Mitchell Christian Church, now known as Tulip Street Christian Church was founded on October 26, 1953, when a group of local citizens met at Burris Consolidated School for its first official meeting. The foundation of the church had been laid over the previous five years as many of those people had been meeting for weekly prayer meetings in various homes in the Mitchell community.

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Will Burris, another early leader of the movement, called on Dale V. Wilheit of the Greater St. Louis Evangelizing Mission and he assisted the local members in planting the church.

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The church met at Burris for two weeks before a three-story home at the corner of Ninth and Tulip Streets was purchased for a meeting place. Tibbs Maxey, president of the College of the Scriptures in Louisville, served as the church’s first minister. He would come to Mitchell each Friday with his family and stay for the weekend and return to Louisville for his duties at the college during the week. A dedication service was held Nov. 28, 1953, and a revival service with Wilhoit as evangelist began as soon as the church had a meeting place.

A congregational meeting was held the second Sunday in December and Wilhoit began the official organization of the church, which took nearly a year to complete. Membership grew steadily from 30 on the first Sunday. It was double that by the end of the revival meeting two weeks later and was 117 by the first anniversary 

 

Maxey served as minister for nearly five years and was followed by Joe Rex Kearns. He announced the change of the name of the church to Tulip Street Christian Church and in October of 1957, just four years after its founding, construction of a new building was begun, facing Tulip Street, next to the old house which was still being used.

The new limestone building was completed in 1958. The old house was torn down in December of 1962 to make way for a new educational wing that was finished in 1964. With minor changes this building served as Tulip Street Christian Church until the gym area and additional classrooms on the west side of the 1964 wing were added in 1995.
The church celebrated its 11th anniversary on Oct. 22, 1964, with the dedication of the educational wing. Wilhoit, who helped found the church, came back to speak at the dedication. 

Henry “Hank” Weaver followed Kearns to the pulpit of the church. Kearns was minister for about two years and Weaver was minister for about six years. Other pastors to serve have been: Donald D. Wilmoth, 1964-67; Titus Solomon, interim 1967-68; Arthur G. Vail, 1968-70; Joe Hollorah, interim 1970-71; Max Timbrook, 1971-79; Edwin Roark, 1979-80; Roy Poling, 1981-83; Eugene Pruett, 1983-86; Ken Smith, 1983-89; Timbrook, 1989-2001; Danny Curry, 2002-2003; Matt Nussbaum, interim 2003-2004; Tim Corner, 2004-05; Darrin Chastain, interim 2005-2008; Greg McBride, 2008-2015; Jim Valentine, 2016-2021; Daniel Lee, 2022-present.