East Side Baptist Church began as Brookhaven Missionary Baptist church on October 14, 1924 with 24 members.
The government took the community of Brookhaven into the Fort Hood reservation during the Korean war, forcing the church to
move to Killeen. The name was changed at that time to East Side Baptist Church.
On July 3, 1952, East Side purshased its first building. In october, 1953, the congregation began meeting
in the East Ward Elementary School while the building belonging to East side was moved and rebuilt on Rancier Avenue, holding
their first service in the newly renovated building on December 3, 1953.
In 1973, the church voted to keep Evangelism as its number one priority. In order to have more room for growth,
the church voted, in November, 1978, to buy eight and one-half acres of land on W.S. Young Drive. A new building was constructed
with the first services held in January, 1988.
In June of 1996, East Side bagan a ministry to the Killeen area in the form of "Mission Killeen", a means
of sharing the Gospel while meeting the needs of those in our community. Today that ministry reaches into the surrounding
communities, as well as Killeen, meeting needs of food, clothing, household goods, spiritual needs, love and friendship. God
has truly blessed that ministry.
During its lifetime the church has ministered to thousands. East Side has served as a mission station. It
has ought out the lost and won them to Christ, then equipped them to win others. With the help of Uncle Sam, East Side sends
missionaries all over the world. The church came into existence through vision, faith and sacrifice. It shall continue to
greater heights for the glory of God by the same virtues.
