It was 1897.

Farm families living southeast of Shawnee, Oklahoma traveled by wagon and horseback to worship in churches in the town of Shawnee. It must have taken an hour or two to reach their destinations on Sundays. Many people wanted a church in their own neighborhood for worship rather than crossing the North Canadian River with their animals and wagons.

South Rock Creek School met in a building in their local area during the week. Someone arranged for South Rock Creek folks to use the school building on Sunday mornings. Worshiping God in their own community must have been such a blessing!

Around 1903, still meeting at the school, the church had their first full-time pastor. In 1905 one acre of land was deeded to the church “for church use only.” By 1910 members were able to construct a building for worship on that acre (where the current facilities are located).

In 1923, however, their first building was accidentally burned to the ground.

Completely discouraged, members went back to meeting at the school with the prospect of disbanding entirely. But in 1924, an Oklahoma Baptist University student took his first pastorate at Rock Creek Baptist Church. God used him as an outstanding encourager. The church made plans to rebuild, and did so in 1925.

God was with the church during each of those early years. God was also with Rock Creek through decades with short pastorates and long ones; of high attendances and low.

God was with the members as sons went through both World Wars, the Korean conflict, Vietnam and the Middle East conflicts; through remodeling of second and third worship buildings and the building of new education buildings, a new worship center and a large building for multiple uses.