Part I • 1912–1918
The Beginning
Civil War chaplain Winfield Scott’s wish fulfilled
In those early years, worship happened wherever people could gather — in homes, in the Little Red Schoolhouse, and sometimes under the open sky. Our story begins with two remarkable men whose friendship helped shape the future of Scottsdale.
The visionaries who planted the seeds
- Winfield Scott, Civil War chaplain and founder of the town. Scottsdale is named for him — due in part to an error in the Arizona Republican (now Arizona Republic), which misprinted “Scottsdale” instead of “Orangedale,” the original name, in an article about the new town because it was the location of Scott’s popular ranch. Locals loved the misprint, and the name stuck.
- Rev. Verner (V.A.) Vanderhoof, a Methodist and later colporteur missionary whose influence on early Scottsdale was profound. Beginning around 1900 he held a regular Bible study in his home that eventually grew into the church.
On his deathbed in 1910, Scott expressed a final wish: that part of his land on the corner of Indian School and Brown be used for a Baptist church.
“I leave to you my work in Scottsdale. I had planned to do much this winter with you, but God has called me. If you will take this work and do it, and enlarge it as God gives you strength, you will receive my blessings and His.”
Winfield Scott, in his will
June 12, 1912: Fourteen signatures that changed everything
On a warm Saturday in June, fourteen believers gathered in the Vanderhoof home and signed the charter for a new Baptist church. As Pastor Stan Crews recorded, five family units made up the charter membership — the Wilburs, the Trumbulls, the Weavers, Jennie Brown, and Sara Thomas. These were pioneers — farmers, teachers, business owners, and community builders — people who believed a church could anchor a town.
A church built by hand
The church called Reverend Limon Trumbull as its first pastor, but he died soon after and was succeeded by his friend Reverend William Wilbur, who conducted the first baptism on Easter Sunday, 1913, in the irrigation ditch at Indian School and Scottsdale Roads. For six years the congregation met in the Little Red Schoolhouse on Main Street, now home to the Scottsdale Historical Society.
They dreamed of a permanent home, and they built one. When World War I drove the price of lumber far above concrete, V.A. Vanderhoof bought concrete instead. The congregation gathered sand from the Salt River, hand-mixed cement, and formed blocks one by one on the church site. By 1918, the first church building stood proudly at Brown Avenue and Indian School Road — a testament to faith, sweat, and stubborn hope.
Part II • 1918–1969
Growing Up with the City
A church and a town finding their identity together
As Scottsdale grew from a farming settlement into a recognizable town, First Baptist Church of Scottsdale grew right alongside it.
The colporteur era
Between 1912 and 1942, the church had 18 pastors, most of them colporteur missionaries — men who traveled dusty roads carrying Bibles and printed materials, preaching wherever they were needed. Two left a lasting mark: Rev. Verner Vanderhoof, who became the 11th pastor and a beloved community leader, and Fred Mathis, his son-in-law, who served faithfully for decades as pastor, custodian, Sunday School teacher, and church officer.
The Anderson years: a church for young families
Rev. Anderson arrived in June 1943, during a heat wave, to a congregation of 50 — most of the men away fighting in World War II. Seeing a real need to support young mothers and their children, he developed and strengthened the Sunday School program and oversaw the building of new classrooms. When he left, the congregation numbered 225.
The Van Slyke years: a church on the move
Rev. Milton Van Slyke arrived in 1953 and quickly became one of the most influential pastors in our history. Under his leadership the church purchased land at Osborn & 70th Street, and membership surpassed 300. Families like the Shipps, Crosiers, Scotts, Vanderhoofs, Weavers, Mathises, and Walkers helped anchor the congregation through this time of rapid change.
The Chapman years: innovation and community
Rev. Ian Chapman arrived in 1965 to a booming church in a booming city. He introduced home groups, which reignited the church and brought in new families, and helped secure the property the church had wanted since the 1950s — the corner of 70th Street and Osborn Road. By the end of the 1960s, the church was ready for its next great chapter.
Part III • 1970–2009
The Boom Years
A church at the heart of a growing valley
The 1970s through the early 2000s were a golden era for both Scottsdale and the church, which became one of the larger congregations in the Valley.
Pastor Lowell Fairley: a season of expansion
Fairley arrived from Pasadena with energy and vision. In 1971, a week-long evangelistic series led by Mel Dibble ignited the church, sparking a wave of growth. The congregation soon needed more space — and in 1975, the new sanctuary was completed. It remains our worship home today.
Pastor Milan Johnson: strength through sorrow
Rev. Johnson’s time was marked by both ministry success and personal tragedy — the loss of his son in an accident. Despite his grief, he strengthened the church’s commitment to missions and launched Family Fellowship Dinners and Wednesday night classes.
Pastor Robert Brouwer: a legacy of faithfulness
Pastor Brouwer arrived in 1983 and served faithfully for 26 years, the longest pastorate in our history. During his tenure the sanctuary was significantly remodeled, and new buildings added classroom space and a coffee shop, Winfield’s. His wife Dianne continues to serve our church faithfully today. By the time he retired in 2009, the church remained strong and vibrant.
Pastors Mark Young and John Bosic: 2009–2016
The church selected two of its own, Pastor Mark Young and Pastor John Bosic, as co-pastors. After Pastor Young stepped down, the church moved to a team-pastor approach before eventually returning to its original Lead Pastor structure and calling John Bosic as interim Lead Pastor. During these years the church saw gradual decline, mirroring a nationwide trend that had begun in the 1990s.
Part IV • 2010–2026
Resilience, Renewal, and the Road Ahead
A church that refuses to give up
The last 15 years brought challenges no one could have predicted — declining attendance, an aging membership, a large multi-million-dollar mortgage, and a global pandemic that closed our doors for five months. This is where the modern chapter begins.
The Coston years: a decade of courage and creativity
Pastor Jim Coston arrived in 2016 and helped the congregation develop a lasting vision: offering a seat at God’s table for an adventurous life with Christ. He led the church through COVID-19 — five months closed, then a careful reopening — while facing the deeper, long-term challenges of declining attendance and a mortgage that consumed too much of the budget.
By 2024, the church faced a crossroads. Three plans were presented: merge with a larger church as a satellite campus, move to a smaller location outside Scottsdale, or prepare to close. A fourth path began to emerge — fight for survival, renewal, and revitalization.
A miracle in the desert
The thought that, after 112 years, the church might end was something many families simply would not accept. A team of congregants came together to plan a revitalization — but one anchor weighed heaviest: the mortgage. Then came the moment that changed everything. A parking lot the church had tried to sell for 10 years suddenly found a buyer who insisted on a quick closing. The sale paid off the mortgage in full, just weeks before the congregational vote. At the same time, several renters stepped forward, providing new income and stability.
A new chapter begins
After nearly a decade of service, Pastor Jim Coston stepped down at the end of January 2026, one of the longest-serving pastors in our history. In 2026, Pastor Gary Hope became interim pastor and, on Sunday, June 21st, was officially called as our next Lead Pastor. One of his first sermon series centered on Hebrews 13:8.
“We stand on the shoulders of pioneers who built with their own hands, pastors who traveled dusty roads to preach, families who stayed through booms and busts, leaders who refused to let the church die — and a God who has never once abandoned us.”
On 114 years
Time and again, when our church made one plan, God had something even better in mind — and often at just the right time. We may not always know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. Our story is still being written — and the next chapter may be the most exciting yet.
