The Emmanuel Baptist Church (God With Us) was organized in 1973 under the visionary leadership of the Dr. L.K. Curry.
On January 13, 1973, two hundred sixty seven people met at the Beth Eden Baptist Church where the late Dr. Richard C. Keller was Pastor. Dr. Curry stood in front of the pulpit and announced he was going to sing the first hymn and open services. Those who were present desired to organize into a Regular Missionary Baptist Church. On January 21, 1973, at Beth Eden Baptist Church, 11121 S. Loomis Street, Chicago, IL, the Salem Baptist District Association convened and the Moderator, Dr. Shelvin Jerome Hall presided and the Emmanuel Baptist Church (God With Us) was duly organized.
With 10 charter members, this congregation grew within a year to over 700 members. Beginning January 28, 1973 until January 13, 1974 (50 Sundays) The Emmanuel Baptist Church (God With Us) worshipped at the Morgan Park High School auditorium. The Official Board and the church decided that Emmanuel would offer to a dying world, a living church, which would supply the basic needs of the people – sound doctrine, a solid elementary education, and a wholesome body and mind building recreation. We began our search for a suitable location for our new church home. Nineteen buildings were inspected, including a site on 84th and Damen (the wrong address), but it was not quite what the Pastor knew the people needed. Later that same day, Pastor Curry was led to a site on 8301 South Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL where the church is currently located. After 50 weeks of worshipping in the school auditorium, The Emmanuel Baptist Church (God With Us) had a new home. The cornerstone was laid on July 20, 1975 by Deacon K.C. Allen and his son Broadnax Allen.
On September 1, 1975, Dr. Curry’s vision of providing a solid elementary education came to fruition with the opening of Emmanuel Christian School. In June of 1981, Emmanuel Christian School graduated its inaugural eighth grade class of 14 students. Ground breaking to build ten additional classrooms; and plans to remodel the sanctuary and pulpit began on October 13, 1985. After three years of worshipping in the Emmanuel Christian School gymnasium, the congregation made “The Grand Re-entry” into the newly refurbished , redecorated sanctuary, and celebrated with a parade and ribbon cutting ceremony on March 27, 1988.
The Miracle of Emmanuel was prominent as the Lord blessed the church and school to grow spiritually and numerically. Dr. Curry and the Emmanuel Laymen took several trips to Africa, building churches, providing shoes and supplies, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad. In August of 1999, Dr. Rogers W. Jackson was brought to Emmanuel as Assistant Pastor.
January 2003, Pastor L.K. Curry officially retired as Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church and became our Pastor Emeritus. Dr. Rogers W. Jackson, along with his family, were installed as our new pastor and first family.
The celebration continued with the mortgage burning ceremony in March 2004. Pastor Jackson and the Emmanuel Laymen made several missions trips to New Orleans to provide aid and support to the rebuilding efforts following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.
Emmanuel Christian School closed its doors in June 2012. Approximately seven thousand children had been educated in the school and nearly 600 had graduated from eighth grade. Many Emmanuel Christian School graduates have gone on to become teachers, preachers, pastors, and other noteworthy professionals.
In March 2023, the congregation celebrated the 50th Year Jubilee Anniversary, to God be the glory for all of the things He has done.