The History of Main Street Baptist Church

The Main Street Baptist Church grew from a mission started by the First Baptist Church of California in May 1951. Rev. James Helsner, pastor of the First Baptist Church, was the evangelist for a two-week revival. There were 30 present on the first Sunday. In July 1951, Rev. Donald Reed was called as the first pastor of the mission. At the time the mission was started, Sunday School and Training Union were also organized. Homer Swearingen was the Sunday School Superintendent and Loyd Kirchoff the Training Union Director. A Woman’s Missionary Union with Mrs. Albert Allee as president and a Brotherhood with Mr. C.A. Masters as president were organized in 1952.

The mission was organized into a church April 11, 1954. The first deacons were Cecil Howard, George Williams and Addison Hamlin. The church was accepted as a member of the Concord Baptist Association at the annual meeting held at Pilot Grove Baptist Church in September 1954.

The church’s first meeting place was an old animal hospital purchased from Dr. B.M. Miller. In 1958 a new brick auditorium with full basement was erected to the north of the old building. The animal hospital building continued to be used for Sunday School and Training Union purposes until July 15, 1962. At that time the basement of the education building was erected. A parsonage was erected on Cedar Street in 1954. In 1968 a two-story education building was built over the basement area.

Wanting to move the fellowship hall out of the basement so activities would be accessible to everyone, and wanting to minister more fully to the community, the church body voted to build a multi-purpose building. This building, containing kitchen, fellowship/gym area, restrooms and offices was begun in May 1995 and completed in November 1995 with the exception of the finish on the gym floor. The church staff moved into the new offices in March 1996. This building was completed using about 95% volunteer labor of Baptist Builders from six different states.

Pastors who have served our church are:

  • Rev. Don Reed (1951-1954)
  • Rev. Hugh Smith (1954-1957)
  • Rev. Paul Harvey (1957 – 1961)
  • Rev. Bob Ebersol (1961 – 1964)
  • Rev. Rufus Longenecker (1965 – 1972)
  • Rev. Aubrey Burke (1973 – 1977)
  • Rev. Charles Sexton (1978-1983)
  • Rev. Bob Nichols (1983 – 1988)
  • Rev. Steve Dull (1988 – 1992)
  • Rev. Ken Mathes (1993 – 2007)
  • Rev. Edwin Schoeneberg (2008 – 2015)
  • Rev. Clyde Leonard (2016 – 2018)
  • Rev. Steven Webb (2018 – Current)