Our Purpose in Peoria

God is not willing that any should perish. Bible Baptist Church is a part of that Heaven-sent message. God is not willing that any should petrify or putrefy, either. A vitality and vigor are missing from religious imitations of Christianity these days. For those who care to consider, God's ways can be known from the Bible. His message is personal, powerful and relevant.

In these days of noisy and "new" worship, dumbing down God's Word and dressing down God's worship, Bible Baptist Church is still committed to "approving things that are excellent." Things like our Bible as it is preserved in the Authorized King James Version; our families as instituted by God; our church as started by Christ; and our government as ordained by God.

We are interested in doing all we can to help you become your best for God. Our preaching and praying are to that end. Our music is exuberant and edifying, moving the head and the heart, not just the feet. The difference is positive. Why not come and see? We would love for you to attend our services! If you need a ride, please call (309) 686-1296.

Our Heritage

We are what all Independent Baptist Churches used to be

The doctrinal heritage of Baptist Churches predates the Reformation and finds its origin during the time of Christ, the Founder and Head of the first Church. This is well documented by such men as Alexander Campbell, Zwingli, Cardinal Hosius, president Council of Trent, Sir Isaac Newton, and others.

The name Baptist was given not chosen

We do what John the Baptist did, but we do not get our name from him. In the year 251 A.D. regular churches refused to accept baptism administered in infancy or for salvation. In derision, our detractors labeled them "Anabaptists" which means rebaptizers. At the beginning of the 16th century, the prefix was dropped and the name Baptist has been used ever since.

Independent Baptist Churches

We still cherish the Baptist name yet today. However, some have documented as many as 57 different kinds of so-called Baptist Churches. There are churches called Baptist who practice foot-washing as an ordinance and do not even believe in eternal security. These we do not consider true Baptists.

Independent Baptist Churches transfer memberships through receiving and granting of letters. We also cooperate effectively for the common cause of world evangelization through the combined efforts of local Baptist congregations of like faith and practice. This is all done efficiently without combining into or associating with any para-church organization.

Independent Baptist Churches avoid conventions or associations because involvement by membership in non-church or para-church affiliations tends towards subjugation of the church. It often creates a situation where the program of that body becomes more important than the churches that created it. This obscures the primacy and preeminence of the local church and her ministries.

If truly Baptistic, a church will be Bible in doctrine, making it a Bible Baptist Church.

Our Pastor

Growing up on a Midwestern farm, Terry Rowell was saved in April of 1973 while attending Southern Illinois University as a result of the witness of his younger brother Dean, Hal Lindsey’s book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” a Christian who picked him up hitchhiking, and a Serviceman’s New Testament placed in his hand by a Gideon worker when Terry was on his way to Marine Corps Boot Camp. (He received special commendation for service in Vietnam.) He followed his Lord in believer’s baptism and was thereby united with Averyville Baptist Church in East Peoria, Illinois.

In June 1973, Brother Rowell was called to preach while driving a tractor for a construction firm. He was active in visitation, first drove and then captained a bus route, and superintended the 6-7th grade department after teaching a second grade boy’s class that summer.

Brother Rowell led his wife, Becky, to the Lord the summer before their marriage on Sept. 1, 1973. Together, they surrendered to the Lord’s Will at the Fall Mission’s Conference and the following summer entered Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. The second week of Bible College, at a Mission Prayer Band Meeting, God called Brother Rowell to Papua New Guinea. As newlyweds, the couple were active members of the Young Married Class at Baptist Temple where Dr W.E. Dowell was pastor. Becky served as class secretary and Terry was a group leader in their class of over 120.

In October of 1977, Brother Rowell accepted the pastorate of Grace Baptist Church in Charleston, Illinois. That December, he was ordained by Averyville Baptist Church and also graduated a Bachelor of Science in Theology with a Mission’s Major. In May, Pastor Rowell left the Grace Baptist Church and founded Bible Baptist Church, also of Charleston which he pastored through Easter of 1980. The church continued to support him strongly on the mission field for more than seven years.

The day after Christmas of 1982, Terry, Becky and their four children arrived in Papua New Guinea. Nineteen months later, a medical emergency forced them to leave when their four-year-old son Joel contracted cancer and died Stateside three months later. An emergency and convalescent furlough ensued until December 1985, when they returned to Papua New Guinea.

After eighteen years of service, Brother Rowell resigned from Papua New Guinea in 1998 and is currently pastoring Bible Baptist Church in Peoria, Illinois. Jared, their oldest son, started and operates a construction business, Rowell Carpentry, out of Morton, Illinois. A graduate of Oak Harbor Bible Baptist Institute in Oak Harbor, Washington, Jared served in the Marine Corps Reserve (two tours in Iraq, one tour with a commendation medal in Afghanistan) Jared’s oldest son, Joel is serving in the Army in Korea, and his nurse daughter, Bethany, works at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago. He is married to Nicole who has two younger girls, Lexy and Lizzy. Pastor Rowell’s daughter, Rachel, and husband Pat have four children and are active in Bible Baptist Church. Rachel earned her Ph.D as a Family Nurse Practioner-BC and is current Director of Online Nursing and Assistant Professor at Bradley University, Peoria, IL. Her husband works for the Red Cross. Pastor Rowell and Becky's youngest son James obtained a Master’s degree from Desert Gateway Baptist Bible College in Phoenix, Arizona, is ordained and currently an Assistant Pastor and Mission’s Director in that church. He and wife Bethany have four adopted children.

Pastor Rowell’s ministry is that of preaching Christ and planting Churches in fulfillment of the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. In May of 1977, he started Bible Baptist Church of Charleston, Illinois which supported him strongly on the mission field for more than seven years. In 1986 Mala Baptist Church was started and remained active until tribal fighting forced its disbandment after six years. In 1989, Wewak Baptist Church was started and continues strongly with a Faith Promise program of world evangelism, a Christian school, a Bible School and church planting of her own. (four to date have continued several years) In September 1998, Bible Baptist Church of Peoria was started. Brother Rowell is its founding pastor and continues pastoring there today. His preaching has been called dynamic and expositional. It is unashamedly biblical with clear application.