Welcome to Broadway Church!

Jesus turned no one away. Neither do we. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome.

Jesus treated everyone who wished to enter his new community of the Spirit as full and equal participants – rich and poor, male and female, gay and straight, young and old, beginner and advanced, and any other human situation. We seek to do that, too.

In 1872 eighteen Swedes joined hands in prayer as they covenanted together to begin the First Swedish Baptist Church of Kansas City. They wanted to provide a welcoming place for others in Kansas City who did not always feel at home in other churches because of their different customs and language. In response to the changing needs of the community, in the 1920's the services were changed from Swedish into English and the name was changed to Broadway Baptist Church. In the 1940's the church became affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Founded as a church willing to change with the times and to welcome those who did not always feel welcome in other churches, Broadway continues those traditions today.

Although no longer a “Baptist” church, the church is currently associated with the Alliance of Baptists, a progressive group of about one hundred churches across the country who share a concern for the preservation of historic Baptist principles and freedoms.

The church is currently co-pastored by Marcia Fleischman, who has been at Broadway since 1984, and Paul Smith, who has been there since 1963. They share equally in the Sunday morning teaching, usually by alternating months.

We invite you to consider making Broadway your spiritual home – a safe haven for the healing of the spiritual abuse of your past, a laboratory to explore your own accelerated spiritual development, and a community of mutual support in following Jesus.