Our History!

Our roots began in 1885, 130 years ago, in a small church building with eight members organizing at 823 New Jersey Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. At that time, we were the Rose Hill Baptist Church. Rev. Thomas V. Knapper Sr. was the organizing first pastor. Following Rev. Knapper, over a period of fifteen years, there were several ministers who served the church as pastor. Rev. Abner Windom served for a short period of time then resigned his leadership. The church spent much time in prayer and centered their minds next on the Rev. George Franklin, a home minister. When Rev. Franklin closed his assignment, the Rev. Peter Parker of Alabama was called and began running revival meetings. The church began to grow spiritually, intellectually, financially and numerically. After a few years, Rev. Parker decided to go back to his home in Alabama. Dr. George Garrett came and served the church as pastor for a brief time. Later, the Rev. Cass Landers, a seasoned man in age and preparation led the church for three and one half years. He was known to be able to draw a large crowd, and was well loved in the congregation and throughout the city. After resigning his position, the church went into consecrated prayer and waited for the Holy Spirit to give direction, especially since heaviness had fallen upon the countenance of the church body since Rev. Landers left. The church was in need of training and discipline, and the Lord sent the Rev. H. V. Plummer, a chaplain in the United States Army to be the next pastor. Over the next four years of administration of Rev. Plummer, the rear of the church building was lengthened, a tower was added and the membership increased again in numbers. Rev. Plummer served the church and resigned his leadership in July 1900.

The church prayed that God would send another strong leader. Later in 1900, the Rev. D. B. Jackson was visiting in the area and preached one Sunday. The members were impressed and asked him to consider pasturing the church. Rev. Jackson returned to East Tennessee to resign the Mount Zion Baptist Church, and accepted the call to the Rose Hill Baptist Church in October 1900. Upon arriving here, Rev. Jackson felt the need for a spiritual revival. The successful results of this campaign meeting added 66 members to the church. He urged the members to become self-supporting and the members responded whole-heartedly in 1901, by becoming a self-supporting church. Also in 1901, the congregation purchased ground on the southwest corner of Eighth and Oakland Avenue for $400 and paid it off within 13 months. The foundation for a new building was begun immediately, and on the fourth Sunday of November 1903, the cornerstone was laid. The new facility was named Eighth Street Baptist Tabernacle. Work was halted for a while in order to build up the treasury. Anxiously, work resumed and on Sunday, June 1, 1913, the auditorium was completed. By 1917, the success of the church was well known in Kansas City. The same year, a Union revival was held in the two Kansas Cities conducted by Rev. J. W. Bailey of Texas. During this time, the Rev. L. K. Williams, President of the National Baptist Convention Inc. came to participate in this great movement. On Sunday, February 18, 1917, Rev. L. K. Williams preached at the new Eighth Street Baptist Tabernacle. Eighteen persons were baptized and fellowshipped in that night!

In the midst of such jubilant times of rejoicing, a raging fire destroyed the church building on Monday, February 19, 1917. The building was only insured for $4,000. Immediately the church sought direction from the Lord. Church meetings were held at a nearby Masonic Hall on Eighth and Washington Blvd. In a Tuesday night church meeting, Trustee Chairman, Bro. R. L. Bruce presided, and asked for suggestions of a process on how the church would rebuild. The motion was received and carried that the members would take subscriptions and make pledges. Rev. Jackson and Bro. Bruce led out giving $25 each, and others followed. Through faith, prayer, and hard work, the church building was rebuilt in fourteen months and three days. Joyfully, on Sunday, June 23, 1918, the membership worshipped in the new sanctuary.

Rev. Jackson continued to lead the church with vision for the future, realizing that someday the church would need more ground for program development. In 1921, a house next to the church building was purchased for $1,252. This gave the church additional space – 98 ft. x 160 ft. expansion. During the early 1920’s there were a number of young ministers who also joined the church – as ministers.

For 36 years Rev. Jackson gave faithful and dedicated leadership at Eighth Street, and also served as Moderator of Kaw Valley District Association and Vice President of the State Convention. God called Rev. Jackson from labor to heavenly reward September 18, 1936 at the age of 77.

The church mourned and suffered, and now found itself without a pastor for one year and six months. Remaining faithful and prayerful, the church moved under the leading of the Holy Spirit to call in March 1937, the Rev. I. H. Henderson Sr., who was serving as pastor of First Baptist Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The Eighth Street Baptist Tabernacle operated many years without a charter. Through the guidance of the late Attorney William H. Towers and Rev. Henderson steps were taken to remedy some of the minor legal errors before proceeding with final plans for church expansion. The church became an incorporated Religious Society on July 11, 1949 and the name was changed to the Eighth Street Baptist Church.

Through this dynamic preaching, the membership increased in 1937 from 478 members to 2800 by 1961. Rev. Henderson recognized with a rapidly increasing membership a need to reorganize to accommodate the growing congregation. The increase in membership created a necessity for building expansion. Soon a program was promoted to enlarge the edifice of 1918, so the educational programs of the church would be more effective. In 1951, renovations (at a cost of $100,000.00) took place as the church was remodeled including, the addition of an educational unit with 32 modern classrooms and offices, the auditorium was air-conditioned, two water coolers were purchased, more pews were added for comfortable seating, new front doors were added, new sidewalks were added, a completely new kitchen was added with stove, refrigerator and numerous cabinets. Three decades later, another building, the I. H. Henderson Educational Building was completed in 1982 at the cost of $424,468.07. That debt was planned to be paid over a period of ten years. But the membership retired that debt in a little over three years. Rev. Henderson always had evangelism uppermost in his mind. Building the Eighth Street Baptist Church was not just brick and mortar to him. His most memorable expression of fatherly wisdom and encouragement was “Stay Green So You Can Grow!”

Upon the death of Rev. Henderson in November 1985, our then Co-Pastor, Rev. Thomas Maynard Preston became Pastor. Rev. Preston served all ministries of the church through worship and preaching. He had a ‘special passion’ for Christian nurturing and education, evangelism, shepherding and service. He will always be remembered for how he encouraged the church to dig deeper in the Word of God. He often used the analogy of Christians having their suitcases out and making preparation for heaven. We can never forget how he reminded us that “The Best Is Yet to Come!” Rev. Preston retired in June 1994 and Dr. Grady Felder served as pulpit conductor until a new pastor, Rev. Larry Williams, was called in June 1995.

Rev. Williams served as pastor until October 2002. Like the pastors before him, Rev. Williams served all the ministries of the church in worship and preaching, teaching, Christian nurturing, evangelism and shepherding. The Children’s Church Ministry began during this administration and a building renovation project, with a new elevator was installed at a cost of $500,000.00.

The Lord raised Dr. Grady Felder again to watch over the flock and serve as interim minister until the church called Rev. Ricky Earl Bragg from Rock Island, Illinois. Rev. Bragg answered the call and began pastoring on the first Sunday in July 2004. He implemented several ministries, such as, Senior Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, Teenage Ministry, and Women’s Ministry. Rev. Bragg resigned as pastor effective February 27, 2011. Again, Dr. Grady Felder was called as pulpit conductor where he continued to serve as the Lord guided him.

The church moved under the leading of the Holy Spirit to call on February 22, 2012 the Rev. Donald Slack II, who was serving as pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. On April 1, 2012, Pastor Slack preached his first sermon as Pastor of Eighth Street Baptist Church. Under the guidance of the Lord, and through Pastor Slack’s dynamic preaching and teaching, 157 have been added to the church from April 1, 2012 through November, 2015: (55 baptized, 10 by letter; 18 restorations, 73 by Christian experience, and 1 Watch Care). In October of 2013, six deacons were ordained. Pastor Slack continues to share God’s Word with weekly Wednesday night Bible Study. He has a special passion for people that is seen in his support of our youth, teens, young adults, adults, seniors, and the sick and shut-ins. We trust God and we remain prayerful and hopeful for a long follow-ship under the leadership of Pastor Donald Slack, II.