Our Church History
The church as it looked in 1978
The church as it looks today
During April 1976 a discussion was held between Don and Mary Wulf, Doctor John Weidenaar, and Pastor Al Simpson regarding forming an independent, fundamental Baptist church in Sturgis, South Dakota. Sunday morning services began on May 2, 1976 in the basement of a local bank and Calvary Baptist Church had begun.
Previously, in 1972, a Catholic church building had been moved from St Onge, South Dakota to Sturgis. Shortly after this building was relocated, the Black Hills Rapid Flood of 1972 hit, and the church lot was completely overwhelmed by water. The church group that had been meeting in the building did not return after the flood, and the building sat vacant. In 1978, the church building and lot were purchased by Calvary Baptist, and we have been meeting since then at this location.
Pastors who served Calvary Baptist Church were:
Al Simpson (April 1976 to July 1977)
Bill Garland (July 1977 to March 1978)
Gary Gould (Spring 1978 to Fall 1979)
Lincoln Theobold (1980-1981)
David Babcock (1981-1982)
Robert Yantis (November 1982 to June 1990)
Ken Foster (June 1990 to July 1991)
Robert Yantis (July 1991 to March 2003)
Harold Holder (2003 to June 2017)
What We Believe
1. The Bible.
The Bible was written by divine inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible was carefully preserved by God and in its entirety, and without error transmitted to man (Psalm 12:6,7). The Bible is the absolute standard of truth (Psalm 119:128). The Bible’s theme is Jesus Christ and salvation through Him (John 5:39). The Received Text, which underlies the King James Bible and other Reformation versions, must be held to because other texts omit many verses and weaken important Bible doctrines; thus, I hold to the King James Bible. The Bible is fully complete (Revelation 22:18-19).
2. God.
There is only one true God (Isaiah 43:10-11). He is One God (Deuteronomy 6:4), and yet a Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). He is omnipotent; all powerful (Job 42:2). He is omniscience; all knowing (Psalm 147:5). He is omnipresent; everywhere present (Psalm 139:7-10). God is holy and just (Is 6:3). God is loving and merciful (1 John 4:8, 16). He is a spirit (John 4:24).
3. Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a person and not an “it” (John 14:17). The Holy Spirit convinces and draws men to Christ (Jn 16:7-11). He regenerates those who trust in Jesus for salvation (Jn 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit dwells in believers (Romans 8:9), and the believer receives the Holy Spirit by trusting in Christ (Ephesians 1:12-13).
4. Jesus Christ.
Christ was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25). Jesus Christ is fully God (Matthew 1:23), and also fully man (Acts 17:31). He was without sin in thought or deed (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is the only mediator between God and men (1 Ti 2:5). He rose from the dead and this purchased our salvation (Romans 4:24-25). He is preparing a place for His people (John 14:2-3).
5. Man.
Man was created and not evolved (Genesis 1:27). Man was made perfect in God’s image (Genesis 1:26), but rebelled against God (Genesis 6:5-7). Man is made of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
6. Sin.
Sin describes the fallen condition of mankind (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Sin is to come short of God’s glory, and all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Sin is to do that which is amiss, that which is wrong (2 Chronicles 6:37). Sin originated with Satan’s pride (Isaiah 14:12-14), and entered the world through Adam’s disobedience (Romans 5:12).
7. Death.
The Bible says there is (1) Spiritual Death which is separation from God because of sin (Ephesians 2:1); (2) Physical Death, which is separation of the spirit from the body (Genesis 35:18); and (3) Eternal Death, which is the final eternal separation of the unsaved from God and life (Revelation 20:14-15; 2 Th 1:9).
8. Salvation.
Man is in need of salvation for he has broken God’s law (Romans 3:10) and is deserving of God’s punishment (Romans 1:18). Nothing he can do will earn him salvation (Romans 3:19-20). Salvation is a free gift given to all men who believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour (Romans 1:17-17). It is by grace alone through faith alone without any adding of works (Romans 4:13-16; 11:6). Repentance accompanies salvation (Acts 26:20).
9. Resurrection.
The saved shall be raised to eternal glory; the unsaved to eternal punishment and shame (John 5:28-29). We are risen with a physical body (Luke 24:39). The believers body is raised incorruptible and glorified, and is a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). The resurrected body of the believer is no longer subject to death (1 Corinthians 15:54). For the believer in Christ, upon death of his physical body he shall be immediately with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8; Romans 8:38-39).
10. Satan.
Satan was an exalted angel who was lifted up with pride and sinned (Ezekiel 28:12-17). He is the enemy of God and man (Genesis 3; 2 Co 11:3). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire where he will be tormented forever (Revelation 20:10).
11. Hell.
Hell is the place of punishment and imprisonment for those who rebel against God and it was created for Satan and the rebellious angels (Matthew 25:41-46. Hell is a place of conscious torment where there is no comfort, help, mercy or hope of escape (Luke 6:24-31). The Lord does not want anyone to go to hell (1 Peter 3:9).
12. Heaven.
God has His throne in heaven (Isaiah 66:1). Jesus Christ is in heaven (Acts 1:11). The believer’s mansion is in heaven and Jesus will take him there to be with Him forever (John 14:2-3). It is a place of rest (Revelation 14:13) and everlasting joy (Isaiah 51:11). Only those whose names are written in the book of life may enter heaven (Revelation 20:15).
13. Pre-tribulation Rapture
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Evidence for the pre-tribulation rapture: Church age believers are promised salvation from wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Revelation 3:10). In the book of Revelation, the church is not seen on earth after chapter 3 until chapter 19, when the church is seen returning to earth with Christ (Revelation 4-18). The translation of the saints is said to be imminent (Matthew 24:42-44; James 5:8-9). The church cannot be overcome (Matthew 16:18) but the saints of the tribulation will be (Revelation 13:7).