A History of
Olive Branch
Baptist Church
Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church was started in April 1926,
with a single family of seven:  Mr. & Mrs. J.E. Case (whose
membership was at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in
Cleveland County); their son, Eddie; their daughter, Ora Case-Reed;
and her three sons, W.C., Walter, and Zedic.

The family met in the Mead Schoolhouse with the late Dr. C.N. Glover
preaching.  Dr. Glover had traveled from Sheridan through Pine Bluff
while pastoring Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church in Lincoln County,
and God had placed on his heart a burning desire to preach in Pine
Bluff.  At the same time, God was placing an equal desire on the
hearts of the Case family to have someone preach to them.  This fall,
state missionary J.A. Williams came to Pine Bluff for a tent meeting
with the small mission group. Near the end of the meeting, the
mission was organized into a church with thirty-six charter members.  
Dr. C.N. Glover was called as their pastor.

Soon after organizing into a self-supporting church, which was called
Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, the members moved to the
Y.M.C.A. building to hold their bi-monthly Sunday services.  The city
of Pine Bluff had planned to extend the streetcar line via Main Street,
so property was purchased on Main and 23rd.  In 1927 a building was
erected, and the name was then changed to Main Street Missionary
Baptist Church.

After 25 years as Main Street Missionary Baptist Church, the church
relocated to 20th and Olive Street and changed the name to Olive
Street Missionary Baptist Church.  After moving to Olive Street, the
church underwent many expansions and remodeled several times.  
The church purchased additional properties in the immediate
neighborhood, which house a gym, a youth house, a bus barn, and an
additional parking lot.

In December of 2007 the church relocated, yet again, to its present
campus on Bobo Road just off Old Warren Road and I-530.  The
change in located necessitated a name change. "Olive Branch
Missionary Baptist Church" was selected as an appropriate name
which would remind us of our past and motivate us for our future.  
The new facility hosts a large sanctuary, education wings, fellowship
hall, Family Life Center, bus barn and administrative wing.
God has truly blessed this great church and continues to do the same
even today.

Pastors who have served Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church are
as follows:  Conrad N. Glover, George Richardson, Roy Sims, Eura S.
Ray, W.E. Haynie, AustinT. Powers, M.F. Downing, Walter F.
Lovelady, Harvey Payne, Walter F. Lovelady, Jackie Holt, Kenneth
Warford, Paul D. Magness, Gene C. Smith, Mack Chambers, John
Saunders (interim), and, currently, Roger W Stewart.
        April 1926 – No name was attributed to the original group meeting at the old Mead
Schoolhouse.
        September 3, 1926 – named Emmanuel Baptist Church
        October 21, 1926 – called Immanuel Baptist Church
(This was an apparent misprint by the clerk noting that it was corrected at the very next
business meeting.)
        October 24, 1926 – called Emmanuel Baptist Church
        January 23, 1927 – named Main Street Baptist Church
        August 11, 1929 – called Main Street Missionary Baptist Church
(No explanation was given as to why the moniker “Missionary” was added.  It bears noting that
this is the about the same time that Landmark Baptists and Southern Baptist began
distinguishing themselves from one another.  According to the History of the American Baptist
Association by compiled by the History and Achieves Committee at the American Baptist
Association in March of 1928 (Oklahoma City) the messengers adopted a resolution on Alien
Immersion stating in part, “Whereas the reception of alien immersions is the common practice
almost every church in the Northern Baptist Convention, even the churches known as
fundamentalists, and, is also the practice of many churches in the Southern Baptist
Convention;”)
        October 7, 1951 – named Olive Street Baptist Church
(No explanation was given as to why the moniker “Missionary” was added.  It was likely a carry
over from previous references in both conversations among the brethren as well as in the text
of the earlier minute books.)
        January 2, 1952 – called Olive Street Missionary Baptist Church
        July 23, 2006 – named Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church
(Upon moving into the new building in December of 2007 this new name was assumed.)