1894-1914
Our story begins with the Reverend General S. Coleman coming to Chicago in 1894 from Fairfax, West Virginia, accompanied by his wife, three daughters, Sadie, Mary and Frances and his mother. He met the Reverend Harry W. Knight and from that initial meeting, a beautiful Christian relationship developed.

In 1915, the Reverend Lucillious L. Drane, also from Tennessee, was called as pastor and served for 14 years. During his pastorate, our membership increased to 900. Many of the members owned and operated their own businesses. There was also a complete Junior Church and a baseball team. In 1919, a Ford truck was sent to Africa for Mission work and in 1925, a bus was purchased for the Sunday School.

In the Fall of 1935, the Reverend E. L. Twine, of Mississippi became pastor. Our active membership had dwindled to 300, but after a few years under his leadership, we regained our rightful place as a leading church. One of our young ministers, Reverend Henry McCory, received his Call to the Ministry and later organized the Mozart Baptist Church (now known as First Baptist Congregational) We moved to 1958 West Washington in 1943 with Ms Willie Mae Amos as Church Clerk. After ten years of faithful leadership, Reverend Twine departed this life on July 19, 1945.

In the Fall of 1955, Friendship led by Chairman, Deacon Jesse Worthy, called the <strong>Reverend Shelvin Jerome Hall of Texas to be our next pastor. His request was: “If I am to be pastor, then let me pastor.” These words marked the beginning of what has been to date, a 50 year saga. Under his visionary and insightful leadership, the following were initiated: Sunday Night Services because the people needed the opportunity to be saved at night as well as the morning and the Wednesday night Mid-Week Services.

2009-Current
Pastor Bachus was presented with a crystal plaque for recognition of 20 years of diligence and dedication of preaching the gospel. The Summer Teen Employment Project was implemented during July 2009 and ran for four weeks. In the fall of 2009, Pastor Bachus began serving as a mentor for boys at Leslie Lewis Middle School. In November 2009, Friendship joined ranks with the US Census Bureau to be a testing site for people looking for census jobs and to be a participating member of the Complete Count Committee.

In August 2014, Rev. Bachus was appointed 1ST Vice President of Baptist General State Congress of Christian Education of Illinois.

On June 13, 2015, Rev. Bachus received his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and Congregational Leadership from Northern Baptist Seminary. During the 118th Church Anniversary, Rev. Scott Onque, who was the guest preacher for the evening of July 9, 2015, joined Friendship Baptist Church. He had just preached a sermon titled, “How to Serve Christ With A Spirit of Excellence” indicating that it all starts with the capacity to love. The motion to accept Rev. Scott Onque on his Christian Experience was unanimously accepted by the congregation. On July 19, 2015, Friendship burned the renovation mortgage!

For the complete history, visit: https://www.fbcchicago.org/history.html