Liberty Baptist Church of Sarasota met for the first time Sunday, August 6, 1978, with twenty people in the Y.M.C.A building on Euclid Avenue off Bahia Vista Street. The church was founded as a mission of Trinity Baptist Church of Bradenton.

From the Y.M.C.A. building the small group of believers moved to the Disabled American Veterans Hall on Fruitville Road in Sarasota.

The “organization meeting” for the church was held February 4, 1979. Trinity Baptist Church of Bradenton recognized Liberty Baptist Church as an independent, self-governing, autonomous body of believers and the church’s constitution was adopted.

The church bought 5.9 acres of property at 4249 Bahia Vista Street in 1980. The church constructed a 5,200 square foot building. Within one year from commencement of construction the congregation moved into the new building.

The first building and property was paid off and the mortgage burned in 1987. Then plans for a multipurpose building were drawn. The multipurpose building construction began in 1988, and completed in 1989. The multipurpose building was paid off and the mortgage burned in 1998.

A third building program was started in 2000. The church built a gymnasium and put a second floor in the multipurpose building, it was completed in 2001.

The church is planning its fourth building program. The plan is to construct a fellowship hall with offices, commercial kitchen, bathrooms, dining area, prophet’s chamber and storage room.

Liberty Baptist Church has had a grand ministry from its founding but now is looking forward to an even greater future in the years to come!