The Bibleway Church - 2401 North Taylor, St. Louis, MO

The Bibleway Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. has a very full and rich history dating back to the early 1940’s when it was founded 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.

After the Elder Lawrence Brown Sr., moved on to another organization, three other pastors, 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 found it favorable to place at that time, the Elder Richard H. Bailey, Jr. over this ministry.  Prior to this placement, Elder Bailey had been a member of the Refuge COOLJC (Madison, Illinois) since 1950.  He served as an ordained deacon and Assistant Pastor to his brother the late Bishop Robert L. Bailey.  Elder Richard Bailey became an ordained Elder in the COOLJC in 1957.

Although Elder Bailey’s predecessors had come and gone, he labored at the North Market and Taylor location for 35 years, thus holding the longest tenure of any other pastor of this location.  Elder Bailey began his pastoralship with his wife, Mother Tommie L. Bailey, their five small children, Barbara, Barkely, Brendolyn, Debra and Richard III, and two elderly mothers, the late Mothers Hattie Brown and Martha Miller.  His very first convert was the late Sister Irie Harris grandmother of our very own Deacon Marquis Woolfolk.  Sister Harris later brought her son Harvey and daughter Luvenia to the church who alone with the pastor’s five children made up the churches’ first Sunday School class that was taught by Mother Tommie Bailey.  One of the earliest Assistant Pastors under Elder Bailey was Elder Harvey McDonald who currently pastors the One Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in East St. Louis, Illinois.

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. 

After the congregation moved to their new location, the edifice on the corner of North Taylor & Market was temporally closed until 1997.  The Elder Rory Beck of Chicago, Illinois, a member of the COOLJC since 1978 spoke with Bishop Bailey about reopening this site.  After months of prayer and fasting, Bishop Bailey was lead of the Lord and agreed to let Elder Beck reopen the building under his guidance.  Elder Rory Beck, wife Linda, daughter Teressa and son Timothy moved by faith from Chicago to St. Louis to undertake a work ordained by the Lord.  Under the direction of the Lord, Elder Beck, family and a few others began working on building in April of 1997 and the doors were reopened in October of that same year.  “The New Bibleway Church”, the church in the city for the city was officially dedicated in November 1997 and is continuing to move forward under the pastoralship of Elder Beck.  The building has been remodeled inside and out and has become a refuge for lost souls.

Elder Beck’s tenure ended in 1999 and Elder Christopher Russell became interim pastor of the city church.  Elder Russell was joined by his wife Missionary Gertrude Russell.  They are laboring to carry on this mission.

This city location recently suffered tornado damage and is once again temporarily closed pending renovations.

Bibleway Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ - 900 Monroe Street, Jefferson City, MO

The Bibleway Church of Jefferson City, Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. was founded in 1982 by Bishop Richard H. Bailey, Jr.  The ministry was birthed out of the deep concern and love of Bishop Bailey’s wife, Mother Tommie Bailey, for a set of twin sisters who became born again believers in St. Louis, Missouri but who resided in Jefferson City, Missouri. 

A rented unused community center located at 608 East Dunklin Street became the first home of the Bibleway Church of Jefferson City.  Bishop Bailey, along with members of his ministerial staff and Deacon’s Board, began trans- forming the center into a House of Worship.  Considerable work had to be done on the building before it could be occupied.  After much labor on the part of the brethren, the doors were opened for spiritual service in October of 1982.

Bishop and Mother Bailey commuted twice a week from Madison, Illinois to keep the doors of the church open.  Other individuals instrumental in assuring this mission remained viable by offering their time, talents, and financial contributions were at that time, Elders Harry Kennedy and Manual Nolen; Ministers Jasper Garmon and Joseph Meriwether; Deacons Arthur Snodgrass, Barkley Bailey, Ricky Bates, Keith Snodgrass, Alvin Williams and Lee Jackson; Brother Willie Royal; Missionaries Verna Snodgrass, Mildred Nolen, and Lois Jones Jackson; Sisters Margaret Kennedy, Rose Richardson, Estella Richardson and Mary Beza.

The church family resided at this location for approximately four years before they moved to their present location, 900 Monroe Street.  Bishop Richard Bailey shepherded this flock for ten years (1982 - 1992) with the capable support of his Assistant Pastor, Elder Harry Kennedy.  In 1992 Bishop Bailey appointed Elder Stephen Williams pastor.  Under the leadership of Elder Williams and wife Missionary Debra Williams, the church membership grew.  Elder Williams remained in this position until 2004. Shortly thereafter, he and his family relocated to the state of California.

Now standing at the helm of the Bibleway Church of Jefferson City is Bishop Barkley E. Bailey, Sr., eldest son of Bishop Richard Bailey.  After the church was extensively damaged by water and fire, it became a vision of Bishop Barkley Bailey’s to restore the edifice so that the saints could have a more suitable place to glorify and uplift the name of Jesus. In 2007, Bishop Barkley Bailey, along with the church members and brethren from the Bibleway Church Complex in St. Louis, set in motion a plan to renovate.  While the church was under construction, the members held services at the local YMCA. Over the course of 28 months, the major work was completed.  In May of 2009, the members moved back into the building rejoicing for this marvelous thing that the Lord had done.