Church History

Born in 1955

Our History


On Sunday, July 3, 1955, three families – the Barbers, the Sapenfields and the Dickeys met and decided to start something new. The goal was to establish an evangelical, Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, Bible-preaching work in Longmont that would eventually reach around the world. Our emphasis was to be on missions with an inclination toward a conservative Baptist denomination.  Mr. Barber consented to be our part-time pastor and the rest is history. After growing and moving the home-based church several times, they built their first building on 16th and Collyer and started services on October 5th, 1958. Eventually outgrowing that location, they built a new building on 21st and Gay beginning services January 19th, 1975. Since then, there have been some expansions adding classrooms and a chapel.

How we got to Venture Church

In 1955, Calvary Baptist Church was born in Longmont. Later, it changed its name to Calvary Church in the mid-70s under Pastor Lieth Anderson. In 2019, the name was changed to Longmont Calvary to differentiate the church from other Calvary's in the area. In 2024, Pastor Garrett Nates began a year-long process with the Elders and staff looking at who we are as a church, where we are headed, and how we could have greater impact as we serve our present age. That led us to our new name, announced in March 2025, Venture Church - A Community of Believing, Along the Way.

Venture Church embodies a spirit of exploration and forward-thinking that aligns with our mission to reach our community and beyond with Jesus' life-transforming power. The term "venture" suggests taking bold risks to impact people’s lives. By adopting this name, we aim to embrace and inspire a dynamic and adventurous faith journey.

While Venture Church represents a new chapter, we continue to uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ, Biblical values, and teachings that have been central to our church since 1955. This name change reflects our desire to maintain these commitments while also looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead.

Venture Church Q&R