On April 29, 1951, the First Baptist Church of Destin was dedicated after being built as a mission from First Baptist of Fort Walton Beach. First Pastor Myron Johnson conducted services in an old school house on Calhoun Street until a permanent construction became complete in the spring of 1952. Ten years later, the educational building was built .
In September of 1954, the mission officially became a church under Pastor Henry Jarvis. In 1975, five acres of land on Beach Drive was purchased. In 1980, Pastor Charles Padgett came to First Baptist and led the way toward a new building program called “Building On First Love.” On December 7, 1986, members stood in a circle of prayer around the land as the fallow ground was turned for construction. August 30, 1987, a dedication ceremony was held for the new facility.
Under the ministry of Pastor Charles Padgett, a preschool was started in the old location on Calhoun. In the church’s new location on Beach Drive, through the years, God blessed the church with an increased parking lot, youth building, and a new educational and fellowship hall building in 1994.
Also, a kindergarten through 6th grade school was established. In the new building addition, the Lord blessed the church with a choir room. First Baptist currently has a wonderful preschool (ages 6 weeks through 4 years old) where children are taught God’s word along with the Preschool Abeka Curriculum.