Midway Baptist Church

The Polk County community experienced a series of revival in the 1930s and 1940s as tent services, and prayer meetings stirred a desire and hunger in the local people’s souls for worship and fellowship with other Christian believers. As a result, the Midway Baptist Gospel Tabernacle was formed together by 53 members on June 30, 1940. (1) The church held the first service on July 14 of the same year in the yard of Carrie Ritchey’s property. (1)

As time went on, the church continued to grow, both in church membership and buildings’ size. Pastors and deacons came and went, and the church changed its name to Midway Baptist Church in the spring of 1941. (2) Additions made throughout the following years included Sunday School classes and extensions to the church building. (2) The church bought the first first church vans in 1994, and a gymnasium/fellowship hall completed construction on September 10, 2006. (2) A new sanctuary building finished installation in 2000, and a library building finished construction in 2009. (2) The church continues to grow as they expand onto purchased property located behind the church to host youth retreats, children’s camps, and much more.

Upon arriving at Midway Baptist Church, two parking lot areas become separated by a stream, connected by two bridges. (2) On the left side of the entrance is the road leading up to the church property, which holds a barn, the church parsonage, a field designated for worship and recreational activities, and a large pond. (2) Back at the church, the first building is the sanctuary building. (2) This structure includes the sanctuary hall, children’s classrooms, nursery, offices, and older adult Sunday School classrooms. (2) The second building closest to the covered bridge is the library building, which also holds some Sunday School rooms and a kitchen. (2) The final structure is known as the Family Life Center. It has a gymnasium, another kitchen, adult Sunday School rooms, and a youth room. (2) These buildings have unforgettable memories attached to them by the church members and are fondly looked upon as they continue to expand and grow.

(1) Polk Baptist Association. “Midway Baptist Church.” Midway WEB Page. Accessed October

11, 2020. Link. http://polkbaptistassociation.com/Churches/Midway/Midway.html.

(2) Midway Baptist Church. “Midway Baptist Church History 1940-2010.” Accessed October 11,

2020. Link. https://www.mwbaptist.org/about-us/church-history/#page/2.