Our Church History
“Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it” (Psalms 127:1).
The Bibleway Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. was founded in the early 1940’s by the late Bishop Robert Clarence Lawson, establishmentarian of the COOLJC, Inc. and Elder Lawrence Brown, Sr., the first pastor of the edifice located at 2401 North Market & Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. Other pastors of Bibleway who succeeded Elder Brown were, in sequential order, the late Elders A. Alexandria, Ernest Johnson and Benjamin Oliver carried on the work of the mission on North Market and Taylor. In September of 1958 Bishop Lawson appointed Elder Richard H. Bailey, Jr. pastor of this mission. Elder Bailey labored at the North Market and Taylor location for 35 years, thus holding the longest tenure of any other pastor of this location.
In 1993 the Lord tremendously blessed the Bibleway Church family of St. Louis to move from the North Market and Taylor location to its’ present location at 10741 Vorhof. The Bibleway Church Complex, as it has come to be known, held its dedicatory services on May 12 – 15, 1994. This was a joyous occasion for all that participated. The dedication services concluded on Sunday, May 15 with a 3:00 p.m. parade and march from the corner of Murat and Vorhof to the sanctuary where a High Praise Celebration commenced.
The Complex sits on four acres of land. It consists of a beautiful 800 seat sanctuary, a 14-room church rectory where the Bishop Richard and Mother Tommie Bailey currently reside, a two-story school building former home of the Miracle School of the Arts, and a multi-room and multi-purpose construction including a gymnasium that is currently being utilized by the YWCA Head Start program.
Bishop Richard Bailey continued to pastor the Bibleway Church Complex until 1997. He has since passed the pastoralship of the Complex to his eldest son, the Bishop Barkley E. Bailey, Sr. His wife, First Lady Alfredia Bailey works faithfully by his side as they preserve our valuable apostolic heritage and serve as dedicated stewards to the complex congregation.
Today, the work of the Lord continues to move forward. Therefore, there is no doubt in our minds that we are about a good work and we won’t come down!
