History

Southside Bible Chapel was founded in 1873, originally known as South Side Assembly, and has occupied several locations over the years, all in the South St. Louis area.

The roots of the chapel in St. Louis, Missouri go back to 1873 when a 31-year-old James Campbell arrived in the city from Scotland and preached the Gospel. Several were saved in these meetings, including Mr. Donald O. Macleod. Mr. Campbell also instructed the believers in the principles of the New Testament church. Mr. Campbell went from there to St. Charles, MN, but returned to St. Louis in 1879 with Donald Munroe for more Gospel effort. They found a group meeting for Bible study in various homes and encouraged them to begin remembering the Lord, which they did in the home of John Kerr. Others from various denominations joined with them, and the believers continued to meet for some time in that home as the South Side Assembly. They later moved into an old rock building in the 3000 block of Pine Street.

In 1895, the surnames of some of those meeting as the South Side Assembly were Brown, Bothwell, Buss, Couser, Dyke, Hughes, Macleod, Morey, and White.

At about that time, Mr. Buss left the assembly to form another, which met in a building at the corner of Florissant and O’Bear. This meeting lasted only a short time. In November 1901, the South Side Assembly moved to Jefferson and Pestatozzi Streets in South St. Louis.

In 1902, tent meetings were held by brethren Currens and Camp from Chicago, at which many were saved, including members of the Henrich, Masek, James, and Todd families. These Christians immediately formed an assembly which met in the rented Power House at 7th and Lami Streets, then shortly moved to the Shaving Shop on 2nd and Sidney Streets. This structure had wood shavings on the floor, wrapping paper over the rafters, and home-made wood benches. This assembly later moved to a storefront at McNair and Lynch Streets, then met in various homes. Messrs. Edward Allan and I.R. Dean were in fellowship there, as was Mr. Buss, who however left again and formed an assembly meeting at Newhouse and Blair. In 1910, Mr. Buss built Bible Hall on Finney Avenue. Some time after that, a group left Bible Hall to form the North Side Assembly.

So in 1906 there were three groups, the South Side Assembly at Jefferson and Pestatozzi, the unnamed group at McNair and Lynch, and the group that followed Mr. Buss. Mr. Allan of the McNair group went to see Mr. Macleod of Southside to discuss a merger. This was agreed upon, and the merger took place at the end of 1906. The merged group, still called South Side Assembly, met in a large number of places in St. Louis over the next two decades. In 1926, the assembly moved to 5021 Morganford Road, rented it for many years, then purchased and remodeled it in 1940. This was known as the South Side Gospel Hall. Other family names during these years are Thiel, Horst, Suess, Luethge, Judd, Newkum, Ostertag, Bonham, Richardson, Blackshaw, and Miller.

In 1952, when plans to widen Morganford Road were announced, the assembly built and moved into the facility at Leona Avenue at Bowen.

In 1958, South Side Assembly’s name was changed to Southside Bible Chapel.

In 1975, unhappy with the trends of local public schools, members of Southside Bible Chapel started Victory Christian School. The school started meeting in the basement of the Leona building. The Lord blessed this ministry and the school soon outgrew the available space.

In 1982, to better accommodate the needs of Victory Christian School, Southside Bible Chapel purchased the former Dressel Elementary School at 10255 Musick Road in South St. Louis County. The surnames of some of those in fellowship during this time were Avery, Ballance, Callan, Cartier, Gielow, Garibaldi, Hartke, Henrich, James, Leiendecker, Pickup, Schnitzmeier, Schulten, Stimpson, Strugar, Stutte, Vaninger, and others. Bible Chapel assembled in the gymnasium and the school utilized the classrooms in rest of the building. The school added grades each year as it grew and the first high school class graduated in 1984. The Lord continued to bless this ministry over the years, which saw enrollment rise to over 200 students at times.

In 1999, due to a steady decrease in enrollment, Victory Christian School closed its high school to focus on elementary and middle school.

In 2009, due to a gradual decrease in chapel membership and a consistent increase in facility costs and maintenance, Southside Bible Chapel leadership decided it could no longer support Victory Christian School, and the two separated. The school operation was handed over to a group of school fathers, and it was renamed Victory Christian Academy. The school was allowed to remain at the Musick location for one more year while it searched for a new facility.

In 2010, Victory Christian Academy moved to a new location at 618 W. Ripa Avenue in Lemay.

In 2011, Southside Bible Chapel sold the property on Musick Road back to the Lindbergh School District.

Bible Chapel currently meets at Gateway House of Prayer, 4646 South Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63127.

Visitors are welcome at any time!