History of
HERITAGE
BAPTIST CHURCH
Heritage Baptist Church started on June 2, 1996, with a small group of twelve people in the home of Pastor & Mrs. R. J. Ely, which was located at 675 Richland Avenue in Pocatello, Idaho.
Upon determining the need for an Independent Baptist Church in the Pocatello area, Pastor Ely, his wife Rita, and their sons Jeremy and Joshua, traveled to the State of Utah and united with Heritage Baptist Church of Rose Park in Salt Lake City.
There at the Rose Park Church, under the direction of Rev. John Boggs, a service was held to send out Pastor Ely and his family to plant and establish a Baptist Church in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area of South-east Idaho. The new church experienced some simple and humble beginnings. The first pulpit was made out of scrap 2x4s found behind a garden shed and was transported each week to wherever the church service was to be held. The church body, during the beginning months, would meet in member's homes, backyards, and local parks. God blessed the faithfulness and efforts of those involved and people were saved, baptized, and added to the church. By the end of the first year, 1996, property was obtained at 1540 North Arthur. It consisted of two city lots and an old house which had been gutted out by a fire. Members of the church worked day and night rebuilding and remodeling the old house into a little chapel. It had a nursery, one classroom, and a beautiful little Sanctuary that would hold up to forty-four people. Within three months, the church had outgrown the little chapel and went on to purchase the Precious Memories Wedding Chapel on the corner of Yellowstone and Tyhee. Just as with the first building, long hours of work were put into the new building including new paint, light fixtures, carpeting throughout, new windows, and a new roof. The three acres the church sits on allows for ample space to see further growth. While staying busy with finding places to meet and remodeling buildings into suitable houses of worship, Heritage Baptist Church never lost it's vision for the Great Commission and has continued to spread the good news of Jesus. Along with the ministry to the local community, Heritage Baptist Church supports worldwide Missions and averages one missionary supported for every seven people attending the church. The past has been blessed and the future looks both promising and exciting for those at Heritage Baptist Church.