Our Church History

Bible Baptist Church was started on July 13, 1986 by Pastor Dan Thornton and his family. The church was planted out of the Cherry Street Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri.

The church began in the Thornton’s home and as they grew they reconstructed their own garage into the church meeting place. They found a church building on Alice Avenue where, in June of 1987, they began meeting.

The church spent twelve years in that building before it began to outgrow it with approximately 50 members. They purchased the 7-acre property where the church now resides on Buchanan Avenue. The church continued meeting on Alice Avenue for four years while church members contributed their own time and talent to help with the construction of the main auditorium building.

In September of 1999 the church officially moved to the property and in June of 2000, the church name was changed to Buchanan Avenue Baptist Church. In the following years the church added other buildings and property upgrades through the faithful work and generous giving of the members of the church.

Pastor Thornton retired in January of 2023 and Pastor Illsley took the pastorate.

On the fourth week of every July we celebrate what the Lord has done in establishing and continuing to lead and direct the steps of our church.