Airport Baptist Church was founded by Dr. Hendon Harris on December 21, 1947 in a one-room school house at 65th and Kilpatrick in Chicago. On Easter Sunday, 1948, the church moved to the Pasteur School at 58th and Kostner where it had more room to grow.

On December 11, 1949, Airport Baptist was officially organized as a Baptist Church, and it later entered the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches on February 19, 1950. Dr. Eugene Harris, professor at WheatonCollege, took the pastorate, and the congregation purchased the church building at 5000 S. Kedvale from the Chicago Presbytery, which it completely renovated.

Floyd Meyers was called to be the pastor of the Church in 1958. The church annex was purchased and remodeled, along with nine lots at 49th and Pulaski for a new church site. In 1966, Rev. Edgar Koons became the interim pastor and served until Rev. Robert Humphreys took the pastorate in July 1967.

In March 1968, the Church purchased 10 acres on Route 83 after having sold the lots at 49th and Pulaski to Ford Motor Company. In January 1969, the property at 5000 S. Kedvale was sold, and the congregation began meeting at Palisades School in Hinsdale as it began construction on Route 83. A ground breaking service was held on March 23, 1969, and on November 30 that year the first services were held at the new Church at 8910 S. Route 83 in Hinsdale. The name was also changed to “Emmanuel Baptist Church” at that time.

On October 9, 1985, Steven Szwarga, who was the assistant pastor, was elected to fill the pastorate, and the Church also decided at that time to become an independent Baptist Church. Emmanuel sold its property on Route 83 and moved to Lemont in June 1989. While the new church building was being constructed, the congregation first met in the Ambershires facility on 127th Street and later in the church parsonage on McCarthy Road. On December 10, 1989, the congregation moved into its newly constructed building at 1191 McCarthy Road.

In May 1998, Charles Copeland was called to be the pastor and served until September 2004. On December 19, 2004, Stephen Meister was called to fill the pastorate, which he holds to this day. Today, Emmanuel Baptist Church and its diverse and vibrant congregation continues to make a difference in Lemont and surrounding area through various outreach ministries, and it has a reputation of being one of the friendliest churches in the area.