Temple Baptist Church

 
 

Questions / Comments office@templebaptist.ca

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who We Are

Temple is blessed to be part of the family of churches which make up the
North American Baptist Conference and it's provincial arm, the
Alberta Baptist Association.

We support the schools of our conference in training the pastors, missionaries and leaders of the emerging church. They are the newly named Taylor University College and Taylor Seminary formally known as the North American Baptist College and Edmonton Baptist Seminary located in Edmonton, Alberta. We also have a school south of the border,
North American Baptist Seminary, located in Souix Falls, South Dakota.

Finally, as part of the North American Baptist Conference, we join more than 42 million people worldwide as members of the Baptist World Alliance.

 

Our History

As Temple grows and changes many who serve with us today are the result of God's blessing on the vision and faithful labour of those who have gone before us. The following is a brief history of our church family.

In the year 1954, several families of the German speaking Grace Baptist Church in Medicine Hat felt that an extension church should be established in the south-west section of the city with the gospel witness in the English language. On January 30th, 1955, after an evening service, four families met to discuss plans for the founding of a new church. The Grace Baptist Church was in favour of such a work and shortly after that became the mother church of this new venture.

On February 2, 1955, property in an undeveloped area of the city was purchased at the corner of 7th Street and 6th Avenue S.W. for the prospective church building. The Grace Baptist Church paid $750.00 for the property and donated it to the new group upon being organized as a church. A few days later, an additional lot for parsonage and parking was purchased by a member.

All the people interested in forming a new church met on March 28, 1955 for this purpose. 102 persons, who were members of the Grace Baptist Church, declared themselves as charter members of this newly organized church. "Temple Baptist Church" was chosen as the name of the newly formed church group. Rev. Rudolph Milbrandt responded favourably to the call to serve as interim pastor and leader.

The ground breaking ceremony was conducted on April 17th 1955. The Church family donated an enormous amount of volunteer labour and the church building was completed and ready for services on November 11th 1955.
 

We further engage to show brotherly love to one another, to remember each other in prayer, to aid in sickness and distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy and courtesy in speech. To be very slow to take offence and always ready to forgive and bring about reconciliation, and ever be mindful of the command of Christ to seek it without delay.

Moreover, we engage that when we leave this city or church, we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other Bible believing church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word. Having read the covenant, I shall live by it and support it with my Christian testimony. 
 

Over the years, God has blessed the faithful ministry of the many pastors and people of Temple Baptist. Growing numbers and an increased need for Christian Education and foyer space resulted in an addition to the front of the church which was completed in 1987.

God continues to bless us in exciting ways today. In 1998 the church family of took an enormous step of faith and embarked on our largest expansion to date, tripling the size of our facilities. This was motivated by our deep burden for the lost of our community and a renewed vision for ministry in the new millennium. This expansion project became known as "Ministry 2000". Our first priority as a church was to expand our building while remaining in our present neighbourhood. This desire to minister to the neighbourhood of River Heights was granted by God as he opened many doors that had been closed to the church in the past. The greatest of these was the rezoning of church owned property necessary for the increased parking demand.

Construction started in September of 1998. The new four story expansion (two above ground and two below) was a challenge to design and build. We joyously moved into our new sanctuary in April, 2000. Very quickly the new gymnasium and youth facilities were put to good use and have been great ministry tools. Future developments continue and will include classrooms, kitchen and banquet facilities as well as a new elevator that will service every part of the church. Our command from Christ is to make disciples. We are grateful for the success God has granted but look to the future for greater blessings still.