First Free Will Baptist has had a long and eventful history. Old Sugar Grove Methodist church was originally organized around 1880 where it served as a church and school until the county board of education tore down the building in 1915 to use the materials to construct another school house in Gorman that was permitted to continue worship services. From 1915 to 1924, the church offered services only when a visiting minister could fill the pulpit. These ministers include Presbyterians like J. C. Orr and Methodists like A. D. Thompson.

However, in 1924 L. B. H. Green of Goodlettsville, TN, held a revival at the building and officially organized the Gorman Free Will Baptist Church, the second church of the Free Will Baptist denomination in Humphrey’s County. Rev. Green served as the first pastor and Martha Tinnelle the first clerk. In 1926, Rev. Green was replaced by W. S. Gentry of Vanleer, TN, though returned as pastor a few years later.

The church was nearly destroyed by a flood that hit Waverly in 2021. Trailing the COVID pandemic, Trace Creek became flooded by a considerable amount of rain in a short time period which backed up and sent an unprecedented wall of water crashing through Waverly, and right through First Free Will Baptist. Thankfully, the people of the town, surrounding cities, and many religious organizations rallied together to help the town recover. Despite the building being inhabitable for several months, the church never ceased having services, gathering under a large tent to worship, work on repairing the church building, and coordinate supplies and tools for others in the city who needed it.

The church began holding services inside the building again six months after the flood. Having redone everything from eight feet down inside the church, it took a lot of time and effort, but God blessed through it all.