A Brief History

FBC Greensburg is a small Baptist church with a big heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Originally founded on March 9, 1894, our first meeting place was in a room of a Presbyterian school building. Few records were kept of our earliest meetings until 1903 when Rev. I. N. Bailey was called as pastor. The presbyterian church that was gracious enough to let us start in one of their classrooms is no longer here, but we are grateful for their faithfulness in the part they played in God’s plan for our congregation. Land was purchased in 1904 for our first building, which was finished and dedicated in August of 1909.

In 1950 our first building was torn down and construction began on our second building. Church meetings were held in the local courthouse. The first service in our new building was held on December 23, 1951. That building served our congregation and community well until May of 2007 when nearly the entire community of Greensburg was wiped out by an EF5 tornado. There’s plenty written about that already, so we won’t take up a whole lot of space for that here.

Thanks to God’s faithfulness we were able to continue holding worship services in a temporary building provided by the Southern Baptist Convention on the property of Ted and Linda Kyle until the building we worship in now was completed. We are thankful for the hand of God in the midst of these struggles, and give Him all the glory for allowing us to to exist 125 years after our humble beginnings in that old Presbyterian classroom.

Where We Are Now

We have no idea what the future holds, but our aim is to be a thriving body of believers who Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples in Greensburg, Kiowa County, and to the ends of the earth until Jesus comes back. We believe this is done through biblical preaching, intentional discipleship, and a wholehearted dependence upon the Holy Spirit to use us as He sees fit in all facets of life. It is our desire to see anyone and everyone who comes through our doors, as well as those we go out to reach, walking closer with Jesus today than they were yesterday, and to put our effort toward that end.

Denominational Affiliations

FBC Greensburg has been affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA and the American Baptist Churches of the Central Region forever. However, it saddens us that both organizations have drifted in the same direction as American culture, and have completely forsaken the authority of Scripture in their ministry and practice. As of September of 2018, our congregation has ceased all financial support of both American Baptist organizations and has challenged the Central Region specifically to repent, and to call for the repentance of American Baptists on a national level. Unfortunately, there has been no indication of that happening in the near future. As we made that decision, we also decided to align with and financially support the Central Baptist Association and the Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, as they are both moving in a direction that is biblically faithful, and we can do ministry with them with a clear conscience.

On paper, we are dually aligned with both denominations, but plan to cease our affiliation with American Baptists altogether in 2019. Our intent is to be a biblically sound, Christ-centered church where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is boldly proclaimed in the years to come regardless of how dark our nation grows. Jesus talks plainly about the reality of our world, and the implications of His coming in John 3:16-19 (ESV):

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and the people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 

While we find denominations helpful for resourcing ministry and mission efforts, and we take advantage of that by aligning with likeminded churches and organizations, we are a self-sustained and self-governing body of Christ followers who believe in the absolute authority of Scripture, and we ultimately find our identity in Jesus Christ. We are Baptist because we hold to believer’s baptism by immersion, and we are currently Southern Baptist because we are of generally like mind, and agree with the direction they are headed as an American denomination in times such as these. We exist to see Christ exalted and the Word of God faithfully proclaimed in Greensburg, KS and to the ends of the earth.