History of the Northeastern Indiana Baptist Association

Northeastern Indiana Baptist Association (NEIBA) was formed in 1963 by four churches - Central, Elkhart; Jamestown; Forest Avenue, Mishawaka; and First Southern (now Statewood), Fort Wayne. These churches had constituted the eastern region of the Northern Indiana Association, which was affiliated with the Illinois State Association before the organization of the Indiana convention. Newly appointed Northern Indiana missionary, H.J. Conger began in 1959 serving the Fort Wayne area. In 1968, the churches in the South Bend/Elkhart area withdrew to form the North Central Association.

In 1965, Galen Irby was called to be the area missionary for Northeastern Indiana. Having moved to the area, May 8, 1960, he had served both as a Home Mission Board (HMB) missionary and pastor for the First Southern Baptist Church, now Statewood Baptist Church, Fort Wayne. Other missionaries who have served the area are Lowell Wright, Jess Cooke, T.B. Smith and Boyd Lacy. NEIBA's current missionary/Director of Missions / AMS is Matthew Gullion.

The Directors of Missions and their years of service
H.J. Conger              1959 – 1964
Galen Irby                1965 – 1967
Lowell Wright         1968 – 1973
Jess Cooke               1974 – 1989
T.B. Smith                 1991 – 2004
Boyd Lacy                 2006 – 2013
​Matthew Gullion    2013 – Present