Freeway Ministries was originally established as a ministry of a local church in Springfield, MO in 2011. John Stroup, Rick Lechner, and Mike Aye, co-founders, began to meet in a coffee shop to fellowship, pray, and study God’s word. During these meetings, they began to discuss their burden to help others from their backgrounds. They felt led to start a ministry to reach what many consider the hard to reach.
They met with their pastor, Eddie Bumpers of Broadway Baptist Church (now Crossway Baptist Church), and shared the burden God had given them. They explained the people they were going after were not typical church people; they might smoke outside the church and may not look or act like normal church members. They told Pastor Bumpers, “Your church members might be shook up.” He responded, “My church members need to be shook up!”
Pastor Eddie gave them access to a small building used for Sunday School Classrooms that would hold about 40 people. He said, “If you ever outgrow this building, we’ll find you another one.” They outgrew it the first night! Freeway Ministries moved down the road to a former high school gymnasium. This building enabled them to grow and expand.
In 2017, they purchased the old Holiday Lanes Bowling Alley at 1041 W. Kearney Street in Springfield, Missouri. The building had been condemned, but with help from volunteers, local businesses, and churches, the building was completely renovated. It now serves as the Freeway Ministries World Headquarters and Freeway North.
Freeway Ministries is an independent ministry that partners with local churches to make an eternal change in local communities. With 8 locations and 12 Discipleship Houses, Freeway Ministries is reaching the hard to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ONE BROKEN LIFE AT A TIME
Freeway - Kingsport began in October 2021 at West Colonial Hills Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Paul Sheaffer. Pastor Paul was there from the start of Freeway Ministries in Springfield, MO. but now serving once again in Kingsport, TN as senior pastor of West Colonial Hills Baptist Church.
In January 2022 Freeway - Kingsport merged with Gibsontown Ministries and began meeting at Gibsontown Ministries building located at 1022 Dorothy Street. The ministry soon outgrew the building and is currently meeting at Cloud / Reedy Pointe Apartments Community Center, 1072 Reedy Place, Kingsport. Worship Services are held each week at 5:00 pm followed by a meal. Anyone needing transportation to attend may call 423/863-1165 to arrange a ride.
The Gibsontown Ministries board of directors voted to set up a DBA Freeway Gibsontown.
