The American Baptist Churches USA is a diverse denomination rooted in freedom, justice, and the call of Christ to love our neighbors. As a “purple congregation,” Prairie brings together people of different perspectives, united by our commitment to follow Jesus in building community, seeking justice, and sharing God’s love in Prairie Village and beyond.
Prairie is a welcoming and inclusive Christian community of faith who seeks to love God and love our local and global neighbors in meaningful life giving, life changing ways. We believe all persons should be welcomed and included as God love us all. We provide a lot of space for all age groups to explore their questions about faith, scripture, and life application while seeking to better understand what it means to live a Christ Centered life. We would love to have you join us and get to know us better. We all need a place to belong.
Prairie is an American Baptist Church, USA denominational partner. We uphold the historic Baptist principles and distinctives of the priesthood of the believer and local church autonomy. This is important to understand. Not all Baptist congregations are the same. For Prairie, this means that respect and freedom are given for each person and believer to explore, experience, and discern for themselves an understanding of faith, biblical interpretation, and how to best live that out in the world around us.
Pastoral and congregational leadership is practiced in partnership within our community of faith. Our staff functions as encouragers and equippers providing guidance and support through discipleship, worship, fellowship, and opportunities to serve others. We are all called to serve. Each of us has unique gifts and interests to explore and offer in gathered community and beyond. We get excited about new ideas and fresh creative ways to express our faith.
Prairie was birthed at 75th and Roe by a small group of friends and neighbors in 1950. Today we are actively and creatively re-imagining what it means to be and do church now and in the future. We are actively reorganizing and renewing how we function in order to better focus on the great need for fellowship among believers and non-believers, to offer engaging, inspiring, meaningful worship, discipleship, and missional ministry opportunities to serve others for all age groups. Much like that small group of friends and neighbors who prayerfully gave life to our community of faith, we too hope to bring about new life and renewed ways of being and doing church, anchored in the life giving, life transforming ways of our Triune God.
Learn more about the beliefs of American Baptist here: https://www.abc-usa.org/what-we-believe/
See 10 Quick Facts about American Baptists: https://www.abc-usa.org/10facts/
Dive deeper into our denominations facisnating history here: https://www.abc-usa.org/what-we-believe/our-history/