On the south side of Springfield, just off Battlefield Road, Second Baptist Church fills a campus that has been in continuous use since 1885. Across the front door the church extends a sentence that has come to define it: Meeting people where they are and helping them become more like Jesus. Inside that frame, two Sunday services, a full Wednesday evening, age-tiered ministries from birth through college, a missions footprint that reaches from Springfield to Nicaragua, and a multi-phase building campaign keep the people of Second rooted in the rhythms of study, worship, prayer, and sending.
Sunday Mornings on Battlefield Road
Worship services gather at 9:30 and 11:00 AM each Sunday in the Sanctuary. The 9:30 gathering is also broadcast live on YouTube for those joining from home or out of town. First-time guests are pointed to parking near the circle drive off Battlefield Road; just inside the main entrance, a staffed Guest Connection Center answers questions, hands out information, and helps newcomers settle in.
Around the services, Sunday School classes run in three waves. Adults meet at 8:00 AM, then 9:30 and 11:00 AM. At 9:30 AM, classes are open to adults, Birth through PreK, kids, students, and college students. At 11:00 AM, the same broad offering continues, with the addition of Kids Worship for K through 3rd graders. A typical Sunday, members often say, layers worship, study, and conversation into a single morning.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesdays at Second carry the feel of a church that likes to share a meal. The cafeteria-style dinner line opens at 4:30 and runs to 5:45 PM, with adult meals priced at $7, kids 6 to 11 eating for $4, children five and under free, and any household topping out at $19. A second pass through the line begins at 5:45 at no additional cost while supplies last. Tables fill the Commons Kitchen and the Gym, giving families a chance to eat together and meet others between drop-offs.
Programming begins at 6:00 PM. Treehouse Troops welcomes Birth through PreK, Second Generation gathers K through 5th graders, students in 6th through 12th grade meet for a large group night, and adults step into a short-term Next Steps class that walks through financial stewardship, parenting, marriage, basic theology, and other discipleship topics. The Worship Choir rehearses from 7:00 to 8:15 PM, and no audition is required.
A Pathway from Birth Through College
Family ministry at Second follows a deliberate map called the Parent Pathway, with six stops that stretch from infancy to young adulthood: Foundation, Dedication, Formation, Preparation, Conversation, and Commission. The aim is to walk alongside parents as the primary faith trainers of their children, and a parallel Foster Care and Adoption Ministry connects families who have pursued or are considering that calling.
Preschool children, Birth through PreK, are cared for in Tiny Town during both Sunday morning services, with secure check-in, age-appropriate Bible teaching, and play. Wednesday evenings run Treehouse Troops for the same age group, a program that lays a foundation for understanding Jesus' love. Kids in K through 5th grade experience Second Kids each Sunday with The Gospel Project for Kids, large group worship, and intentional small groups; at the 11:00 hour, K through 3rd graders move into Kids Worship. Wednesday evening options give kids a chance to spend a semester in a creative class, with options that range from art and music to movement.
Middle and high school students (6th through 12th grade) gather on Sunday mornings at 9:30 for gender-specific small groups centered on Scripture. Wednesday nights bring them together at 6:00 for a large group session designed to anchor them in the Bible and to build friendships across grade levels. The Vine is Second's college ministry. Rooted meets Sunday mornings at 9:30 for breakfast, coffee, and teaching on topics like dating, calling, social media, and missions, with the 11:00 worship service to follow. The Vine's Tuesday evening session runs from 7:30 to 10:30 with worship, study hall, snacks, and teaching. Branch Groups meet in homes across the city throughout the week for shared study and prayer.
Adults at Every Stage
Small groups are the centerpiece of adult ministry. Sunday morning groups meet at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM, and Next Steps classes on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM cover short-term, semester-length topics from parenting to theology. Men and women meet on Mondays and Tuesdays for deeper Bible study and small-group connection. Singles gather around a community of small groups and larger events. A Young Adults ministry is being refreshed for those in their post-college years, and Second Half - the older adults group - hosts a monthly luncheon with educational or musical programming, along with seasonal trips and service opportunities.
STRONG: Six Anchors for the Church
The vision statement is concise: Kingdom First. Second Strong. Kingdom First expresses the church's commitment to supporting and sending missionaries, church plants, and community partners. Second Strong refers to the health and vitality of the local body that is sent out to serve. The word STRONG doubles as an acronym for six anchors:
- Scriptural Integrity, holding to the authority of God's Word.
- Transformational Ministry, helping others become more like Jesus.
- Relational Authenticity, developing meaningful connections across generations.
- Open-Hearted Hospitality, welcoming others wherever they are in life.
- Next Step Intentionality, creating pathways toward deeper discipleship.
- Generosity, living and giving generously for the sake of the Gospel.
The mission in three short lines paints the picture of how those values land: Strong hearts, anchored in Bible study, prayer, and worship. Strong homes, where the hope of the Gospel is shared with family and neighbors. Strong hands, marked by generosity, service, and going to minister to others in need.
Baptism and What Second Believes
Second affirms the confession summarized in the Baptist Faith and Message. The Bible is honored as God's revelation, given through men who were divinely inspired. The church confesses one God who exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - sharing one divine essence. Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and no other path to salvation is taught. The church is described as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, joined in covenant and faithful to the two ordinances Christ gave: baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Baptism is reserved for those who have made a personal commitment to Christ and is performed by immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The act pictures the burial of an old life and resurrection to walk in newness of life. Baptisms are typically celebrated during Sunday worship services; those interested can come forward at the invitation time or text BAPTISM to 85121 to be connected with a pastor or minister. The Lord's Supper is observed as a memorial of the Redeemer's death and an anticipation of His return. The full realization of the Kingdom, the church teaches, comes when Christ returns and this age ends.
Missions: Inside Springfield and Around the Globe
An annual Kingdom First Missions Conference gathers the church family to celebrate what God has done through missionary partners, church plants, and community ministries. The conference reads Matthew 11:28 as a wide-open invitation: Jesus calling all to come to Him, with His followers helping to carry that invitation to family, friends, community, and the nations.
Trips carry teams to places like Project Hope in Nicaragua, where a one-week journey blends door-to-door evangelism, VBS support, preschool and school partnerships, home building, and nightly cabana worship alongside local believers. At home, weekly ESL classes led by trained volunteers meet on Wednesday evenings from September through May for anyone who wants to learn English in a caring setting. Monthly serving opportunities route groups to partners like Pregnancy Care Center for the Walk for Life, to Grand Oak Mission for food drives, to Safe to Sleep outreach, and to the Christmas Toy Drive. Worship and media teams also extend the church's reach online, livestreaming services and producing video content for those who cannot gather in person.
Counseling referrals are available for anyone who wants to be matched with a local licensed counselor, and the church maintains tax-credit information for state-level giving to partners like Missouri Baptist Children's Home, Pregnancy Care Center, Grand Oak Mission, Springfield Victory Mission, and Bridge of Faith Community Church.
A Campus in Renovation: The Master Plan
Second is in the middle of a two-phase Facility Master Plan that will shape the campus for the next generation. Phase One, completed in 2024, renovated Preschool, Children, and Adult Ministry spaces at a final cost of $9.6 million. Phase Two, currently in motion, is projected at $12 million and concentrates on the Worship Center, Sunday School classrooms, office spaces, and additional common gathering areas. The total project is budgeted at more than $20 million, with a leadership commitment to keep total church debt under $5.5 million once pledges are fulfilled.
The church family affirmed the work through a series of votes that cleared the way for construction, and pledges for Phase Two began in early 2026. Updates, renderings, and construction photos are shared publicly so the broader church family can follow along. Through the renovation season, outside event reservations are on hold, and Rec Nights will resume once the work is complete.
The Pastoral Team
Dr. John Birchett, Jr. serves as Lead Pastor. A Kentucky native and lifelong Wildcats fan, he holds a B.A. in Religion from Georgetown College, a Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was called to Second in May 2019 after pastoring four churches and has been active in the wider work of the Southern Baptist family.
Dr. Mike Watson serves as Senior Associate Pastor of Ministries with a focus on discipleship and the building of biblical community. Mark Meyers leads Worship and Creative Arts, drawing on training from Missouri Baptist University, an acting chapter, and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University. Dan MacLachlan, an Administrative Pastor, is a Springfield native whose ministry path included Fellowship of Christian Athletes, coaching, and education. Michael Overton joined the staff in 2024 as Connection and Care Pastor, bringing thirty years of ministry experience from churches in Arkansas and Missouri.
Second also invests in future ministry leaders through The Residency at Second, a 14-month, full-time, cohort-based program for men and women who sense a call to church ministry leadership. Residents choose a ministry track - Pastoral, Worship and Media, Missions and Church Planting, Preschool and Children, or Students and College - and are mentored by the Executive Team while raising their own support. Housing is provided.
The Child Development Center
Second also operates a Child Development Center on its campus, serving children from three months through PreK and adding a Kindergarten option alongside it. Programming includes an Open House, parent-teacher conferences, class parties, a Fall Family Event, an Art Show, a Music Program, a Spanish enrichment experience for kindergarteners, animal encounters from the Dickerson Park Zoo, Stretch and Grow, and family gatherings like Dudes and Donuts. The center runs in alignment with the Springfield Public Schools calendar, with after-care available for kindergarten families with younger siblings on campus.
Visiting and Getting Connected
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and on Sunday from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM, closed Friday and Saturday. The phone number is 417-887-3111, and general inquiries reach info@secondbaptist.org. A private prayer request can be sent by texting PRAYER to 85121; questions about salvation go to FAITH; updates on events come through EVENTS; and an initial connection form is reached by texting CONNECT. Family ministry queries for children go to Kids@secondbaptist.org, preschoolers to PreschoolMinistry@secondbaptist.org, students to students@secondbaptist.org, adults to mariah@secondbaptist.org, and worship to worship@secondbaptist.org.
Free access to a large library of faith-based video content is offered through RightNow Media, with something for adults, families, and kids. Those watching from home can join the live YouTube broadcast each Sunday at 9:30. First-time guests find reserved parking near the circle drive off Battlefield Road and a Guest Connection Center just inside the main entrance staffed to answer questions and help with the morning's flow. Anyone curious about baptism, membership, or following Jesus is invited to text the appropriate keyword to 85121 or step forward during the invitation time at a Sunday service.
Second Baptist Church has stood on Battlefield Road in Springfield since 1885, and the calling on its life today is the same one that has carried it through more than a century: meeting people where they are and helping them become more like Jesus.