Immanuel Baptist Church began as a mission in the home of Shirley and Leon Blackwell in 1965 with the help of the Earl Sears family. Two Texas churches made the commitment to sponsor the mission by sending $350.00 each month and Immanuel Baptist Church of Wichita, Kansas agreed to be the mother church.
George Hair was called to be the first pastor and served from 1965-67. Immanuel Baptist Mission, made up of 54 members, began meeting in the Sister Frieda Chapel. The parsonage at 412 Beverly was purchased for $19,000.
Earl Mann was the pastor from 1968-72. The Mission bought land on Anderson Street for $16,000 on which to build a permanent church building.
F.W. Elmore served as pastor from 1973-80. Plans were drawn and approved for the church building. The Mission was constituted as Immanuel Baptist Church on March 3, 1974. Groundbreaking for the new church was held on March 23, 1975. The congregation began worshiping in the new building (1515 N. Anderson) in 1976. Men, women and children all took part in helping to complete the church building.
During the 1983-86 pastorate of Clyde Elder, the church participated in the “Together We Build” program which resulted in $165,000 being pledged over a three-year period. In 1984, the second phase building, which included educational space and Fellowship Hall, was begun. The building addition was completed in 1985 by volunteer labor supervised by Leon Blackwell. The mortgage on this building project was paid off in 1991.
In the life of a church, no event or person should be regarded as insignificant. Several men have answered the call to be our pastor and many other persons have been a part in the life Immanuel Baptist Church. Every person who has been a part of our church has left a part of themselves with us and has taken a part of us with them.
On January 1, 2006, Mike Ronan answered the call to be our pastor and led us to help further the spiritual and physical growth of Immanuel Baptist Church.
On October 29, 2020, Pastor Mike was called home to be with the Lord.
May God lead us and may we continue to be open to His leading us.
Former Pastors
REV. GEORGE HAIR, 1965-67
REV. EARL MANN, 1968-72
Rev. Lee Spradlin, Interim 1972-73
REV. F.W. ELMORE, 1973-1980
Rev. Don Hollenbeck, Interim 1980-81
REV. KEITH BARBEE, 1981-1982
Rev. H. Lee Greer, Interim 1982-83
DR. CLYDE ELDER, 1983-86
Dr. George Miller, Interim 1986-87
DR. MONTY HALE, 1987-93
Dr. John Brooks, Interim 1993-94
REV. RON FOLEY, 1994-98
Rev. Pat Bullock, Interim 1999
REV. JAY LEWIS, 1999-2003
Rev. Pat Bullock, Interim 2004-05
REV. MICHAEL RONAN, 2006-2020
Rev. Michael Scott, Interim 2020-
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WE ARE LOCATED AT:
1515 N. Anderson
Newton, Kansas 67114
Phone: (316) 283-6200
Immanuel Baptist Church
Mission/Vision Statement
Our Continuing Journey