Biltmore Baptist Church celebrated its Centennial in 1989. George Vanderbilt played a large role in appropriating the property for our church, originally known as Fern Hill Baptist Church and established as a mission of First Baptist Church - Asheville. The original building, a one-room church with a bell on top, was located near the Swannanoa River and the railroad depot on Buncombe Turnpike (Hendesrsonville Road). Vanderbilt planned a larger building at a new location to accommodate 350 persons, with a schoolroom and two vestries, which was dedicated in November, 1893, according to the notes of the first pastor Daniel Buryman Nelson. Once again, Vanderbilt had played a part in the history of this church. The new building, erected on Summit Street, continues to be a house of worship today (currently the home of Asheville Full Gospel Tabernacle). On July 2, 1913, the name of the church was officially changed to Biltmore Baptist.

As the church continued to grow, it prompted yet another move to a 5-acre tract south on Hendersonville Road. Growth continued under the pastorate of Harold Savell, who served the church for 21 years. In 1993 James Walker was called to serve as Pastor at Biltmore Baptist Church and since his arrival the church has experienced tremendous growth, which prompted the search for yet another location to accommodate the church growing ministries. With the anonymous donation of 63 acres, the Biltmore Baptist Church on Clayton Road in Arden opened its doors on Easter Sunday, 2000 with a record attendance of approximately 2400. God continues to work in the life of this grand servant church, “the light of the mountains,?as she seeks to win Western North Carolina and then the world with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, one person at a time.