In 1772, our church was first organized as the “Lawson’s Fork Branch” of Fairforest Baptist Church out of Union County, SC. Our original meeting house was close to Lawson’s Fork Creek, not far from what we know today as the Valley Falls area. Our challenges began early when the start of the Revolutionary War disrupted life in America, including the work of The American Church. Although we have no church records for the war period, the building was likely destroyed by the British or Tories as conflict continued through the 1780s. In 1792, the surviving members reorganized our church as Boiling Springs Baptist Church. The meeting location was near where our gym and cemetery are today, before Hames Road divided the property. After this change, the membership grew to about 40, and in 1810 a log building was built near the current cemetery. Around 1830, our church had been without a pastor for several years. As a result, they came under the influence of a “Free Will” preacher who eventually excluded those who would not follow him. The church was divided, some members staying and some meeting nearby as Little Bethel Baptist. Thankfully, this disruption and dissension did not destroy our church. In 1838, with God’s guidance and sound leadership the Little Bethel members returned to the property and we continued to move forward. Two years later, we reorganized again as Boiling Springs Baptist Church. By 1841 the 30-year-old log meeting house was torn down and a frame structure was built in its place. This fresh start for our church began with only 11 members, but with a new building erected, we grew to 76 members by 1862. We were now facing another war that would divide our country in ways we could never imagine. Survival during the Civil War was difficult, but records show that our focus remained on the mission and our faith in Christ.