Our History

For over 100 years, people have gathered on the corner of Meyer Boulevard and Wornall Road to worship and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The story of Wornall Road Baptist Church is a story of God’s faithfulness to his promises despite our efforts to the contrary. In our 100+ year history, generations have come and gone, wars have been fought, Kansas City has expanded, and the Spirit is still working in Brookside to save sinners and share the good news of the kingdom of God.

1916

David Proctor Sr. and John Pew discussed in their law office in downtown Kansas City their shared desire to plant a Baptist church where the city was heading, which was southward. The city limits had expanded to 77th street, and at the time there was no Baptist church between Westport and Grandview.

In September, Proctor Sr. rode with J.C. Nichols in his automobile to survey different land plots to purchase in the new Country Club District. On September 22, 1916 the lot is purchased for $8,100 (~$203,292 today), where the church still stands.

Proctor and Pew, members of Calvary Baptist Church and Westport Baptist Church, began canvassing for their new church plant, but their plans came to a halt due to the entry of the United States into World War 1.

1921

After the Great War ended, Proctor and Pew resumed their plans to plant a Baptist church in the budding Country Club District. They persuaded Roma J. Wornall, the wife of John B. Wornall and namesake of our church, to join their efforts. The Wornall family were prominent Baptists, philanthropists, and early pioneers of Kansas City and Westport. The land the church was built on originally belonged to the Wornall family farm. The trio of Proctor, Pew, and Wornall began to build enthusiasm and support for the new church.

In May, a fundraiser dinner was held at the historic Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City to raise funds to completely pay off the remaining balance on the lot. Dr. John Priest Greene, President of William Jewell College, was the guest speaker. They raised $7,500 that night to pay off the lot.

In October, a modest 66 feet long and 35 feet wide one-story building was constructed. It was painted white and boasted four columns that welcomed parishioners, the same as today. In 1922, wings were added to the building to provide more classroom space for the fledgling church.

The first worship service was held a week later on Sunday, October 23, 1921. Dr. E. B. Pratt, an evangelist from Denver, CO preached the first sermon entitled, “The Great Vision.” The church was formally organized on November 6, 1921. That Sunday 33 people covenanted with one another to form the initial membership of Wornall Road Baptist Church. The four churches the charter members came from were First Baptist Church of Kansas City (MO), Westport Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist Church, and Tabernacle Baptist Church. The church left the charter membership roll open for sixty days, or until the membership reached 100. By God’s kind favor, what began as a conversation between two Baptist laymen had become a reality.

1929

In April, under the guidance of our third pastor, Dr. O. R. Mangum, the Lishear Construction Company was chosen to oversee the construction of a new church building. The congregation pledged $70,000 (~$1,100,000 today) for the construction of the new building. Work began the same month.

1930

On a cold Sunday morning, January 19, 1930, the pews were completely full to the balcony to hear Dr. O. R. Mangum’s first sermon in the new building entitled, “What Mean These Stones?” That week included a full line-up of evangelistic services preached by other local pastors in Kansas City from churches such as the Baptist Church in Liberty, MO and the Linwood Presbyterian Church.

When the building opened, the church was built to seat 800, but the membership rolls were at 333. By the end of the decade, there were 600 members.

1945

After World War 2, Brookside and the surrounding areas experienced a rapid boom. With WRBC being in the heart of these neighborhoods, more families came. By 1947, the membership was 1,171 with Sunday School attendance around 1,000 with 39 classes accommodating all age groups.

The church held a rededication service to celebrate the church paying off all their debt incurred from the new building, which was now 15 years old. Mrs. J. H. Markley, a beloved charter member, presided over the burning of the mortgage.

1957

By 1957, our membership reached the highest levels in our church’s history at 1,588 people. Free from mortgage debt and blessed with a large budget, WRBC was able to leverage their finances for gospel advance in the greater Kansas City area. They helped fund local ministry endeavors like the Baptist Memorial Hospital, which they contributed $65,000 ($987,880 today). They loaned money to new church plants, such as Santa Fe Hills at 85th and Wornall.

During the mid-1950s, WRBC acquired 16 acres of unimproved land at 97th and Holmes. The purpose of buying the property was to sponsor a mission church and provide recreational facilities for WRBC church groups and other similar groups. The property was named WoRoBa, an abbreviation of Wornall Road Baptist Church. On the northeast corner of this land, WRBC built the Recreation-Mission-Sunday School building. The building was completed in 1954 and members from the church began holding Sunday School and worship services here in the late 1950s. Eventually, a church plant sprung from this endeavor, which is now Holmeswood Baptist Church.

1977

In 1977, WRBC underwent a much needed renovation at the cost of $550,000 (2.4 million today). By this point, the building was 47 years old. The renovation included all areas of the church’s structure and education areas. It provided a new kitchen and dining room, new office suite, nursery complex, choir room, new restrooms, bride’s room, and a new library and conference room.

2006

By 2006, what was once a prominent church in the community and Southern Baptist Convention was now a flickering light on the brink of extinction. The membership had dwindled to a meager few. Because of turbulent leadership trouble, a few members from the church began meeting across the street in exile to worship and pray for the church they so loved to return back to preaching the true gospel. This group invited pastor John Mark Clifton to pray with them and do Bible study.

Through a series of events, the leadership left the church and the small group came back and called John Mark Clifton as their pastor. As faithful expositional preaching came back to the pulpit, the church began to grow again. Since then, the church has experienced steady and sustained growth.

WRBC has a long and storied history. For one hundred years, God has been faithful to preserve our congregation through the best and worst of times. If the Lord tarries, may he continue to preserve us for another one hundred years.