Our History

Immanuel Baptist Church was founded in 1922 on the corner of State and Barlow under the direction of an English minister Charles Bowman and was known as the People's Gospel Church.  Little is recorded of the events for the next four years until April 9, 1926, when Pastor Bowman headed an organizational meeting which resulted in fourteen individuals joining together to form the church as a religious corporation.  Under the direction of Rev. E. R. Beucler, on November 26, 1929, the church changed its name to the Immanuel Baptist Tabernacle.  After the ministry of Pastor Beucler, Immanuel called Pastor Lester Anderson as their third Senior Pastor.  On July 20, 1946, under the ministry of Pastor Paul Gelatt, another change was made to the church's name when it became known as the Immanuel Baptist Church of Traverse City. 

Under the leadership of Rev. W. Burt Gardner, a new church building was constructed on the corner of State and Barlow and was dedicated on June 6, 1958.  In December 1971, Rev. Wayne Squires began his ministry serving as the sixth pastor in the forty-nine year history of the church.  Shortly after his coming, the church purchased almost seventeen acres on the corner of McRae Hill Rd. and Highway M-37 for the purpose of relocating to carry on the expanded ministry of the church.  Construction of the new building began in July 1976 and was joyfully dedicated on the sixth day of November 1977.

The church sustained moderate growth through the 1980's and celebrated the elimination of the mortgage in May 1990.  Rev. Paul Pletcher became the seventh pastor in 1992, serving until 1997.  Rev. Bill Geisel became the eighth pastor of Immanuel in August 2000, serving till June 2005.  In July 2006 Pastor Matt Herron began his ministry as Immanuel's ninth pastor in the church's history.  God's blessing has been evident over these many years and, in dependence on Him, we look to the future with great hope and anticipation.