Founded in 1891, Idlewild grew into a prominent Memphis church over the next several decades, moving into its current building in 1928.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Idlewild was one of the few churches in Memphis that held racially integrated worship services.

[2] Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Idlewild helped found the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), a community service organization that serves 50,000 people in West Tennessee annually.

Idlewild is welcoming and affirming of the LGBT community, and blesses same-sex unions in its sanctuary.

After an interim period under the leadership of pastor Anne Apple, Idlewild called David Powers to serve as pastor in late 2020 [6] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Idlewild has served as a mobile food bank distribution site for families in need in the Memphis area.