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The General Baptist Church of Oakland City was organized July 23, 1853, by Elder Jacob Speer and Elder William Reavis in the Old Johnson Schoolhouse which stood where Montgomery Cemetery is now located. The names chosen for the new church was Keg Creek Church of General Baptists.

Charter members of the new congregation were William and Elizabeth Nossett, James and Elizabeth Wheeler, George and Jane Mitchell, Mary Harper Kinman and Judah Cockrum.

The group chose Elder Reavis as their first pastor. During the first years all of the meetings were held in the schoolhouse or in the homes of the memebers.

On August 27, 1858, the church voted to change its name to Oakland Church of General Baptists and in 1859 a church building, the first in Oakland City, was erected at the cost of $1400.00. It was located on a lot occupied byt the present parsonage and church building facing what is now an alley. Since the General Baptists held meetings only once a month, other denominations used our building.

The first new member to join the church was William Rowe, in August, 1853. In September, 1854, Cinderella P. Crow became a member.

There were no records of meetings for the next four years until the summer of 1858 the members met in the unfinished house of Alexander Cockrum to plan a new building. At this meeting, five members joined the church: F. M. Rose, Lucinda Barrett, Nancy Jane Chappell, Billy Brown and Delilah Lane. During this time there was no regular pastor and the meetings were conducted by Elders Speers, Voyles, Stinson, Camp and Strain.

In July, 1858, more new members joined. They were Col. James W. Cockrum, Edward Crow, Sarah Jane Ross, Rebecca Simons, William M. Cockrum, Lucretia Cockrum, William Holbrook and wife, James E. Chappell and Cinda Wheeler. All unbaptized members were baptized in Patoka River at Dongola by Elder T. H. Strain in August.

In September, 1858, Rev. George F. Cavanugh was elected pastor.

When the new church was built, the members had little money to give toward the building of the structure. So, they subscribed and then worked out their subscriptions. James E. Chappell carried mortar and James W. Cockrum made all of the shingles and furnished the balance of the money needed above the subscriptions. In the Spring of 1861, the women of the church met and cut out rags for a carpet for the church. Mrs. Judah P. Cockrum and Mrs. Mitchell then wove the carpet.

Among the early pastors were Rev. Jacob Speer who served from 1861t 1863, followed by Rev. Jesse G. Lane who entered upon his first pastorate.

One of the most interesting stories in the history of the church occured during the Civil War. The church was used for a recruiting station and when news arrived of the capture of Vicksburg by General Grant, the church bell was brought out and rung until it split and was rendered useless. This bell has since been mounted and is on display in the west foyer together with our first pulpit from which Benoni Stinson preached. Following the war, a number of the men killed in the war were buried in the church cemetery.

James M. Cockrum and George Foley were responsible for starting a Sunday School which continued several years as a union school. When the other churches began to have their own buildings and schools, the Sunday School became General Baptist.

In the Fall of 1864, the Liberty Association convened here.

In February, 1865, Edward Crow, F. M. Rose, and James M. Cockrum were appointed to a committee to erect a cupola and to hang the bell.

During May, 1873, the church began to have meetings each month. An additional sixteen feet were added to the church building and a baptistry and two dressing rooms were erected. A cistern built outside the church furnished water for the pool.

An organ was installed in the church and in 1875 the church was host to the General Association.