A BRIEF HISTORY OF REDFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 

Since Jesus established His first church, churches of the same kind have been established around the world. In 1859, a Baptist church was established under the ministry of R. J. Coleman. This church met in a building built and donated by Brother Peter Suer near the town of Red Bluff on the Arkansas River some 4 to 5 miles northeast of the present city of Redfield. By 1873, this church had moved into the town of Red Bluff and had been sending messengers to the Pine Bluff Association since 1861. However, the hardships of the Civil War took its toll on her, and the only remaining record we have found of her is in Brother Coleman’s autobiography written in 1884; “That church is now moved out to the railroad at Redfield.”

According to a statement taken long ago from Mrs. Lillie F. Bailey, a charter member and long-time church clerk, “Among those who moved out to the small town of Redfield where the Southern Division of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad had laid its track, were a few Missionary Baptist.” Among them were Mrs. J. M. Reynolds and Brother Hultzman who preached for the small congregation. At that time, those few Missionary Baptists were meeting in the newly constructed Methodist Church building.

Finally, on July 14, 1887, Redfield Missionary Baptist Church was organized on the authority of 6th  Avenue Baptist Church of Pine Bluff. We were received into the Pine Bluff Association at its 1891 session and have maintained affiliations with that association as well as the State Association of Missionary Baptist Churches of Arkansas and the American Baptist Association of Churches since their inceptions early in our history.

Among those members in those early days were these men and several of their family members:    K. H. Waddell, G. H. Hamilton, L. D. Hamilton, J. C. Moore, B. F. Williams, W. L. Dale (pastor), F. P. Davis (pastor), Will Dyson, Thomas Massy, J. B. T. Holiman, T. N. Williams, N. A. Mercer, E. F. Dyson, J. F Beny, J. M. Camp, H. F. Westbrook (Sister Bailey’s father), George Crane, B. J. Matthews and Ed Frazier, whom we ordained to the ministry on September 10,  1890.

By 1893, the church had purchased two lots from J. K. Bodie and T. N. Williams for the sum of $1.00 and built a 40’ X 50’ building on the current church property. The building served the needs of the church well until it was removed in the summer of 1975. By 1950, the church had grown into a “full-time” church, and by 1960, the church had built a parsonage which was later moved to the old building site.

The needs of the church continued to grow, and on February 3, 1965, the church accepted a gift of land from Brother Joe Murdock on which to erect a new auditorium. On June 2, 1965 the decision was made to borrow $12,000.00 and proceed with this building, using the old building for education space. By April 1970, less than five years later, the indebtedness had been satisfied and on April 29, 1970, we entered into another building project to add much needed classroom space to the new building. This addition included five classrooms and area to be used as classrooms and a fellowship hall and a kitchen.

With the 1974 addition, the property had reached its limits for the building space due to boundary lines and right of ways. However, we were again blessed by the Lord through the generosity of two families in the church. Adequate land for the building expansion and for additional parking was given to the church by Brother Hardin Murdock and his family and by Brother and Sister Claude Courtney on April 30, 1986. On May 14, 1986, we voted to temporarily expand the auditorium while proposals for the present building were being reached and considered. We also began raising funds for the project at that time. Finally, on October 29, 1986 the blue prints were adopted, and by December 1988, we had contracted with WBC Construction Company for Phase I of the project. That phase included all of the dirt work and concrete slab and was finished by early January 1989. In June 1989, we again contracted with WBC for Phase II which included the framing and brick work. This phase was completed by September of that year, and all of the glass work in the vestibule area was installed by November. All three of these major portions of the work were completed and paid for at the time of completion with exception to $11,000.00 which was repaid by October 1990 at which time the church again voted to resume construction with funds on hand and a loan of $125,000.00. WBC began the work in late November and by the end of March 1991, the work was completed as you see it today. We are thankful to the Lord that this work has been completed!

Throughout her history, Redfield Missionary Baptist Church has dedicated herself to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not only in Redfield, but also around the world. Certainly, the building of a place of worship has been a great part of that work. However, we are most grateful for the souls which have been won to Christ through His blessing for our efforts here and abroad. Surely the old bell given by the Dyson family prior to 1905 can tell much more of our history than has been written here. A picture of the bell, which is located near the front entrance of our building, is at the bottom of the page.