Our church began as four families meeting in the basement of Waverly Presbyterian Church during construction of the Atomic Plant. With the help of First Baptist Church of Athens, the new mission quickly began to grow.
Volunteers built the congregation's first building in Green Acres—in a single day! On April 29, the mission officially became Waverly First Baptist Church with 86 charter members.
Continued growth led the church to its current location at Third and East Streets. During these same years, the church helped start Baptist churches in Chillicothe and Piketon, beginning a long commitment to reaching beyond Waverly.
As the church continued to grow, a second story was added in 1963 and members helped start another church in Lucasville. Renewed growth in the 1970s eventually led to construction of our current sanctuary.
Through seasons of both difficulty and growth, the church continued to deepen its ministry to one another and the community. In 1999, the Life Center opened to provide flexible space for both church and community ministry.
The church continued helping start new churches, including First Baptist Beaver in 2008 and New City Church in Chillicothe in 2022. New ministries and partnerships also developed to address poverty, homelessness, addiction, and other needs in our community.
After more than 70 years as Waverly First Baptist Church, we became One Hope Baptist Church—a new name for the same congregation and the same gospel hope that brought four families together in 1953.
For more than seven decades, God has used ordinary people at this church to share the gospel, serve our neighbors, start new churches, and prepare the way for those who come next. We're grateful for our roots and excited about where God is leading us.