Our Story

In 1853, on a campground at the Winn farm in what was then rural Clay County, Missouri, a small group of local citizens gathered for the first time under the ministry of evangelist Moses E. Lard. A Tennessee native--self taught scholar, gifted orator, and man deeply devoted to the Word of God--organized what would become one of the oldest congregations in the Kansas City area. What began that September day wasn't a building project or a program launch. It was a movement of faith.

By 1859, the congregation had built its first sanctuary. A simple white clapboard church that still stands today at 4805 NE Antioch Rd, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That little building has witnessed over 170 years of worship, prayer, heartbreak, revival, and the faithful proclamation of the gospel. Through the Civil War, through the Great Depression, through seasons when membership dwindled to nearly nothing, Antioch endured. It was never held together by buildings or budgets. It was held together by the hand of God and the faith of His people.

In 1930, when the church stood at a crossroads and many thought its doors would close for good, longtime members refused to let the light go out. They voted to continue as Antioch Community Church. A nondenominational congregation committed to being a spiritual anchor for a growing community. They chose not to go into debt. They built what they could afford, one step at a time. And God honored every brick.

A new brick sanctuary was completed on Easter Sunday 1957. The original 1859 chapel was lovingly restored by the Historical Society in 1964 and moved to a new foundation. A physical reminder that the roots of this church run deep into sacred ground.

This is our heritage. This is our DNA. We carry the name of the place where the Church first became the Church. And we take that seriously.

After 170 years, Antioch Community Church is not slowing down. We are Leaning in. The same God who gathered a handful of believers on a Clay County farm in 1853 is still on the move. He is still calling, still building His Church. And we believe the best days of Antioch are not behind us. They are ahead of us.

Under the Leadership of Senior Pastor Beth Armstrong, we are stepping into a new season with fresh vision and an unwavering commitment to the mission that has carried this church for over a century and a half. Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, making disciples, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We seek to invest in families. Our desire is to reach the lost. We are building a church where the broken find healing, where the searching find truth, and where everyone--regardless of their past, their background, their color, or their story-- can find a seat at the table at Antioch. You Belong Here!

You Belong Here....