The mission was born September 20. 1964. Since that time a strong witness for Jesus has gone throughout the community. Salem Baptist Church has been blessed with strong leadership and people willing to work.

During the summer of 1964, the preparatory work for organizing a Baptist Mission in the Salem Community was begun. This phase of the work was sponsored by the Central Baptist Association under the leadership of Association Missionary, Brother Hugh Owen and layman Herman Thurman.

The first formal meeting was on September 16th. 1964, at the clubhouse at Lake Sail – Em. ( The clubhouse was formally a dairy barn ). Those attending were Brother Hugh Owen, Lib Carlisle, Bill Millsap, the Herman Thurman family, the Bob Messer family, Mr. & Mrs. David Powell, Mr. & Mrs. Nolan Justice, and Mrs. Ralph Russell. A total of 15 people were present.

The First Baptist Church of Benton was ask to sponsor the Lake Salem Baptist Mission and the first services were to be held on September 20, 1964.