In the early 1920s, a theater was started at the corner of West Broad Street and Eldon Ave. As the building began to take shape, the developer was forced into bankruptcy, and eventually the dream of a theater was lost. At the same time, there was a small church in the area that was quickly outgrowing its walls.  

At that time, Hill Crest Baptist Church, shared a building with a real estate company also called Hill Crest. Hill Crest was a new church plant from the First Baptist Church with big dreams of being a thriving church in the fast growing Hilltop of Columbus.

As the dream of a new theater died, the dream of Hill Crest moving into a larger building was birthed. The building, located at 2480 West Broad St., offered room for expansion and creativity in ministry. The task of buying the building meant tremendous financial sacrifice. To provide financing, many families mortgaged their homes. Hill Crest moved into the theater building and a new era of ministry began for Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Hillcrest has been a blessing for the Hilltop for decades and has been an instrumental part of shaping the values of the community. Many people have come and gone through the years, but most people who have a connection with Hillcrest speak of how it helped shape their walk with the Lord.

It is that same confident, contagious and courageous spirit that has carried Hillcrest through the decades. While many things have changed on the Hilltop, God has not changed and His vision for Hillcrest is still alive. The heart of Hillcrest in the 1920s was to “Change the World” and the heart of Hillcrest today is that through Christ we will change the world as well.