Back in 1992, God gave a call to Eric Madsen for the need of a King James Bible, independent, fundamental, missionary and soul-winning separated Baptist church here in Cottonwood, California.

On October 4, 1992 the first service of Cottonwood Bible Baptist Church was held in the Native Daughters Hall on Brush Street in historic old town Cottonwood after two weeks of services at Pastor Madsen's home.

Many people have come to Cottonwood Bible Baptist Church these past 10 years. Some stayed, some left, some benefitted for a while and shared, others were led on to other realms, and some fell by the wayside, while a few have gone on into serving the Lord on their own. Nevertheless, each person who has attended has been an important part of the history of our church and in our hearts.

Some of the firsts and highlights of our church are:

1992 - Pastor started our first, month-long study of why the King James Version of the Bible is, was, and still represents nothing less than the Inspired, Preserved, and Transmitted Word of God in Heaven Himself. We invite you to attend our yearly study in February.

February 14, 1992 - we had the first Valentine's Day Fellowship

March 16, 1992 - we had our first church Work Day, when we painted the inside of the Native Daughters' Hall.

First Missionaries - Brother and Mrs. Shepard, serving the Lord on the Caribbean island of Grenada, were the first missionaries to a foreign land to come to CBBC and share their work with us.

November 6, 1993 Pastor Madsen was ordained a minister of the Gospel by Pastor Don Elliott, and Pastors Gilbert, Smith, and Wroten.

The year of 1993 saw the formation of a teen youth group with Pastor and Melody the first leaders, then Bro. John and Jennifer Burchfield led the teens, now Bro. Mike and April Ashton are leading the teens. The teen activities have included game nights, bowling, hobo night, talent nights, skating, scavenger hunts, snow trips, also fund raisers to earn money for camp each year.

March 6, 1994 the Church Charter of Cottonwood Bible Baptist Church was approved and signed by nine members. Soon after we moved to our present location at Balls Ferry Rd and Adobe Rd, where the Lord had provided a ready made church for us. Here's a map CBBC ~ (unnofficial link)

Now we were able to start Sunday School Classes, an important part of our growth.

In the Spring of 1994 the church was presented with the gift of a brand new van, that has enabled us to expand our ministry to more people.

July 4th 1995 we had a picnic and water fight (a necessary diversion in our sizzling summertime heat). Needless to say, our resident practical joker, Duane Brown, made his unique flambuoyant contribution -- bringing a classic fire truck.

October 1998 was our first acquaintance with one of our favorite evangelists, Ken and Annie Dean. It is always a blessing to have the distinctive (and fresh to us) illumination we get from our 'outsiders' -- and to give Pastor a bit of a rest.

Here's a map CBBC ~ (unnofficial link)

Fulton Oursler, in one of his books on the Bible declares that his purpose is to give some foretaste of the water of life that rises from that deep well of Truth that is the Book of Books. Oursler quotes some of our great statesmen on the crucial role of the Bible. George Washington: It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. John Adams called the Bible the best book in the world. Lincoln said Take all of this book upon reason that you can and the balance by faith and you will live and die a better man. In our century of disillusion Woodrow Wilson declared: The Bible is the Word of Life: I beg that you will read it and find out for yourself. And Theodore Roosevelt added : Almost every man who has by his life-work added to the sum of human achievement of which the race is proud, almost every such man has based his life-work largely upon the teachings of the Bible. Fulton Oursler, Preface to Behold This Dreamer