$1.75 Million for a Closed Catholic Church: A Growing Baptist Congregation Buys a Seven-Acre Campus

• Rockport Baptist Church bought the former St David’s Catholic Church for $1.75 million
• The seven-acre site includes a sanctuary, gymnasium, classrooms and offices
• The Catholic parish had merged with another after Vatican approval
• An HVAC repair expected to cost $200,000 was done for about $20,000

A growing Baptist church in Missouri has found a new home in a closed Catholic church, The Pathway reported in May 2026.

Rockport Baptist Church in Arnold paid $1.75 million for the former St David’s Catholic Church, which had merged with another parish after Vatican approval. The seven-acre property includes a large sanctuary, a gymnasium built in the 1980s, classrooms and office space.

The congregation had outgrown its space and rejected adding a second service. “You end up with two congregations,” said Pastor Scott Lee. His wife, Amy Lee, said she had prayed that God would open up another church they could purchase. Lee admitted he had doubted it: “It won’t happen.”

Renovations went better than expected. An HVAC repair that the church expected to cost about $200,000 was completed for about $20,000. The church will remove Catholic religious objects and adapt the building for Baptist worship. “God answered prayers amazingly better than expected. And he has provided a new home for the congregation that more than meets our needs,” Lee said.

The sale reflects a growing pattern in which church buildings pass from shrinking to growing congregations. For the seller, it avoids a vacant building and brings in money; for the buyer, it provides far more space than it could afford to build.

In Jamaica, church buildings sometimes change hands between denominations as congregations merge or move. Buyers should commission a building inspection, check title and any deed restrictions on use, and budget for adapting the space. Sellers can ease the process by being open about repairs and by agreeing clearly what fixtures and furnishings are included.

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