TBC History

1939 World-famous events in 1939:
Back to the Bible founded in Lincoln, Nebraska (May)
WW II begins with Hitler's invasion of Poland (Sept)
The movie Wizard of Oz puts Kansas on the map
and . . .
Topeka Bible Church is founded by Pastor Walter Werner, Ray/Vera Barkley, and Russell/Ethel Buck, assisted by the well-known Dr. Walter Wilson of Kansas City, pastor and founder of Calvary Bible College.
  March 19: that first Sunday 41 people meet in the Bucks' home, but soon move to the Odd Fellows Hall, 100 W. Sixth.
1940 March 1: TBC purchases the First Christian church building on 522 Polk St. for $2500 ($25 down and $25/month!)
Walter Werner continues as pastor
1942 First missionary, nurse Estella Grooters, goes to Nigeria (She's still on our missionary team!)
1949 Founding pastor becomes director of Child Evangelism Fellowship; Walter Benton, graduate of Bob Jones University, becomes
pastor
1957 Carl Wilbur, graduate of Dallas Seminary, becomes pastor
1966 Having outgrown the Polk St. building, TBC purchases its present Mulvane building from Lowman Methodist Church for $50,000.
1970 Carl Wilbur having been called home in 1969, Donald Phillips becomes TBC's fourth pastor. He stays for three years, and eventually joins our missions team as a missionary to Native Americans.
1974 Thom Burbridge leaves the faculty of Calvary Bible College to become TBC's fifth pastor. He stays for three years.
1977 Youth and singles pastor Jim Congdon, Dallas Seminary grad, becomes TBC's sixth senior pastor.
1978 Dozens of TBCers drive to Dallas to see Jim wed Melody Smith.
1980 Hank (Nan) Nelson joins the staff team, as Youth and Family Pastor.
Annual budget: $100,000
Topeka Bible Church would blossom with growth in the Eighties.
1983 Nat (Patty) Diliberto leaves the faculty of Florida Bible College to become our Worship and Music Pastor.
1984 TBC plants Southwest Topeka Bible Church, with Chet Evans as pastor.
We choose as our purpose "TBC Life: Teaching the Word, Building the Body, Celebrating the Lord, and Sharing Life with Topeka
and the world."
1987 TBC adds a second morning service, and begins major renovation.
1989 Fifty Years a Family 50th anniversary reunion brings folks from around the country to embrace old friends and share stories of what God did for them through Topeka Bible Church.
1994 Sandy Balocca, Child Evangelism Fellowship missionary, becomes TBC Director of Children's Ministries
2000 TBC meets for months in the Ramada Inn while the auditorium undergoes major renovation. Patty Diliberto is hired as Director of Women's Ministries. TBC's annual budget: $1 million.
Missions giving: over $200,000.
2001 Doug (Paula) Will is hired as Pastor of Administration and Outreach. TBC helps missionary Cory Verge purchase property on the island of Bohol in the Philippines for a youth camp.
2002 TBC begins sending work teams to build Camp Karis in the Philippines.
2003 TBC purchases the United Methodist Home property for ministry expansion, names it the College Avenue Building, and begins a major renovation project.
2004



2006

2007




2008

2009
 Fourth Service called Xenos begins in the CAB Building. The Student and College Ministries move into the renovated bottom floor of the CAB.

Hunter (Blaire) Ruch is hired as Pastor of Community.

Bryan (Lisa) Nelson is hired as Pastor of Worship Arts. Nat Diliberto becomes Pastor of Facilities and Technical Arts. TBC "moves" across the street, as the staff offices take over the first floor of the CAB. First year of our Christmas Light Show.

Scott DeSanders is hired as our Pastor of Student Ministries.

Mark Bucholtz is hired to be Pastor of Children's Ministries. Sandy Balocca becomes the Senior Executive Assistant to Doug Will and Jim Congdon.