Churches and Their Stories

North American Baptist Churches have a rich heritage. The mission has remained the same from its earliest beginnings in the 1840s — to share the Gospel, make disciples, and multiply servant leaders. This family of churches is now over 400 strong and ministers to a variety of ethnic groups from all parts of the world.

This section features early churches that continue this missionary movement. Many of these churches have changed names and locations to be able to continue to have a greater impact on the world. The earliest churches often began as First German Baptist, with daughter churches becoming Second or Third German Baptist. Sometimes street names were used to identify a church. By 1940, nearly all the churches in the US had dropped German from their name. Canada continued to receive German immigrants after WWII and ministered to German-speaking people for a longer period of time.

Early church moves were motivated by changes in populations of German-speaking people and seeking to be where the mission field was. The shift to English language began early and spread from east to west across the US and Canada.

The churches featured in this section are listed under their current name. Their story includes all previous names. Some  churches have up to five names related to moving or to choosing names that more specifically reflected their identity.

Early NAB churches listed chronologically by start date:

1849 Temple Baptist – Cheektowaga (Buffalo), New York
1851 Orchard Community – (Latta Road) Rochester, New York
1854 Grace – Racine, Wisconsin
1855 Valley Stream Baptist – Valley Stream, New York
1858 Northwest Fellowship – Chicago, Illinois
1858 North Freedom – North Freedom, Wisconsin
1858 Minnestrista – St. Bonefacious, Minnesota
1860 First Baptist – St. Joseph, Michigan
1861 Greenvine – Burton, Texas
1861 Folsomdale – Cowlesville, New York
1861 Dorchester Drive – Erie, Pennsylvania
1862 Temple Baptist – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1864 Bethel Baptist – St. Clair Shores, Michigan
1864 Immanuel – Kankakee, Illinois
1869 First Baptist – Arnpiror, Ontario
1869 Oak Street – Burlington, Iowa
1873 Shell Creek – Columbus, Nebraska
1873 Redeemer – Oakdale, Minnesota
1874 Aplington Baptist – Aplington, Iowa
1874 Pilgrim Baptist – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1875 Walnut Street Baptist – Newark, New Jersey
1876 Randolph Baptist – Randolph, Minnesota
1876 Victor Baptist – Victor, Iowa
1876 Steamboat Rock Baptist – Steamboat Rock, Iowa
1876 Danzig Baptist – Avon, South Dakota
1878 First Baptist – Lorraine, Kansas
1879 Bethany Baptist – Portland, Oregon
1879 First Baptist – Elgin, Iowa
1879 First Baptist – Ellinwood, Kansas
1880 Ebenezer Baptist – Abilene, Kansas
1881 Highland Baptist – Junction City, Kansas
1882 East Side Community – Chicago, Illinois
1882 First Baptist – Watertown, Wisconsin
1883 Elm Creek – LaVernia, Texas
1884 Word of Life – Alpena, Michigan
1884 West Side – Beatrice (Wymore), Nebraska
1885 West Center Street – Madison, South Dakota
1885 Faith Baptist – Minneapolis, Minnesota
1886 First Baptist – Emery, South Dakota
1886 First Baptist – Wishek, North Dakota
1886 First Baptist – Eureka, South Dakota
1886 Immanuel Baptist – Kyle, Texas
1887 Riverview – West St. Paul, Minnesota
1887 North Avenue Baptist – Brookfield, Wisconsin (Temple, Milwaukee)
1888 Berlin Baptist – Fredonia, North Dakota
1888 First Baptist – Appleton, Minnesota
1888 First Baptist – Hebron, North Dakota
1888 First Baptist – Minot, North Dakota
1889 McDermot Avenue – Winnipeg, Manitoba
1889 Ebenezer Baptist – Ebenezer, Saskatchewan
1890 First Baptist – Avon, South Dakota
1890 West Hills Community – Salem, Oregon
1890 Forest Park – Forest Park, Illinois
1890 Central Baptist – Waco, Texas
1891 Trinity Fellowship – Portland, Oregon
1891 Canaan Baptist – Crawford, Texas
1891 Bethel Baptist – Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1892 Rabbit Hill – Edmonton, (Leduc County) Alberta
1892 First Baptist – George, Iowa
1892 Stafford Baptist – Wilsonville, Oregon
1893 Immanuel Baptist – Loyal, Oklahoma
1893 First Baptist – Chancellor, South Dakota
1893 Hillcrest – Highland Heights (Cleveland), Ohio
1893 Memorial Baptist – Parkston, South Dakota
1894 First Baptist – Leduc, Alberta
1894 First Baptist – Valley City, North Dakota
1894 Hillcrest Baptist – Sultan, Washington
1895 Calvary Baptist – Parkersburg, Iowa
1895 Oakbank Baptist – Oakbank, Manitoba
1895 Bethel Baptist – Getzville, New York
1896 Calvary Baptist – Westaskiwin, Alberta
1896 First Baptist – Durham, Kansas
1896 Emmanuel Baptist – Morris, Manitoba
1896 First Baptist – Auburn, Michigan
1896 Ashley Baptist – Ashley, North Dakota
1896 Salt Creek Baptist – Dallas, Oregon
1897 Grosse Pointe Baptist – Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
1897 Martin Baptist – Martin, North Dakota
1897 Herreid Baptist – Herreid, South Dakota
1898 Grace Community – Detroit, Michigan
1899 Hunters Ridge Community – Hutchinson, Minnesota
1899 Calvary Baptist – Tacoma, Washington
1900 Central Baptist – Edmonton, Alberta
1900 First Baptist – Buffalo Center, Iowa
1900 Central Baptist – George, Iowa
1900 Emmanuel Baptist – Marion, Kansas
1900 First Baptist – Goodrich, North Dakota
1900 First Baptist – Linton, North Dakota
1901 Century Meadows Baptist – Camrose, Alberta
1902 Bethel Baptist – Anaheim, California
1902 Grace Community Baptist – Trenton, Illinois
1902 Washburn Baptist – Washburn, North Dakota
1904 Emmanuel Baptist – Gladwin, Michigan
1904 Grace Baptist – Grand Forks, North Dakota
1904 McClusky Baptist – McClusky, North Dakota
1904 Ebenezer Baptist – Shattuck, Oklahoma
1905 First Baptist – Lodi, California
1905 Grace Baptist – Gackle, North Dakota
1905 First Baptist – Colfax, Washington
1906 Whiteshell Baptist – Seven Sisters Falls, Manitoba
1906 First Baptist – Mercer, North Dakota
1906 Nokomis Baptist – Nokomis, Saskatchewan
1906 Southey Baptist – Southey, Saskatchewan
1907 Mowata Baptist – Eunice, Louisiana
1907 United Community Baptist – Anamoose, North Dakota
1908 Elim Baptist – Beausejour, Manitoba
1908 Wiesenthal Baptist – Millet, Alberta
1908 Turtle Lake Baptist – Turtle Lake, North Dakota
1909 Calvary Baptist – Stafford, Kansas
1909 Napier Parkview Baptist – Benton Harbor, Michigan
1909 Calvary Baptist – Carrington, North Dakota
1909 First Baptist – Medina, North Dakota
1909 Second Baptist – Kenosha, Wisconsin
1910 Bethel First Baptist – Prince Rupert, British Columbia
1910 Immanuel Baptist – Beulah, North Dakota
1910 New Leipzig Baptist – New Leipzig, North Dakota
1910 Heritage Baptist – Yorkton, Saskatchewan
1911 Hilda Baptist – Hilda, Alberta
1911 Trochu Baptist – Trochu, Alberta
1911 Strassburg Baptist – Marion, Kansas
1911 Calvary Baptist – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
1911 Raymore Baptist – Raymore, Saskatchewan
1912 Grace Baptist – Calgary, Alberta
1912 Bismarck Baptist – Bismarck, North Dakota
1912 Venturia Baptist – Venturia, North Dakota
1912 Zion Baptist – Okeene, Oklahoma
1917 First Baptist – Plevna, Montana
1917 McIntosh Baptist – McIntosh, North Dakota
1917 Milo Terrace Baptist – Los Angeles, California
1918 Moosehorn Baptist – Moosehorn, Manitoba
1919 Bethel Baptist – Cherokee, Oklahoma
1922 Immanuel Baptist – Kenosha, Wisconsin
1923 Calvary Baptist – Killaloe, Ontaraio
1924 First Baptist – Elk Grove, California
1925 Bethel Baptist – Missoula, Montana