A Brief History of the Congregation
In the late 1930s the East Side congregation, then 1st and Matthewson, saw the need for a new congregation in the North part of Wichita. A large tent meeting was held on the grounds of the Waco School, located at 21st and Waco. J. Harvey Dykes was the preacher, and the meeting lasted for two weeks in August of 1938. In 1939, another gospel meeting was held at the same location. This one lasted for three weeks, and at the close of this meeting, a new congregation was established, with 38 charter members. The group met for worship for the first time on Sunday, July 16, in the Waco School Building. This was the beginning of the Northside congregation.
In the fall of the same year, land was purchased at the corner of 20th and Jackson, for the purpose of constructing a new building. Because of limited funds, a basement was built with the idea of adding an auditorium at some future date. On Thanksgiving Day, November 30, 1939, this new congregation met for the first time for Bible study and prayer in their new place of worship. The following Sunday, December 3, 1939, the first Lord’s Day worship service was held. About one year after this, elders and deacons were appointed according to the New Testament pattern.
In 1944, construction was started on a building above the basement. Since this was during World War II, building materials were very difficult to obtain. The East Side congregation had purchased a denominational building (on Cleveland Avenue) and gave their old building to Northside. That building was razed, and provided almost all the material for Northside’s new building.
In the 1963, a new auditorium was built with classrooms along both sides. In 1975, the original building was demolished and replaced with an office and educational building. By the 1990s Northside had outgrown those facilities and was unable to expand at that location.
Land was purchased on north Meridian, and a new facility was built. Northside moved into the Multipurpose Room on December 15, 1996, and into the completed auditorium on May 11, 1997. In 2003, the auditorium and classrooms were expanded to handle the continued growth of Northside.
Northside has engaged in many worthwhile works throughout the years. It has done missionary work in Japan, China, Canada, Ethiopia, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Scotland, Austria, Africa, and many places in the United States. In 1978-1980 Northside coordinated the Mid-Continent Soul-Winning Workshop at Century II Civic Center. In July of 1986, Northside began the “Know Your Bible” television ministry, a question and answer program which continues to sow the seed with great results. In 2007, an annual conference – Women Walking with God – was inaugurated by Northside’s women, and has seen amazing success and growth. In 2011, Northside implemented a Celebrate Recovery ministry which continues to grow and reach out to the community.
If you would like a complete history of Northside, a 75th anniversary book is available at the Northside office for $20.