How it all started...
The story goes (might be a local myth, but...), that years ago there was a plan to have a Baptist church on the four cardinal directions in Louisville. They made it to two churches out of four and... well, we're one of them - EAST Louisville Baptist Church. The church was founded in 1944 by a handful of people in Louisville, Mississippi and has stood as a profound testifier of Jesus Christ from that day until now.
What began in homes and moved into the remnants of a corner store is now a beautiful church campus on the eastern edge of Louisville's city limits. A church that supports family, community, and the biblical call to makes Jesus known throughout the nations. We accomplish this by observing regular worship, ministries in our community, and mission work in both the United States and countries beyond.
What began in homes and moved into the remnants of a corner store is now a beautiful church campus on the eastern edge of Louisville's city limits. A church that supports family, community, and the biblical call to makes Jesus known throughout the nations. We accomplish this by observing regular worship, ministries in our community, and mission work in both the United States and countries beyond.
Expanding the vision...
April 28th of 2014, an F-4 tornado came through Louisville. And, believe it or not, the focus and mission of ELBC was refined and reignited in the aftermath of that storm. Once the dust and dirt had settled from the sky, the church found itself on the literal edge of destruction (you can see the tiny white dot of the church in the image on the left).
Since that day, the Church at ELBC has been 100% committed to following Jesus wherever He leads. The church's history is one of service and discipleship and we seek to take that history into the future until we're called home to glory.
The vision of ELBC has been reworded multiple times over the decades, but at its core is the desire to serve Christ by serving the citizens of Louisville. We teach and build disciples through study and worship. We also enable those disciples with ways to live out their faith through serving our community. We operate a monthly food distribution to those in need, as well as a clothing closet for those who need that type of assistance. Outreach ministry and even encouragement ministries are all a part of our "we'll try it" method of sharing Christ.
Since that day, the Church at ELBC has been 100% committed to following Jesus wherever He leads. The church's history is one of service and discipleship and we seek to take that history into the future until we're called home to glory.
The vision of ELBC has been reworded multiple times over the decades, but at its core is the desire to serve Christ by serving the citizens of Louisville. We teach and build disciples through study and worship. We also enable those disciples with ways to live out their faith through serving our community. We operate a monthly food distribution to those in need, as well as a clothing closet for those who need that type of assistance. Outreach ministry and even encouragement ministries are all a part of our "we'll try it" method of sharing Christ.
Where we are headed...
The Bible says that "where there is no vision, the people perish." (Prov. 29:18) Our vision is rooted in the unchanging commitment we share with all Bible-based congregations: to glorify God and share His Gospel, to see people made into disciples of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, and to enable those disciples to live according to their faith through acts of service.
We want to see more and more people profess their faith and see that faith lead to others making the same commitment. We want to see our community live in the "peace that passes understanding" as we collectively seek to "know Him and make Him known." We want to be a place to find love, understanding, and encouragement in life. And, when a person finds themselves in need, we want to be a place that they know will provide whatever help we can.
In the future, we pray that God would increase our responsibilities! We want to see a short-term shelter in Louisville, we want to have a food pantry that's capable of giving even more food support. We want to facilitate even more people on missions and we want to be recognized, more and more, as a people who live ACCORDING to their faith; not a people who live in opposition to it. But, most of all, we want what God wants. Simply put - we're headed in only one direction; His.
If you'd like to be a part of our future story, we would love for you to come and find your place here. Come to sit, come to see - and then we believe you'll come to know that God is Lord, we are His people, and He's given us work to accomplish.
We want to see more and more people profess their faith and see that faith lead to others making the same commitment. We want to see our community live in the "peace that passes understanding" as we collectively seek to "know Him and make Him known." We want to be a place to find love, understanding, and encouragement in life. And, when a person finds themselves in need, we want to be a place that they know will provide whatever help we can.
In the future, we pray that God would increase our responsibilities! We want to see a short-term shelter in Louisville, we want to have a food pantry that's capable of giving even more food support. We want to facilitate even more people on missions and we want to be recognized, more and more, as a people who live ACCORDING to their faith; not a people who live in opposition to it. But, most of all, we want what God wants. Simply put - we're headed in only one direction; His.
If you'd like to be a part of our future story, we would love for you to come and find your place here. Come to sit, come to see - and then we believe you'll come to know that God is Lord, we are His people, and He's given us work to accomplish.
