History

In 1925 the Tampa Baptist City Mission, under the direction of C.C. Bums and Dr. George Hyman organized a committee to locate a property in Southwest Tampa in order to build a Church. A lot was found on the corners of Deckel, DeSota and South Howard Ave. and purchased.

Dr. George Hyman resigned from his position on the Tampa Baptist City Mission and became the first Pastor of the newly founded church.

A four-hundred seat chapel was constructed, and the first worship service was held in the new building March 26, 1926. On this day, it was proposed and agreed upon that the new church would be called “Bayshore Baptist Church”. As the congregation grew, a new building project was proposed to accommodate this growth. In 1927 a loan was secured, and a new educational building was constructed South of the existing Chapel.

The stock market crash of Oct. 28, 1929, and the economic problems of the country, made it extremely difficult for the membership to fulfill their financial pledges. And the church was unable to make the loan payments. The church was able to refinance their loan in December 1931.

Bayshore experienced a new period of growth in the during the 1940’s, was able to pay off debts, and in June of 1945, launched a new building program to relocate the church to our current address. On Thanksgiving morning of 1956, the first service was held in our current Sanctuary. Bayshore experienced significant growth during this period and laid the groundwork for a renewed focus on outreach and service to our community.

During the 1970’s, Bayshore launched an outreach program in Robles Park Village; helped to launch the Christian Coalition Clinic, which provided free healthcare to those who could not afford it; helped to launch Meals on Wheels, using the kitchen to prepare meals from 1975-1992; and created a kindergarten that would eventually evolve into our current preschool.

From its beginning, Bayshore had been a congregation affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. During the 1990’s, conflicts arose within the Southern Baptist Convention, and many congregations felt pressure to make statements with which they disagreed. Bayshore, particularly valuing the gift of women in places of church leadership, decided they could no longer be aligned with the Southern Baptist Convention and aligned with the then newly formed Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Through the last 100 years Bayshore has moved through the building changes, leadership changes, and cultural changes that many churches know well. But a common thread has moved through our history: faith in action. In our attempts to follow Jesus, we have always sought to be a congregation who displays love to our neighbors. Through the years our partnerships have grown, and we continue to support affordable health care efforts, affordable housing efforts, food and clothing insecurity programs, substance abuse programs, the recognition of dignity and agency for those with disabilities, and various other sites of God’s goodness to those who are most vulnerable.  

We look forward to the future that grows out of our history – a future of well-being for all of Tampa – and invite you to join us in making that future a reality.