Greater Liberty Baptist Church

Text

The brick church at 330 Chestnut Street was constructed in 1889 as a joint enterprise between the College of the Bible and the Broadway Christian Church, which was at capacity. It replaced a cottage on the site that was previously used for worship. Its Italianate flourishes include its prominent Florentine window and the triple arched window above. 

The church's membership grew steadily to 250 by 1909. Following a local revival, that congregation sold their property to the Liberty Baptist Church, relocated to Kenwick, and built the Victory Christian Church for around $100,000. 

This latter entity had originated in 1882, when several members of Main Street Baptist Church broke off and organized a new church. After worshipping in an old firehouse on S. Limestone for about a year, the group built their own church on Corral Street and took the name "Liberty Baptist Church."

Over the next four decades, the congregation moved several times to accommodate their growing membership. At Chesnut Street, the church continued to prosper and added “Greater” to its name. The brick-faced extension to the south of the main church, which was added betweeen 1934 and 1950, replaced a freestanding, wood frame Sunday School. 

In 2025, Greater Liberty Baptist will celebrate its centennial anniversary in this historic building. Follow this link to see the current church community still worshipping in this beautiful historic space today.