Oasis of Hope

On May 24, 1938, 35 men and women gathered in a building at 16th and Alvord Streets to worship God. The group formed a Mission with Rev. Albert Batts, who had served as pastor of Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church from 1930-1938. The reason for the departure of Reverend Batts and the 35 members from Emmanuel has never been documented.

On June 28, 1938, the group organized into a Baptist Church. Reverend A. Bernard, pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church; Reverend Poole, pastor of Garfield Baptist Church; and Reverend Smiley, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church helped organize the new church, called Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. The group elected Reverend Albert Batts as their pastor.  Under the leadership of Rev. Batts, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church prospered, growing spiritually, financially, and in membership.

The 1950s brought several big changes for the church. On July 8, 1955, after several months of turbulence, the church split leaving 62 members. Reverend Otis Armistead became the church’s interim minister. On October 19, 1955, the congregation unanimously selected him as their pastor.  In the fall of 1958, the congregation agreed to relocate to a newly purchased building at 1501 N. College. On January 11, 1959, the congregants worshipped in their new location under a new church name, College Avenue Baptist Church. The church’s facade and sanctuary were updated in 1968. Basement improvements came in 1972.   

The Reverend Frank Alexander came to the church as an interim minister in November 1975 while maintaining executive directorship of the Edna Martin Christian Center. On October 7, 1977, the congregation unanimously selected him as their pastor.   

In 1986 Rev. Alexander proposed building a new church. This was a foreign concept since, historically, Black churches bought existing buildings that were previously used by white congregations. He proposed purchasing 17 acres of land in the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood at 1701 E. 25th Street. Not only was the land formerly used as a city dump, but it was costly to purchase. Despite this, Rev. Alexander’s vision for the site prevailed. On June 18, 1989, the congregation entered their new home, named Oasis of Hope Baptist Church.  

Over the years the congregation increased. The Church purchased many surrounding properties with a plan to aid the redevelopment of the immediate community. To do this, the church upgraded its educational and training programs and expanded its daycare and housing programs. A bus ministry helped transport the increasing congregation to church, Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School.  

Rev. Alexander’s energy and vision brought life to the church’s philanthropic work. Church leaders and laymen implemented Rev. Alexander’s community outreach philosophy locally and globally. The pastor, deacons, and laymen routinely walked the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood to pray with and for the residents. Additionally, church leaders made home visits to counsel families dealing with domestic issues. Globally, Oasis of Hope extended its altruism through its mission work in rural West Africa. In 1999 the church became the primary supporter of an orphanage called Oasis Mission for Orphans, Disabled, and Unaccompanied Children (MODUC) in Liberia.  

After 40 years as pastor, Rev. Alexander retired on December 27, 2015. He saw the church congregation grow from 200 people to over 600. Alexander asked Reverend John Ugentrouse Minion Sr. from Aurora, Colorado to be the next pastor of Oasis of Hope Baptist Church. Rev. Minion Sr. was formally installed as Senior Pastor on May 26, 2016. Dr. Myron C. Duff Jr. replaced him in 2022, becoming only the fifth pastor in the church’s 75+ year history.   

In 2024 the church embarked on a preservation mission. It partnered with the Indianapolis Public Library‘s Digital Indy to ensure its rich history remained accessible for generations to come. Over 4,000 photos, newsletters, documents, and oral accounts chronicling the institution’s journey were digitized.