How did Higher Plain Baptist Church get started?
In March of 1956, West Heights Baptist Church was started as a mission of Mount Olivet Baptist Church. This new church was planted on Northwest 23rd and North MacArthur Boulevard. Its first pastor was Pastor Bert York. The church's name was changed to Windsor Hills Baptist Church in 1961.
Starting in 1977, under the new leadership and direction of Dr. Jim Vineyard as pastor, we began to see growth of a bus ministry, Christian school, and deaf department in his first three years of the pastorate. We also pulled out of the Southern Baptist Convention at that time to become an independent, fundamental Baptist church. Oklahoma Baptist College was revived and began to grow and train not only preachers but missionaries, evangelists, school teachers, and secretaries for the ministry.
Dr. Jim Vineyard was pastor for nearly thirty years before his retirement in December 2006, to focus on his Yedidim (Friends) of Israel ministry.
On October 21, 2017, Dr. Jim Vineyard went home to be with the Lord. Even in the last week of his life, he led a nurse to receive Christ as her personal Savior while in the hospital. We are indebted to his many years of sacrifice and grateful for the great imprint his life has made on our church.
Dr. Jim Vineyard was pastor for nearly thirty years before his retirement in December 2006, to focus on his Yedidim (Friends) of Israel ministry.
On October 21, 2017, Dr. Jim Vineyard went home to be with the Lord. Even in the last week of his life, he led a nurse to receive Christ as her personal Savior while in the hospital. We are indebted to his many years of sacrifice and grateful for the great imprint his life has made on our church.
After having served as a missionary in Ivory Coast, West Africa, for twelve years, his son, Dr. Tom Vineyard, became pastor of Windsor Hills Baptist Church in January of 2007.
In November of 2016, a door began to open for us at Windsor Hills that we probably would never have considered on our own except for God. We were approached by In the Gap, a Christian ministry to youth, to sell them our property. After much prayer and seeking the Lord's guidance, the members of Windsor Hills Baptist Church voted to sell and move. At about the same time, God led our realtor to find our new location on North Rockwell and Northwest 122nd Street.
Our first service at our new property was held on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. With a new location over eight miles from the Windsor Hills neighborhood, God laid the new church's name Higher Plain Baptist Church on Pastor Vineyard's heart from Ezekiel 3:22-23. Regardless of our new name and new location, our message and mission remain the same!
Our God has been so good to us since our move. We have seen souls saved and crossed paths with folks who we would have otherwise never met.
In November of 2016, a door began to open for us at Windsor Hills that we probably would never have considered on our own except for God. We were approached by In the Gap, a Christian ministry to youth, to sell them our property. After much prayer and seeking the Lord's guidance, the members of Windsor Hills Baptist Church voted to sell and move. At about the same time, God led our realtor to find our new location on North Rockwell and Northwest 122nd Street.
Our first service at our new property was held on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. With a new location over eight miles from the Windsor Hills neighborhood, God laid the new church's name Higher Plain Baptist Church on Pastor Vineyard's heart from Ezekiel 3:22-23. Regardless of our new name and new location, our message and mission remain the same!
Our God has been so good to us since our move. We have seen souls saved and crossed paths with folks who we would have otherwise never met.
In 2023, the Lord put on Pastor Vineyard's heart that we make every effort to become "Debt Free in 2023" as a church. God answered our prayers and efforts in a tremendous way that very year.
As we look to the future, we are excited and can't wait to see what He has in store for us as we seek to grow and build upon what He has entrusted to us.
As we look to the future, we are excited and can't wait to see what He has in store for us as we seek to grow and build upon what He has entrusted to us.