On December 17, 1881, the First Baptist Church of Abilene was founded just shortly after the town of Abilene. Today the church is still as strong and vital to the downtown area as it was in 1881. Beginning in February 2023, Brandon Hudson started as the 20th pastor of the church. The church has always been community-minded assisting with the founding of Hardin-Simmons University and Hendrick Medical Center as well as numerous other community mission programs.

Currently the church programs include: a fully licensed daycare, GLO (God’s Little Ones) Daycare; a counseling center; a family life center; and City Light Community Ministries, which serves as a local mission point to the homeless and those in need in the downtown area and the community as a whole.