Dr. Cody McNutt: Why First Baptist Chose Demolition to Preserve Its Mission—Episode 59
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The story behind “the church that disappeared overnight”
If you’ve driven the Covington Square lately and wondered, “Where did that historic white-columned church go?”—this episode is for you. Dr. Cody McNutt, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Covington, sits down with Trey to walk us—calmly and carefully—through the why, the how, and the what’s-next of FBC’s decision to demolish its 120-year-old sanctuary and rebuild on the same block.
This is more than a construction update. It’s an honest conversation about history, stewardship, theology, hospitality, accessibility, and unity—and why the FBC leadership concluded that the best way to honor a 200-year presence in Newton County was to create space to grow together for the next 100.
“Church buildings come and go and are almost like garments cast off in their season when they no longer suit the congregation.” — Covington News, c.1910, quoted by Dr. McNutt
Not a 200-year-old building—a 200-year-old church
First Baptist Covington (founded in 1823) is nearly as old as Covington itself. Over two centuries, the congregation has worshipped at multiple locations around the Square, eventually purchasing the corner of Floyd & Elm in the early 1900s. The sanctuary we all remember opened around 1910. And like most long-lived churches, the facility went through several significant alterations:
The original reddish-brown brick exterior (not white), topped by a dome later removed due to leaks.
Mid-century expansions that blew out the rear wall, added a balcony, and painted over intricate architectural details.
An annex and education building that helped ministry thrive but also made the campus feel like a downtown hospital—add-on upon add-on—with maze-like wayfinding and difficult access.
Put simply, the sanctuary many of us loved was the building’s third or fourth iteration. What it symbolized was historic; what it provided—capacity, accessibility, and unity—no longer matched the church’s mission.
The long road to a hard decision
This wasn’t sudden. According to Dr. McNutt, FBC voted more than 25 years ago to remain downtown rather than relocate, precisely because they wanted to be “in the city for the city.” When Cody arrived, the church was worshiping in three services (traditional and contemporary) in order to accommodate growth. It “worked,” but it also siloed one congregation into multiple congregations, robbing FBC of the spiritual chemistry that comes from singing, praying, baptizing, and taking the Lord’s Supper together.
Beginning in 2019, the church engaged in prayer, teaching, and planning that came to focus on four convictions:
Worship unity – If possible, gather one church, one room on the Lord’s Day.
Hospitality – Design for “come early, stay late” community life, with intuitive, dignifying wayfinding and gathering space.
Accessibility & safety – Bring the entire campus to modern codes and ADA standards (no more “sneak past the pulpit to find a restroom”).
Longevity – Build for generations, not just for now.
FBC engaged architects who specialize in historic, landlocked churches. Could they keep the sanctuary and still achieve those aims? They explored it. The math—on capacity, structure, compliance, and circulation—wouldn’t work. Preserving the mission meant replacing the building.
“We didn’t wake up wanting to tear down a historic structure. I love history. But our call is to shepherd people—not protect paint.” — Dr. McNutt
The congregation discussed, prayed, and voted (FBC is congregationally governed). The decision was overwhelminglyin favor—not unanimous, but decisive. Tellingly, many of the longtime members who said, “It will hurt to see it go,”were first to give financially to the new project. They knew their children and grandchildren need a church that’s spiritually alive and structurally ready for the next century.
Rebuilding the past to serve the future
If you’ve seen renderings and thought, “No steeple? Looks like a courthouse?”—a few clarifications:
There hasn’t been a steeple for decades.
The new design is not modernist. It is historically faithful to the 1906–1910 façade—with authentic arches, keystones, coins, and window profiles—recreated in detail to honor the block’s architectural vocabulary.
The façade is re-centered on the block for better symmetry and presence on Floyd Street.
Inside, expect a reverent sanctuary (not a black-box concert hall), with the infrastructure to support excellent sound, lighting, and media—while keeping the feel of a historic Baptist worship space.
The lobby will become a true commons—the kind of place where people linger after worship, meet new friends, and move easily to discipleship spaces.
Oh, and restrooms? Plentiful, obvious, and accessible—without crossing in front of the preacher.
A theology of space: why unity shaped the blueprint
What pushed this past “we need more seats” into “we must rethink the room” was theology, not just practicality. FBC’s leadership concluded that Scripture presents a compelling vision of one body gathered—intergenerational and, by God’s grace, increasingly multiethnic—sitting under the same Word, singing with the same voice, witnessing the same baptisms, and sharing the same Table. The building had stopped supporting that biblical aspiration. The new one is designed to enable it.
A simple and beautiful side effect: grandparents and grandchildren now sing both the deep hymns of the faith and the best modern songs of today—together. It’s not aesthetic compromise; it’s spiritual formation—rooted, rich, and shared.
“We hear you”: responding to community concern
Dr. McNutt’s message to the broader community is gracious and direct:
We hear the sadness. For many, FBC’s façade was a landmark backdrop for life’s milestones.
We didn’t pick a fight. The church submitted to a long, difficult public process with the Historic Preservation Commission and City Council, agreeing to stringent design standards.
We’re building something beautiful and fitting—not for trendiness, but to honor Covington’s character and the church’s mission.
If you don’t worship with us, please don’t judge us from a distance. Come see. Ask questions. “Don’t have an opinion of us without coming to check out what God is doing.”
Sunday services: 8:30 & 11:00 AM. Everyone’s welcome.
Beyond bricks: rooted, reaching, replicating
Midway through the conversation, Trey invites Cody to step back from blueprints and talk about the moment we’re living in—polarization, culture fights, confusion about truth—and how a local church should respond.
Dr. McNutt’s answer is both classic and urgent:
Rooted — In the Word, in prayer, in the church. Like a live oak, roots intertwine to hold each other up.
Reaching — Into every good corner of Covington and Newton County (and beyond) with engagement, evangelism, church planting, and missions, as far as truth and conscience allow.
Replicating — Disciples making disciples, groups multiplying, churches supporting churches. Fruit that endures.
He’s careful to distinguish the gospel (“God is our Maker; sin our failure; Christ our Savior; repentance and faith our answer; new life our pleasure”) from social action. The church must do good works—Scripture commands it—but works flow from the gospel; they are not the gospel. That distinction keeps the church clear-eyed and courageous in a confusing age.
“Politics will not save us. Programs will not save us. The gospel of Jesus Christ—proclaimed by a faithful local church—changes people, families, and towns.” — Dr. McNutt
SHARE: If you share this episode with a neighbor who’s been asking, “Why did they do that?”—you’ll be doing Covington a favor.
Important links mentioned
The Town Square Podcast – past episodes, show notes & donate page: thetownsquarepodcast.com • Donate:thetownsquarepodcast.com/donate
First Baptist Church, Covington – “Growing Together” vision, service times (8:30 & 11:00 AM), campus updates firstbaptistcovington.com
Luther Rice College & Seminary – fully online, biblical, accredited programs: LutherRice.edu
The Appalachia Group Insurance – independent insurance advisors, email Bobby
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