The first Swedish Baptist Church organized in Minnesota was probably the church in Houston County started by F.O. Nilssen in 1853. From there, Nilssen moved on to Scandia, in Carver County, to help establish a church. Swedes arrived in that area from Burlington, Iowa, in 1855. After Nilssen helped them purchase their property, he was chosen their leader.
Scandia believers met in the log home of Andrew Peterson. The first baptism took place February 17, 1856, in Lake Clearwater (Lake Waconia) after men chopped a hole in the ice for the chilly immersion! Construction of a 20 x 24-foot log building began in April 1857 and was completed by July. F.O. Nilssen preached the first sermon in the new building July 12.
When Vilhelm Moberg was researching for his novels about emigration from Sweden to the United States, he discovered Peterson’s diaries about his life as a Swedish immigrant. Moberg considered those diaries a valuable resource for his books.
The Swedish Baptist Conference of Minnesota is believed to have organized at this church in 1858, and the original building now resides on the campus of Bethel University.
Swedish Baptists arrived in Meeker County in 1857. Again, Nilssen came to their aid, as well as John Erickson and John A. Peterson from the Scandia church. Nilssen baptized several believers in 1859, and the Baptist Church of Swede Grove (Acton) was then organized. The Sioux Uprising in 1862 resulted in the deaths of over 100 residents, and many others were scattered. The present Grove City Baptist Church was organized in 1866.
One early Swedish Baptist church widely recognized in Christian circles today is Bethlehem Baptist of Minneapolis, originally named First Swedish Baptist Church of Minneapolis. An offshoot of First Baptist, First Swedish organized over a blacksmith shop at 2nd Street and Nicollet Avenue on June 22, 1871. Most of the charter members had been members of Minneapolis’ First Baptist.
Although the Baptist Union paid the $1,000 selling price, Amory Gale bought the corner lot on 12th Avenue and 6th Street. Believers met in a building there until it burned to the ground. During the first ten years of ministry, four different pastors led the church.
In June 1881, Dr. Frank Peterson assumed the leadership of the 127 members. He thought Scandinavian immigrants made the best Baptists because they were Protestants, they were religious, and they weren’t communists or socialists. Very few were peddlers, organ grinders, or beggars. When Peterson left in 1891, membership had increased to 445. By 1893, with 550 members, the church was the largest Swedish Baptist church in America.
First Swedish Baptist added bi-monthly English services in 1893. Swedish language services were discontinued in the 1930s, and the name was changed to Bethlehem Baptist in the 1940s.
The church sent out many missionaries, and helped establish several Twin City Baptist churches. Today the church, led by John Piper, is located on 13th Avenue South and is affiliated with the Minnesota Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference.
www.bethel.edu/bgc-archives/tour/minnesota
www.oakwoodonline.org/images/junenews.pdf
History of the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Vol. 1. Edited by Isaac Atwater, 1893.
