About Us

• DISTINCTIONS: PENTECOSTAL, EVANGELICAL
• WORSHIP STYLE: CONTEMPORARY
• We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God.
• We believe that there is one God eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
• We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His victorious and atoning sacrifice through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.
• We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
• We believe that the full gospel includes holiness of heart and life, healing for the body and baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and other biblical manifestations.
• We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
• We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
• We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Affiliations Open Bible values an openness and joy toward fellowship with the body of Christ as a whole.
• We are internationally recognized as an Evangelical and Pentecostal movement with a historical identity and credibility.
• Open Bible is a charter member of the National Association of Evangelicals and cooperates with its commissions and agencies.
• We are also a charter member of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America and the Pentecostal World Conference. Our leaders serve on the governing bodies of these organizations.

Virtually identical to the Assemblies of God and Foursquare in doctrine and practice, Open Bible Churches are an alternative association of autonomous evangelical Pentecostal/ Charismatic churches called to be a vital organ in the Body of Christ. Open Bible Churches originated from two revival movements: Bible Standard Conference, founded in Eugene, OR, in 1919, and Open Bible Evangelistic Association, founded in Des Moines, IA in 1932. Similar in doctrine and structure, the two groups amalgamated in 1935 as “Open Bible Standard Churches” with the national office located in Des Moines, IA.

Roots of the parent groups reach back to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1906 at Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, and to the full gospel movement in the Midwest. The membership of Open Bible Churches is the highest governing body. Their convention meets biennially and consists of credentialed ministers in good standing, national directors, and one voting delegate per 100 members from each officially affiliated church. A national board of directors, composed of nation directors, and regional representatives, is delegated to conduct the business of Open Bible Churches. Open Bible’s official publication is the award-winning “Message of the Open Bible.” “Heritage and Horizons” is the official history book. Open Bible’s international missions’ history is published in a book entitled. “Heritage and Harvest.”

A unique Open Bible quality is relationship as affirmed in the distinctive “A balance of affiliation and freedom, providing accountability without undue control.” The Open Bible Association exits to serve churches and pastors, to equip and empower them to fulfill their calling and purpose in the communities in which God has placed them.

There are Open Bible affiliated churches in the U.S. and overseas. In the U.S. we are arranged within five regions. Pacific, Mountain Plains, Central, Eastern, and Southeast. Rapid City lies in the Mountain Plains region and the Dakota District. Our region encompasses the states of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Open Bible’s National Headquarters are located in Des Moines, Iowa.

The health and fruitfulness of any organization flows through its leadership. Though structure is important, the life of Open Bible and its affiliated churches resides in relationships. Through these relationships we enhance accountability, doctrinal purity and the ability to pool resources to fulfill the Great Commission here and abroad.

IT ALL BEGAIN NEARLY 100 YEARS AGO!
The first recorded minutes of Open Bible in Rapid City were dated June 8, 1931 with Reverend C.G. Rothermel as the first Pastor. In the first few years the small congregation worshipped in homes, rented space in the 800 block of Fairview, shared the First Evangelical Free building on 11th and Kansas City St and then moved into the annex of the Harney Hotel.

In 1938 the congregation paid for land on 6th and North Streets and in May of 1939 they bid $106 for a large hotel building near Keystone, making an agreement with the land owner to tear the building down for salvageable materials to be used for the new church building. The congregation moved from the Harney Hotel Annex to 6th and North Streets as soon as the basement was usable. The dedication service of the new church was on September 3, 1944. The building (pictured above) included living quarters for the pastor and his family.

Under the leadership of Pastor Ray Smith in 1960, a two acre plot of land was purchased on Space Street. The church was renamed First Church of the Open Bible and services there began in August of 1961. The church began to grow in numbers and missional impact significantly.

From 1969-1981, Pastor Earl and Fern Johnson led the church with distinction. Under their guidance, the church continued growing by making disciples and developing leaders through the Soul Searchers youth ministry – 53 of whom were sent out into vocational and marketplace ministry, as well as the international mission field.

The vision for the 1980s came when Pastor Ed and Betty Wood accepted the call to come to Rapid City. In May 1981, the church purchased land along East Saint Patrick Street and soon after purchase, construction began on a new facility. The church was renamed Open Bible Christian Center (OBCC) and the first services were held in March of 1982. In the next few years the congregation grew substantially.

In January 1987, Pastor Les and Sharon Potts came to lead OBCC. Growth continued and church leadership began to plan the next phase of church building construction. Under Les and Sharon’s guidance, OBCC determined an even clearer vision and mission to plant churches in the Dakotas and beyond. In the nearly 28 years they led the church, it grew significantly in numbers and local and international missional impact.

In October of 2014 Pastor Chuck and Kelly Loftis came to OBCC as lead pastors. During their time here through May of 2019 the church went through a name change to Open Bible Church of Rapid City and a number of administrative and ministry developments were implemented.

In November of 2019 Pastor Randy and Tami Brock were called to serve as lead pastors carrying on the vision of Loving God and Investing in People. The focus continues to be on ministry development through discipleship, renewed evangelistic initiatives, community involvement, and missions outreach.

What began as a small group of 20 now numbers 1,500+ constituents. Average weekend worship service attendance currently is 500+ with two services on Sunday with a growing online presence, Wednesday evening classes for all ages, life groups, women, men, student, and children’s ministries, Upward Sports League, Creekside Christian School (K-8), Dream Kids Preschool and Learning Center, and more. Open Bible offers a wide variety of ministry that will impact your entire household.

For eight decades, we’ve made a considerable impact for the kingdom of God in Rapid City and beyond. God has certainly been good to the people of OBC and we invite you to prayerfully consider joining this sincere church family.

By His grace we have come this far and by His grace we will continue to press on as our church’s best days are always ahead!