Founded in 1953East Side Baptist began as a mission work of the Southern Baptist Convention under the leadership of Reverend Lester Jenkins. In 1953, a basement was dug on Marlou Street for East Side Baptist Mission. In 1954, the church building was completed. In 1976, the plans were approved by the church to build a new church building on the property, and it was completed before Homecoming Sunday on August 13, 1978.
A parsonage for the church's current and future pastors and their families was constructed at 310 Eastside Drive from 1958-60 by church member Roy Bowlin. Later on, God provided the funds to add on to the parsonage in 1973, and the work was completed in 1974.
God also provided the funds to build an education building, and it was completed in 1971. Later on, the church was able to add on to the building in 1976. This building is used for Bible classes, children's ministries, and administrative offices.
Pastor Charles Cook was the pastor of East Side Baptist Church from 1970-1988. Under his ministry, the church decided to become an independent Baptist church, and it also began supporting individual missionaries as the Lord provided the funds. Today, the church supports almost forty different missionaries or gospel ministries.
In the early 1990’s under the leadership of Reverend Keith and Linda Miller, the church body purchased and remodeled a three bedroom brick home adjacent to the church property to serve as a mission home. This home has provided a fully furnished comfortable abode for missionaries to rest and prepare for their ministries in all corners of the globe. The connections in friendship and love between the mission families God has sent our way and our church family continues to provide a love for missions that only comes from direct involvement with God's servants.
