History 

In 1955, Missionary Don White was sent by Grace Baptist Church of Middletown, Ohio, to plant a New Testament, Baptist church in Anchorage, Alaska. In January of 1956, that church was organized as the Bible Baptist Church of Anchorage.

In 1965, the Bruce Milene family, members of the Anchorage church, was transferred by the military to Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. Upon arrival, Sergeant Milene discovered there was not a Scriptural church in Grand Forks, ND/East Grand Forks, MN. He soon came in contact with other military families who were also burdened to have a Scriptural Baptist church, and they began taking steps to start one in Grand Forks. Under authority of Bible Baptist Church of Anchorage, Pastor White and Missionary Jim Jenkins came to assist in the organization of Bible Baptist Church of Grand Forks, ND, in February, 1966, with 16 charter members.

Within a few weeks, the church had called Gordon Silcox, a Minnesota native who had pastored in Iowa and Oklahoma, to become the first permanent pastor of this new work. Silcox arrived the first week of April and pastored the church until June, 1990. During his pastorate, the church thrived and over seventy men surrendered to preach the gospel. A local church Bible institute was begun in the early 1970’s, and over the years, many churches have been organized under Bible Baptist’s leadership and authority.

In June, 1990, Pastor Silcox retired from pastoring, and the church called Brother Mike Custer, Pastor Silcox’s Assistant Pastor for the previous 10 years, to be their new pastor. Pastor Custer, with his wife, Grace, and family, serves as pastor of Bible Baptist Church up to the present, as the church continues to train and send out pastors and missionaries. Dr. Silcox resides nearby in Larimore, ND, where he and his wife, Audrey, are members of New Testament Baptist Church. Dr. Silcox remains active in ministry and preaching.

In April, 1997, Bible Baptist lost its facility in East Grand Forks, MN, due to the flooding of the Red River of the North, but was able to rebuild in Grand Forks, ND, in 1999.

The church remains doctrinally sound, stable and separated, and strong in its commitment to the Great Commission, not only in the region, but also in planting churches, sponsoring its own missionaries, and supporting a host of others, with a focus on preaching the gospel and establishing New Testament Baptist churches around the world.