The first Wisetown Baptist Church was organized 1868 and joined Vandalia Association that year. The church first reported to the Association in 1871 with 14 baptisms, 13 other additions, 0 deaths, 2 other dismissions. Frank Long was the pastor. After 1871, they did not report to the Association.

The second Wisetown Baptist Church came with a meeting of Baptists in Wisetown and the vicinity and was held in the Union Church Building of Wisetown on May 7, 1881 for the purpose of reorganizing a Baptist church. The Rev. S. G. Duff was called to the chair, and J. H. Myers was chosen clerk pro-tem.

A covenant was drafted, adopted, and embraced by the following: W. H. Rule, J. H. Myers, Thomas Woods, Thomas Sapp, Cyrus H. Stephens, Samuel Norman, Mary E. Myers, Abbie A. Pike, Elizabeth Cornwell, Kate Heaton, Elizabeth E. Stephens, Mary B. Wise, Christina Sapp, Matilda J. Crabtree, Alba A Rule, Elizabeth Crabtree. The church was duly recognized as the Wisetown Baptist Church of Christ. On June 11, 1881, the charge was given to the church by Rev. W. C. Harvey.

On August 20, 1881, Cyrus H. Stephens and Thomas Sapp were elected deacons, and Rev. S. G. Duff was chosen as pastor. Rev. S. G. Duff had preached occasionally for the people at Wisetown and was instrumental in leading them to organize. He was connected with Almira College for Women in Greenville, Illinois, now known as Greenville College.

On August 12, 1882, the church voted to join the Centralia Association at the Annual Meeting at Salem in September, 1882. The church sent a delegation of three with a letter asking admission, and the church was accepted into the Association. The church remained with that Association until August of 1912 when the name of the Association was changed to Kaskaskia because the First Baptist Church of Centralia withdrew from the Centralia Association in 1911 and affiliated with the Northern Baptist in the Alton Association. The first annual associational meeting was held at Wisetown in September of 1886. In October of 1891, the church filed papers of incorporation under the name of “The Wisetown Baptist Church of Christ.”

The Articles of Faith as published in “Fesisngton’s History of Religious Denominations” were adopted on May 9, 1885.

Warren E. and George Wise was licensed to preach in 1888. W. E. Wise was ordained August 12, 1888. George Wise was ordained in March 10, 1889. Both had the same council: J. M. Billingsley, J. J. Boles, J. H. Jones, and D. K. Baber.

At the business meeting of August 21, 1888, a committee was appointed to see about selling the onefourth interest the Baptists held in the Union Church Building and to raise funds to build a new Baptist church. The one-fourth interest in the Union Building was sold to the Methodists for one hundred dollars in September of 1892.

All material for a new building had been purchased by June 10, 1892. The new church was built and was dedicated on March 5, 1893. Dedication sermon was preached by Rev. B. F. Rodman, who held a revival in March and April, resulting in eight additions by baptism to the church.

The first business meeting was held in the new building Saturday, March 11, 1893, at which time a Sunday School was organized by J. M. Myers. The church has maintained a Sunday School since April 1893 and a Missionary Society since October 1902. The first president of the WMU was Mrs. Felicia Blacet.

In June 1895, the church purchased an organ. On May 9, 1896, the church was insured for five years at a cost of $5.00. The church has owned a parsonage since before 1903. In June 1912, a light plant was installed and dedicated. In March 1913, the church passed a resolution to prevent polygamy. A basement was put under the church in 1939, and it was dedicated on Sunday, March 15, 1940. Rev. W. Compton was pastor.

In 1968, the church purchased the Basler property just north of the church to build a new church building. Groundbreaking was held on August 31, 1969. The first services were held in the new church building on December 2l, 1969. Dedication was held on January 18, 1970. Rev. Ira T. Mallory was pastor.

On August 14, 1974, the church debt was paid off, and the note was burned in a special service on December 1, 1974. In the Fall of 1978, a new enclosed front entrance was added to the church, topped with a belfry which holds the bell taken from the old church building.

On July 5, 1981, the church celebrated its 100th Anniversary.

Pastor Tom Rankin came to the church as interim pastor in January of 1994 and later was called as the pastor. In May of 1996, work was begun on a 4200 sq. ft. education addition. The building was dedicated in May of 1997.

The church is one of the oldest in the Association still alive today and is looking to the next century to continue the Gospel ministry to their corner of God’s kingdom.