The Disciples Church in Bakersfield actually had its beginning in the fall of 1887. Elder J. M. Gilstrap, a traveling dentist who practiced dentistry during the day and preached at night, began a “meeting” on October 27, 1887. That “meeting” lasted until November 27, and was held in a tent, owned by Mr. Gilstrap, at the corner of Truxtun and K Streets. Seven converts were baptized in the Kern River near the Rosedale Highway and a church was organized with 27 members. During the month-long “meeting” a Sunday school was organized with 22 present. It met every Sunday afternoon in Wear’s Opera House until the Bakersfield fire in 1889. There are no further records for the next two years.

In October of 1891, Elder Gilstrap returned to Bakersfield and held another “meeting” from October 10th to the 30th. During this “meeting” the church was officially organized on October 25, 1991. Two elders and a deacon were elected. On the third Sunday in April, 1892, R. P. Williams became our first pastor. He served for 3-1/2 months. There are no records of why he left or what was done until A. B. Markel arrived sometime in 1893 to serve the church as minister. The church was reorganized under his leadership and the first Sunday School Superintendent was appointed. That same year a Business Charter was issued to the church by the State of California. The name used was “The Church of Christ”, Bakersfield, California. The first Christian Endeavor Society, a youth group, was organized on April 30, 1893, with 11 members. During this time, church meetings were held in various places, such as the three opera houses in Bakersfield, the old County Court House, and the old Emerson School. By 1896, a “tabernacle” was erected at 1660 Chester Street for a “meeting” in October and November. The women purchased and sewed 1000 yards of sheeting for the tent. Then, in 1896, our first church at 16th and Eye was built. Labor was almost entirely donated.

September 6 ,1900, the Golden Rule Association was Organized. It was later called the Ladies Aid, then the Women’s Council and is now the Christian Women’s Fellowship. Golden Rule Hall was built by the ladies of our church as a meeting place at the rear of the property at 16th and Eye Streets. On May 1, 1905 a rally was held, at which time the mortgage was burned and our church was debt free.

Our church continued to grow and prosper during the next few years. In the fall of 1917, the first contributions were made to a building fund for a new and larger church. On September 3, 1919, a tabernacle was built on H Street, just south of the Santa Fe railway tracts, to house the congregation while construction was started at 16th and Eye Streets. On December 16, 1919, the new tabernacle was dedicated, free of debt. It seated over 1,000 people and a permanent choir of 75 furnished music. There was a total of 210 additions in less than 6 months. By February of 1921, our church had begun construction of a very handsome building, the estimated cost of which was $100,000. Earl Hanson Fife came to lead the congregation in 1919 and served as minister until 1923. Buy that time, the building fund had grown and the congregation had hopes of having its new building by the end of the fiscal year. In August of 1923, Charles H. Hulme began a ministry of 16 years and our church continued to grow.

By March of 1925, the congregation had moved into the first unit of the new building. On January 6, 1929, the new church building was dedicated. The building and lot cost a total of $81,000 and was complete except for an organ and heating and ventilating plant.

In May of 1939, when Pastor Hulme resigned, the resident membership was about 1100, Bible school enrollment was 1000, and there were eight Christian Endeavor Societies with an evening attendance of 225 - 250. Benjamin B. Baird was called as minister in August, 1939, and continued until 1944 when ill health forced him to resign.

We celebrated our golden anniversary in November of 1940, with five days of programs and services. Eveelyn Butcher began her services as church organist in March of 1941, which continued for the next 48 years, until her death in 1989. After Hollister B. Miller was called in August of 1944, regular church offices and hours were established and Mrs Pearl Ahlf was added as the first full time secretary. In 1945, the church library was started with Mrs Miller as librarian and a junior choir was organized. Vercil Wilson became part-time Youth Director in December. The Men’s Club, later to become the Men’s Fellowship, was formed in 1946 with Sam Bauman as its first president. Mrs. Mary Walt directed our first Primary Church in 1948.

Great plans were under way in 1951 for the addition of an educational unit and a planning committee was appointed in January of 1952. By July, 80 men of the CMF secured the funds for the new educational unit and the remodeling of the church structure. The men’s group was also in the process of helping develop the church conference grounds in Los Padres National Forest.

In August of 1952, plans were suddenly changes when an earthquake damaged the church building and it was condemned for public assembly. The church ended up meeting at Wayside School for Sunday services from August 1952 until May 1955. The church voted to buy a city block for $40,000 to build a new building on and the condemned property was sold to the City of Bakersfield. First services at the current property were held in the Fellowship Hall and the Educational Unit on May 1, 1955. The first service in the sanctuary and the laying of the cornerstone was on July 10, 1955. Dr. D. W. McElroy began his ministry on September 1st and the present church facilities were dedicated on September 25, 1955. Dr. McElroy served as minister until December 1966, a year that celebrated our church’s 75th Anniversary in October.

Dr. Thomas W. Toler was called in 1967 to begin a ministry of 12 years. After the retirement of Dr. Toler in 1979, Leroy Hershiser served as minister until 1982. Then in 1983, Donald Shelton joined the staff as senior minister. Don served as senior minister until being elected the Regional Minister and President of the Pacific Southwest Region in 1995. Marc Mullins was called to serve our church and was pastor until 2003. Alan Hilberg is currently serving as our pastor after being installed on May 8th, 2005.