Yucaipa is a special place, full of sunshine and overlooked by the San Bernardino mountains which peak to around 13,000 feet. It was near the turn of the 20th century C.J. Almquist, a missionary of the Swedish Baptist Conference, settled in Yucaipa and began the church around 1912 with nine members, all believed to be Swedish immigrants. A succession of borrowed sanctuaries and buildings accommodated the growing congregation. In 1923 the congregation finally built a "little white church on the hill" as it would come to be known, which seated 150 people.

From 1928 to 1936 the church acquired its second great pastor, J. Bowling, a Southern preacher in his 70's. His four daughters helped establish a number of outreach programs like Sunday School and a senior Bible study class. During and after WWII, land in Yucaipa was inexpensive which opened up the opportunity for the church to make a large purchase for $10,800 for the land that it currently occupies, in the middle of downtown Yucaipa. From 1947-1957, the church was blessed with its third gifted pastor, Ernest Anderson, who had close ties to the community having grown up here. Under the reserved Swede's guidance, the church expanded. In 1948 ground was broken for a new building on the newly purchased lot. The new worship center was finally completed in 1952 and the church joined The Baptist General Conference. Three charter members were present for the dedication. The membership at that time was 300-400. In 1964, with membership at around 500, a new worship center was begun. Using volunteers, the church was completed in 1966 with seating capacity for over 700 has a commanding presence on the main street of Yucaipa.

The church has continued a sense of family throughout the years. Mahlon Friesen, a more recent pastor, has said that the church has had an "ongoing concern that [it] be a vital part of the community." A preschool and a K-6 elementary school which shares its ambitious library with the community, tutoring and literacy programs, housing a shelter for Set Free single moms attest to the truth of his remark. When the church was between pastors it helped plant a Spanish language church in our closest neighboring town, Calimesa. During Friesen's pastorate, the church bought a small adjacent strip mall, housing a restaurant, bike shop, and a large room for youth activities. Several houses behind the church property were bought so that plenty of land exists for expansion. Projects that have been dreamed about are a community center, playing fields and extra parking.

Even though Yucaipa has easy access to the Greater Los Angeles area with its many amenities, it remains multi generational and family oriented to a degree not always found in California. The present city building boom recalls the rush to California of the previous century with its fields white unto harvest. As First Baptist Church nears its Centennial year, it finds itself in a retooling process of spiritual renewal, calling on leaders to model Christ in submission and loving outreach to hurting people, to focus on the One who saves, heals and serves.