve as Vice President of the National Baptist Convention, overseeing the work of the Convention’s Western Region.

We have nearly 50 ministries in place to support and meet your needs, in whatever stage of life you are in. Presently, we have: Family Enrichment Ministry, Men’s and Women’s Ministries, a Senior Saints Fellowship Ministry, a growing Church School as well as a Christian Education Ministry, Evangelism and Discipleship, Youth Fellowship and Youth Ministries and a growing Young Adult Ministry. Other ministries include: Music and Fine Arts, Library, Adult and Youth Usher, Nurse/Healthcare, Hospitality, Communication and Public Relations, Social Action, Prison, Media, Fishes and Loaves, Grief and many more! We are constantly developing and implementing programs to minister to the needs of our congregation.

2009 marked Fairview’s 100th year of service to the Oklahoma City community, the State of Oklahoma and the nation. The theme for the year-long celebration was “100 Years of Implementing the Great Commission.”

During the year 2013, our Pastor and his wife celebrated 50 years of service at the Fairview Church. This was a great milestone in the life of our church and people from across the nation joined in the celebration.

Fairview continues to grow in ministry and the knowledge and grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Pastor remains steadfast in teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and admonishing the members to abide in the fruits of the Spirit and above all, abide in love.