About Us

Mission

Easter Cross

Olive Branch Baptist Church is located in Rostraver Township, just a few miles from Belle Vernon, PA. We are dedicated to the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ through public worship of God, the preaching of the Gospel, consistent Christian living, personal evangelism, missionary endeavor, and Christian education, all in accordance to the teachings and practices of the Baptists and the distinctive principles for which they stand.

We accept God's purpose for the church is equipping Christians to discover, develop, and exercise their spiritual gifts and abilities in ministry to the church and to the world. Our focus is not to simply carry on programs and traditions, but to build strong relationships with God and each other.

American Baptist Denomination

We are members of the American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware, which encompasses 322 churches throughout the region.

American Baptists affirm that the local congregation is the fundamental unit of mission. The denomination supports and challenges congregations as they live out the Great Commission, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded. American Baptists are evangelical, multi-racially-mission minded, committed to social justice, and informed by a global perspective.

Our congregation is made up of people who come from diverse denominational backgrounds. We welcome all who desire to know and serve Christ.

What We Believe

  • We believe the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error, and the authority on which we have our faith, conduct, and doctrine.
  • We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. Three distinct personalities and yet one God making up the Trinity.
  • We believe water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing power of Jesus, an outward expression of an inward change, and public testimony to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • We believe in the regular taking of Communion as an act of remembering the price Jesus paid for our redemption.
  • We believe that every believer should be growing in their relationship with Jesus by obeying the word of God, yielding to the Holy Spirit, and conforming to the image of Christ.
  • We believe, as children of God, we are overcomers and more than conquerors.

History

The Olive Branch Baptist Church building dates back to 1857. The church has undergone many physical changes since then, inside and out. For those who dwell within, the love and enthusiasm for serving God remains steadfast.

We have been blessed with many wonderful shepherds over our history. Our current minister, Ken Sommerfeldt, joined the church in January 2010.

Join Us!

The worship service begins at 10:45 a.m. every Sunday morning, following Sunday school. Beginning January 7, 2017, we will also offer a 6 p.m. Saturday evening workship service. There are several opportunities to become involved through Bible study, prayer meetings, missions, and various local ministries. We invite you to visit our Outreach page to learn more about the missions and ministries we support and are involved in.