History of Faith Baptist Church
The charter members of Faith Baptist Church originated from Calvary Baptist Church in Bowling Green, MO. It was a strong church under Pastor Everett Sillivan. After he resigned in 1973 another pastor was selected. Things did not go very well and before long, the doors of the church closed. Since finding a church that had a like faith was looking to be impossible, a few men decided to do something about it. These men and others (mostly from the Rue family) started meeting in an empty house on old dump road in July of 1976.
Russell Rue was going to a Bible College in Springfield, MO. He met with the pastor of Berean Baptist Church there in Springfield and expressed the need the newly formed church had for a pastor. Several men came and to candidate and Bro. Darold McKinley (a college graduate from Springfield) was called to be the first pastor. He came in October of 1976 and was here for a year and a half before being called to the mission field of Norway and then resigned. God sent them to us to get us grounded in our faith and build a strong foundation.
Our second pastor was Bro. John Kerr. He and his family came in March of 1978 and they stayed a few months with us. They would leave in September of 1978, but in their short time with us, helped us move from the country house to the old KJFM building downtown. Before they left, the pastor helped us to organize our own church. Bro. Kerr brought us a long way in a short period of time. We thanked Berean Baptist Church for the help and support they gave to us.
Our next pastor was Bro. Charles Elliott. He and his wife Virginia were such a blessing to our church. They had a vision for the church, but also a burden to start a Christian School. They would soon start the school and God would bless it. The church started growing and we had to move again, this time to a store front a couple of blocks down Georgia St. The church was growing so fast that Bro. Elliott needed help (mostly due to his eyesight). Bro. Ballinger and his wife Kathy came to assist. We were in the store front building for just over a year when we started outgrowing it. The Lord led us to the building we now are in and know as Faith Baptist Church. The building itself used to be a car dealership and so much restoration and changes needed to be made over the years.
When Bro. Elliott heard the Lord's call to go into evangelism, he resigned from the church and Bro. Ballinger was voted to be the next pastor. Bro. Ballinger was our pastor for 9 or 10 years and the church would have its ups and downs in membership. Upon his resigning, the church would call their next pastor Bro. Steve Summers.
Under the leadership of Bro. Summers much took place in the church in ministry, with the renovations, but also maintaining the Christian School. Though the school would eventually close, several children were greatly influenced by the church and Pastor Summers. He and his family worked diligently in our church and saw many saved and the church grow again especially with the youth. After being with us for several years, he felt the Lord's calling to pastor a church in Texas. We thank Bro. Summers for his faithfulness.
Following Bro. Summers' resignation, we had to begin searching for a pastor once again. However, in our church was a man that pastored previously in Kansas. Bro. Tom Talbert was asked to be the interim pastor of our church while we began our search. It wasn't long that the Lord moved to have Bro. Talbert to become our next pastor. He and his wife Glenna faithfully served the Lord in our church. During his time as pastor, Bro. Talbert faced several health issues that began to prevent him from serving in the capacity that he wanted to serve. After much prayer, Bro. Talbert informed the church of his decision to resign. We thank Bro. Tom for his ministry to us in the two years that he pastored.
The church again began the search for a pastor. We had several resumes from our previous search for a pastor that we contacted one that we knew did not yet have a church. Bro. John Davis came in May of 2014 to candidate for the pastorate and with the Lord's leading, he has come to be our pastor in July of 2014. If there is one trait about our pastor and his family that stands out most, it is love. We are looking forward to seeing what God will do through Pastor Davis and his family.
The charter members of Faith Baptist Church originated from Calvary Baptist Church in Bowling Green, MO. It was a strong church under Pastor Everett Sillivan. After he resigned in 1973 another pastor was selected. Things did not go very well and before long, the doors of the church closed. Since finding a church that had a like faith was looking to be impossible, a few men decided to do something about it. These men and others (mostly from the Rue family) started meeting in an empty house on old dump road in July of 1976.
Russell Rue was going to a Bible College in Springfield, MO. He met with the pastor of Berean Baptist Church there in Springfield and expressed the need the newly formed church had for a pastor. Several men came and to candidate and Bro. Darold McKinley (a college graduate from Springfield) was called to be the first pastor. He came in October of 1976 and was here for a year and a half before being called to the mission field of Norway and then resigned. God sent them to us to get us grounded in our faith and build a strong foundation.
Our second pastor was Bro. John Kerr. He and his family came in March of 1978 and they stayed a few months with us. They would leave in September of 1978, but in their short time with us, helped us move from the country house to the old KJFM building downtown. Before they left, the pastor helped us to organize our own church. Bro. Kerr brought us a long way in a short period of time. We thanked Berean Baptist Church for the help and support they gave to us.
Our next pastor was Bro. Charles Elliott. He and his wife Virginia were such a blessing to our church. They had a vision for the church, but also a burden to start a Christian School. They would soon start the school and God would bless it. The church started growing and we had to move again, this time to a store front a couple of blocks down Georgia St. The church was growing so fast that Bro. Elliott needed help (mostly due to his eyesight). Bro. Ballinger and his wife Kathy came to assist. We were in the store front building for just over a year when we started outgrowing it. The Lord led us to the building we now are in and know as Faith Baptist Church. The building itself used to be a car dealership and so much restoration and changes needed to be made over the years.
When Bro. Elliott heard the Lord's call to go into evangelism, he resigned from the church and Bro. Ballinger was voted to be the next pastor. Bro. Ballinger was our pastor for 9 or 10 years and the church would have its ups and downs in membership. Upon his resigning, the church would call their next pastor Bro. Steve Summers.
Under the leadership of Bro. Summers much took place in the church in ministry, with the renovations, but also maintaining the Christian School. Though the school would eventually close, several children were greatly influenced by the church and Pastor Summers. He and his family worked diligently in our church and saw many saved and the church grow again especially with the youth. After being with us for several years, he felt the Lord's calling to pastor a church in Texas. We thank Bro. Summers for his faithfulness.
Following Bro. Summers' resignation, we had to begin searching for a pastor once again. However, in our church was a man that pastored previously in Kansas. Bro. Tom Talbert was asked to be the interim pastor of our church while we began our search. It wasn't long that the Lord moved to have Bro. Talbert to become our next pastor. He and his wife Glenna faithfully served the Lord in our church. During his time as pastor, Bro. Talbert faced several health issues that began to prevent him from serving in the capacity that he wanted to serve. After much prayer, Bro. Talbert informed the church of his decision to resign. We thank Bro. Tom for his ministry to us in the two years that he pastored.
The church again began the search for a pastor. We had several resumes from our previous search for a pastor that we contacted one that we knew did not yet have a church. Bro. John Davis came in May of 2014 to candidate for the pastorate and with the Lord's leading, he has come to be our pastor in July of 2014. If there is one trait about our pastor and his family that stands out most, it is love. We are looking forward to seeing what God will do through Pastor Davis and his family.