For nearly twenty years, the black-flight phenomenon depleted the already skeletal remains of many North City neighborhoods as families, businesses and sanctuaries seek the greener pastures of North St. Louis County.
But under the leadership of Pastor Michael Jones, Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church laid claim to blocks of the Martin Luther King Drive and is working diligently to return the area to its former glory and redefine the negative connotation that goes along with a street named after the man that represented peace.
“Martin Luther King is one of my mentors – his passion, his excellence, his ability to fight through circumstances and situations just encouraged me,” Jones said. “For us to be on Martin Luther King Dr. it gives us the responsibility to take his name and transform where we are within this city.”
Jones admitted, and it is a long running joke that metropolitan area streets that bare King’s namesake are among the most dangerous and crime-ridden locations.
“Almost city where there is an MLK it is the worst place in town,” Jones said. “We find that challenge for us to have it not be said for St. Louis. We want people to be able to drive and walk down Martin Luther King Drive and be safe.”
But the mission of Friendly Temple is not isolated to reviving street corners and vacant buildings, but to impart the same change into the empty heart of the community it serves.
The church began with three faithful soldiers, including Jones’ grandfather Pastor Robert Fulton Davis in 1955.
“He was my mentor in ministry and in life, I wouldn’t be who I am if it weren’t for his influence,” Jones said. “One of my greatest honors was succeeding him.”
There have only been two pastors since the establishment of Friendly, but as Davis neared the end of his tenure, the church fledged.
“There was a time when people had their own pew to themselves,” Jones said with the kind of laughter that implied more than an ounce of truth to his humor.
What was once three has multiplied to 5,000 and these days, even during corporate prayer or bible study, the church is filled to capacity. And regardless of the service, early morning, evening or otherwise, the church often has to create additional seating to accommodate members and guests.
Jones attributes the church’s success to what he calls a “holistic ministry approach.“
“I like to think itis relevant ministry and a practical message that people can take and apply to their lives,” Jones said. “We are trying to reach the entire person – to enhance the spirit as well and address their common and daily needs that people respond to that.
“We try to talk about things that people experience everyday and give answers and hope to their questions and their dilemmas not only on Sundays, but Monday through Sunday and whether its housing, education, childcare or financial.”
And with nearly 30 ministries and initiatives that include commercial development, educational partnerships with higher learning institutions, senior living facilities and much, much more, Friendly Temple is well-equipped to work with and meet the needs of the community it serves.
“You know the old saying ‘is pull yourself up by the bootstraps,’ but the bootstraps have been cut off and you can’t help yourself,” Jones said. “So we provide help and we provide means that get them to their destination.”
Jones draws from his experiences growing up in the neighborhood of his ministry headquarters and relies on that history to help him reach the more than 1,000 youth members of the church – the young males in particular.
“I was raised here, I know the promise and the potential of this community,” Jones said. “I see hope within this community. I see possibility of change and lives being renewed.”
In addition to the Scripture, Jones practices and preaches the importance of being economically viable. Even in the midst of their massive development efforts the church has managed to operate completely debt-free.
“Historically as Churches, we think spiritual,” Jones said. “But socially we want to get you to a point where you can claim independence.”
“We don’t want you to come by for a food basket every year,” Jones said. “We want you to provide food for the baskets the next year.”
Jones says that he wants the renewal, revival and restoration in this community so that in St. Louis citizens can be proud to look up at a street sign and see Martin Luther King Jr.
“We want to represent much of what he (Dr. King) represented on this strip,” Jones said. “It’s a challenge and encouragement to be placed here and think that we have been placed here by God.”
Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church is located in the 5500 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. For more information about the church or the ministries, call (314) 367-9700.
