About Salt Of The Earth

Salt Of The Earth Church began with a simple but powerful conviction: the westside of Indianapolis needed a church where people from different backgrounds could gather as one body in Christ.

In 1990, Dr. Mark L. King was prayerfully led to plant a church rooted in the Word of God, committed to the Great Commission, and open to people of every ethnicity, generation, and walk of life. With the blessing of Little Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Salt Of The Earth was born.

The name came from the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth.” From the beginning, this name was more than a title.

It became a calling.

From the beginning, Salt has been a welcoming church family, diverse in makeup, united in faith, and committed to loving God, loving people, and serving the community around us.  Salt preserves. Salt protects. Salt purifies. Salt adds something necessary. That is the heart of this church. We believe the church is called to make a faithful difference in the lives of people, families, neighborhoods, and communities, and that it all begins right here on the westside of Indianapolis and extending wherever God gives us influence.

Small Means. Great Results.

Salt’s first worship service was held on September 23, 1990, in the Michigan Room of what was then the Best Western Waterfront Hotel. Seventy-five people gathered for that first service. The message preached by Dr. King was titled “Small Means, But Great Results,” drawn from the stories of Shamgar and Gideon.

That message became more than a sermon. It became part of Salt’s identity.

Again and again, God has used faithful people, modest resources, sacrificial giving, and willing hands to do more than anyone could have accomplished alone. From a hotel meeting room to a small office suite on West 10th Street, from a warehouse near 34th and Lowry to our current home on West 36th Street, the story of Salt has never been about buildings alone.

It has been about faith.

It has been about people willing to serve.

It has been about God opening doors at the right time.

A Church Built by Faithful Hands

Through the years, Salt has grown through worship, teaching, youth ministry, Bible study, senior ministry, outreach, nursing home visitation, and service beyond the walls of the church. Members have never been asked to simply attend; they have been invited to put their fingerprints on the work.

That spirit continues today.

Salt is a church where people serve together, pray together, learn together, and grow together. We honor the legacy of those who sacrificed to help establish this ministry, including Deacon Herman J. King and Sister Juanita King, whose generosity helped secure the church’s permanent home. Our education and conference center bears Herman J. King’s name as a reminder that the story of Salt has always been carried by faithful people.

In 2025, Salt paid off the mortgage on its property — another testimony that God has continued to provide, guide, and sustain this church.

But the story is not finished.

As we often say: you do not know what God is doing until He is done. And He is not done with Salt Of The Earth Church yet.

A Church for the Westside of Indianapolis

Salt Of The Earth Church is located on the westside of Indianapolis near Speedway, serving people and families from surrounding communities including Indianapolis, Speedway, Avon, Brownsburg, Clermont, and beyond.

Our worship experience reflects our roots in the traditional Black Baptist church, while our congregation includes people from many backgrounds, cultures, and generations. We believe the church should reflect the beauty of the body of Christ: many members, one Lord, one faith, one hope.

Our doors are open to all people. We believe every person matters to God, and we seek to be a church where people are welcomed, loved, taught the Word, and encouraged to grow in their walk with Jesus Christ.

What We Believe

Salt Of The Earth Church is committed to Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and the work of making disciples.

We believe God’s love is for the whole world. We believe the church is called to live out that love through worship, service, forgiveness, reconciliation, and faithful witness. We believe spiritual growth happens when people gather around biblical teaching, honest fellowship, prayer, and obedience to Christ.

Our guiding principles are simple:

Love the Lord.
Love people.
Love His principles and prescriptions.

These principles shape how we worship, how we serve, how we care for one another, and how we reach beyond ourselves.

Come See the Story for Yourself

Salt Of The Earth Church has a history worth remembering, but we are not only looking backward. We are looking ahead.

Whether you are searching for a church home, returning to church after time away, looking for a Bible-based church near Speedway, or simply wanting to grow in your relationship with God, we invite you to visit us.

Come worship with us.
Come grow with us.
Come serve with us.

The story of Salt is still unfolding, and there is room for you in it.