A neighborhood church on Magnolia Avenue
Tower Grove Baptist Church sits at the corner of Tower Grove and Magnolia Avenues in St. Louis' Shaw neighborhood, between Tower Grove Park and the Missouri Botanical Garden. The church's mission is short and concrete: to manifest the love of Christ by serving our neighbors. That sentence shapes everything from Sunday worship at 10:15 am to free wrestling clinics for city kids to a Christian preschool that opens its doors at 6:30 in the morning.
Standing on Scripture, growing outward
Five core values anchor the church's life together. Stand on the Scripture, from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, holds that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Grow in Christ, from Ephesians 4:15, calls the body to speak the truth in love until it becomes mature in Christ. Serve Others, drawn from 1 Peter 4:10, urges every believer to use whatever gift he or she has received as a faithful steward of God's grace. Value Everyone rests on Hebrews 12:14, urging members to make every effort to live in peace with everyone. And Walk in the Spirit, from Romans 8:14, frames the church's openness to the Spirit's leading day by day.
Sunday worship at 10:15
One Sunday service gathers the whole church at 10:15 am. The service is also livestreamed on Vimeo, with recent sermons posted on the church's Vimeo and YouTube channels for those who cannot attend in person. Two secure offering boxes sit at the front of the sanctuary for in-person giving, and online giving is available through PayPal, with no PayPal account required.
Tower Grove Kids
During the same 10:15 am Sunday service, Tower Grove Kids welcomes children from birth through fifth grade. The ministry describes itself with a gardening image: a grove of fruit-bearing trees begins as one small seed, and the goal is to plant the seed of God's truth in children's hearts so they too can grow. Lessons are age-appropriate, biblical, and taught through song, games, and hands-on activities. Check-in opens between 10:00 and 10:20 am at the lobby kiosk, and parents can use the church's mobile app to check children in on the way. First-time families can register online ahead of time or simply register at the kiosk on Sunday morning.
Tower Grove Youth
Middle and high school students have a midweek gathering of their own. Tower Grove Youth meets in the church gym on Wednesdays; doors open at 5:30 pm with pizza, and the service runs from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, followed by open gym. On Sundays, students are welcome to worship with their parents at 10:15 am and then join a small group in Fellowship Hall afterward. A discipleship program pairs newer believers with a mature adult Christian to do life together; both students and adults can sign up through an online form.
Pastors for Burma and Congo
The pastoral staff reflects the international makeup of the surrounding community. Aung Lway serves as People of Burma Pastor, and Mudage Muga serves as Congolese Pastor, providing spiritual care and outreach to those immigrant communities that worship and meet alongside the rest of the church.
Tiger Training Center: free sport for St. Louis kids
The church's most unusual outreach is the Tiger Training Center, a ministry that runs free wrestling and soccer practices for young athletes in the city. Its stated mission is to show God's love by eliminating every barrier between student athletes and elite sports training for the City of St. Louis, and every practice and clinic offered through the program is free.
Wrestling is offered at two levels. An off-season and winter program is open to athletes from first through eighth grade, with a mandatory pre-season meeting each fall. A freestyle and Greco program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the church, welcoming wrestlers from sixth through twelfth grade, also at no cost. Soccer registration opens each summer, with a short three-day camp held on the church grounds for ages 5 through 11.
Tower Grove Christian Preschool
Tower Grove Baptist Church also operates Tower Grove Christian Preschool, a faith-based early childhood program serving children from three months old through Pre-K. The preschool describes its mission as nurturing the hearts and minds of young learners through high-quality, faith-filled education, joyful exploration, and a strong partnership with families.
Hours run Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, accommodating working families. The Experience Baby program serves infants with sensory-rich, play-based activities, while two-year-olds and four-year-olds use the Bob Jones Curriculum and three-year-olds and Pre-K students use the Abeka Curriculum. The preschool also offers weekly PE and music classes, chapel, healthy snacks, and lunch included in tuition. Partnerships with Tower Grove Park and the Missouri Botanical Garden let classrooms spill outside into nature.
Parents stay connected throughout the day through the Brightwheel app, which sends photos, meal and nap updates, and messages in real time. Tours can be scheduled through the preschool's online form or by calling (314) 776-6757.
Senior Pastor Mike Gregory
Mike Gregory leads the church as Senior Pastor. He and his family have been part of Tower Grove since 2007, when he joined the staff; he previously served as Head of School at Tower Grove Christian Academy and as Executive Pastor. In 2019 he stepped into the role of Interim Senior Pastor, and in August 2020 the congregation unanimously called him to serve as Senior Pastor. He holds an MBA from Roosevelt University, worked with several Fortune 100 companies before full-time ministry, and has served as a chaplain, vice president of the SNIA, and president of the NACBA St. Louis Chapter.
The pastoral team also includes Jim McNiel, Pastoral Minister and Staff Evangelist; Aung Lway, People of Burma Pastor; Mudage Muga, Congolese Pastor; and Bobby Broadhurst, Youth and Young Adults Pastor.
Getting connected
Visitors are invited to join a Bible study or disciple group through the church's Groups and Classes directory, where small groups meet throughout the week for study, encouragement, and prayer. The church uses Planning Center for its calendar, groups, and event registrations, and a dedicated mobile app (Church Center) is available for iOS and Android so families can check children in, sign up for events, and follow the church calendar on the go.