Located here in beautiful Springfield, MO, it is our desire to reach our community as well as the surrounding communities with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This web site is just a small glimpse into who we are and what we are. We would like to invite you to come join us. Rather than stand on the outside and watch us grow, why don't you come and be a part of us while we grow.
The “family tree” of Grace Bible Baptist Church can easily be traced back to pre-Civil War days in Boone County, Arkansas. In those days George Long III was imprisoned for preaching against slavery. Upon his release he moved to Greene County Missouri and homesteaded and founded Rose Hill Baptist Church just outside Willard. This independent Baptist church was the Mother Church to several area churches, including the Atlantic Street Baptist Church where Brother Lawrence Watts was ordained in 1953.
Bro. Watts could not read and, therefore, would not surrender to preach until he ran over his daughter. Although his daughter survived this nearly tragic incident, he knew God would not let him go. He overcame his “handicap” by having his wife, Argie, read to him and then he memorized most of what he preached until he learned to read for himself.
Temple Bible Baptist Church was chartered on Dec. 14, 1958 at the corner of Albertha and High Streets. Previously the church had met in a gas station. Pastor Watts resigned in 1967 and a call was extended to John Loless. Pastor Loless stayed for two years, and in 1969 Brother Raymond Sowards was called to pastor Temple Bible Baptist Church and led the struggling church to success. On November 19, 1969 the church was renamed Grace Bible Baptist Church. In 1975 the church purchased another building at our current location of 2101 N. Johnston, and the church grew to an attendance of over 200. In 1981 Pastor Sowards resigned to become a missionary to the Native Americans of the Northwest. Brother Sowards’ assistant pastor, Lee Parsons, followed him in the pastorate for the next two years.
Pastor Jim Collins was the next pastor and served from 1983 to 1986. On March 1, 1987 Brother Dennis Norwood was called to lead Grace Bible Baptist Church. Pastor Norwood has continued leading Grace through these last few decades.
Through the years Grace has called, commissioned and served as a clearinghouse for a number of missionaries:
In 1975 - John Mathis was called to England and Scotland
1978 - John Reaves to Canada
1980 - Danny Reeves to Chile and Mexico
1981 - Raymond Sowards to NW Native Americans
1986 -Jim Schirtzinger to Sioux of South Dakota
1987 - Bob Phillips to NW Native Americans of Washington state
1988 - Russ Hanson to start Bibles To The Nations
1991 - Jim Mosbacker to Toronto, Canada
1992 - Bob Ellis to Cork Ireland
1997 - Don Randall to Northern Ireland
1997 - Ralph Hopkins to York, PA to start Heritage Baptist Church
2016 - John Reaves , Jr. to the Czech Republic
2017 - Glendon Gray to work with Bibles To The Nations
Besides these missionaries that Grace Bible Baptist Church serves as a clearinghouse for, we also support several other missionaries by the grace of God and the faith of our members.
Grace Independent Bible Baptist Church has something for everyone.
Please don't hesitate to email, call or stop by if you have any questions.