The historic Immanuel Baptist Church campus in Pine Bluff has been listed for sale with an asking price of $1 million.
According to church officials, the 70,000-square-foot campus at 1801 W. 17th Ave. has been on the market since July 1st.
The property is being brokered by ReMax Platinum in Pine Bluff.
Church leaders say the decision to sell comes after a steady decline in attendance following the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the campus was built to accommodate hundreds of worshippers, average Sunday attendance has fallen to fewer than 50 people, making the property larger than the congregation’s current needs.
The church has a long history in Pine Bluff. Founded in 1911 as a Sunday school mission of First Baptist Church, the congregation became Hazel Street Baptist Church in 1914 before adopting the name Immanuel Baptist Church in 1939.
Over the decades, the campus expanded to include an auditorium, Sunday school classrooms, a children’s building, a gymnasium, dining facilities, a kitchen and additional parking.
The property is also tied to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who served as pastor from 1980 to 1986.
During his tenure, church attendance grew to between 750 and 1,000 people, and he launched a television ministry that eventually became low-power television station KIPB-LD.
Church officials said the station recently ceased broadcasting after equipment failures.
Although the church is seeking a buyer, leaders hope the property will continue serving the community in a similar capacity.
A future location for the congregation has not yet been selected, and church officials say they will begin searching for a new home once they receive a serious offer on the current campus.
