Updated: May 2, 2007

Good News Bible Church was founded on April 7, 1817 as the Baptist Church of Wilton with an original membership of 24 people. Town records show the church was established after a moving of the Holy Spirit and conversion of several people, who initially attended church in Mason.

As attendance grew, they built a brick church building in what was the Center of Wilton. This building still stands today in historic Wilton Center.

The church became well established in the 19^th century and had many godly pastors. A report of the first 65 years of the church states, “that there were many precious revivals and 244 people baptized.”

Joseph Smith epitomized the spiritual leaders of that time. He served as a faithful leader from the church's inception until his death in 1883. A town report says, “He was fully consecrated to Christ.”

Starting in the 1900s, the church membership declined. By 1918, the church held an afternoon service and shared a neighboring minister. This decline continued until in the mid-1940s, there were only five church members, all from the Whitcomb family.

A new start for the church came in 1962, when Donald Magnuson became the first resident pastor in over 40 years. In six years, church membership increased to 40 members! Since the 1960s, attendance has fluctuated between 50 and 90 people each Sunday. Seven pastors have served since then, with our current pastor, Peter Vitello, beginning his service to Good News Bible Church in March of 2001.

In 1988, the church changed its name to Good News Bible Church of Wilton, New Hampshire, without making any doctrinal changes.

In 2003, after many years of prayer, the church membership voted to pursue a new church building to accommodate the needs of a growing congregation and to expand outreach to the community. The current church building was purchased in the summer of 2003 and renovations began. After nearly a year of hard work by a faithful group of members, the first service was held in the new building in May 2004.

Attendance has continued to grow since moving in to the new building. In February 2007, two services began to be offered on Sunday mornings to accommodate the needs of the community. Current membership is now approximately 80 members, with over 150 people attending Sunday morning services each week.