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History of Baseline Road Baptist church Researched by Bob Campbell & Sherry Reed
On or about April 9, 1975 The Association Missions committee approached the First Baptist Church of Apache Jct. AZ and the Hi-way Baptist Church of Mesa, AZ about co-sponsoring a Mission church to be located about 1 mile west of Ellsworth road. There was a choice parcel of Land, no less than 5 acres, owned by the California –Arizona-Texas Land and Cattle Corp., which could be had for $10,000 per acre. They were the developers of Desert Sands and had planned for the area to the north of our parcel to be for mobile homes and the area to the East to be for tract homes. They also wanted a church to be located on our parcel and therefore the offer was made. Only First Baptist of Apache Jct. followed through and made an offer of $ 8,000 per acre. This was predicated upon the availability of obtaining a loan through the Home Mission Board. The Trustees of First Baptist of Apache Jct. signed the legal instruments. Mr. Jimmy S. Eidson , Mr. Tom Green, Mr. Ralph Cain, Mr. Warren Dubois and the pastor Mr. Joe Malden of the First Baptist of Apache Junction were involved in getting the legal papers signed.
The offer was accepted by Mr. Neysa A. Donato, Vice President of the Corp. on April 24, 1975 And the agreement of purchase was entered into with Siesta Realty with $1000.00 down payment and the balance of $39,000 at close of escrow by a loan from the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board. The warranty deed was recorded on the 13th day of 1975.
The location of the property was at 7930 East Baseline Road, the northwest corner of 80th street and Baseline Road. The churches original members were, according to records available, Marvin, Margretta Sue, Gregory, and Vincent Lane, Ted and Maxine Mullins, Karen Scott, Waymon and Beatrice Dickson, and Nicholas John Donato and wife Glenda. The members held their first meetings in the home of Ted and Maxine Mullins with class rooms in the bed rooms and the main meetings in their living room. The church was named “Desert Sands Baptist Church” on Feb. 5th 1978. The first pastor was Mr. Marvin Lane called Feb. 1978. He resigned June 1978.due to the property not being zoned for a church and the congregation disbanded. By July 1979 these problems had been solved and work began once again..
Pastor R.G. Whitehead, his wife Grace and their 17-year-old son, David moved to the area as pastor of The Lakes Baptist Church in Tempe. Pastor Clovis Hibbard, now the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Apache Jct. extended a call to Pastor Whitehead to become the pastor of this new mission. Mr. Whitehead accepted and became the pastor and the name was changed to “Baseline Road Baptist Church”. The first official prayer meeting was in the home of Joe and Evelyn Reed on March 19, 1980. A mobile chapel was moved to the five-acre site and on March 30, 1980 the first service was held. Joe Mauldin brought the charge to the church and Pastor Whitehead brought the message during the service. The Brotherhood of Trinity Baptist Church in Phoenix along with some of the “ Mother “ church helped in surveying the area before the mission began. A tent revival was begun Easter Sunday April 6, 1980 with Pastor R.G. Whitehead preaching.
A building program began bathed in prayer. With $16,000 given from the Association Trust Fund, (a fund set up by Charlie Doyle, a layman) and with gifts from interested churches and individuals the first unit (a 4,000 Sq. Ft. building was built. In all, thirteen (13) Southern Baptist Churches outside Arizona, the Men’s Bible Class of Hollandale, Ms.and forty-two (42) individuals outside the mission membership have contributed.
The first Sunday school teachers were: Adults ---- Pastor Whitehead Youth ---- Mrs. Evelyn Reed Children ---- Mrs. Jean Wallace and Mrs. Mary VanDevander
Pre-school ---- Mr. and. Mrs. George Page and Mrs. Grace Whitehead Church Training teachers were: Adults and Youth --- Pastor Whitehead Children and Pre-school --- Mrs. Grace Whitehead Music and Youth Director ---- David Whitehead
The rising attendance soon led to having two (2) worship services on Sunday morning beginning June 1st, 1980. Also Sunday school classes were held in a bus. (The bus had been given to Pastor Whitehead by the “Lakes Baptist church of Tempe, the church he had started and pastored for 8 ½ years) and in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bear.
The current sanctuary was to be built first, with groundbreaking taking place on the 29th of June.
At a business meeting Dec. 10, 1980 the church voted to extend their loan over another 15 years and increase the loan to pay off the original loan and use the other moneys to install heating/ air conditioning and improve the parking lot. The report also stated that the high attendance for the month of Nov. was 200 with an average attendance of 179. Some of those members are still on our membership roll today, such as Mr. Don Townsand, Mrs. Lorene Mercurio, Mrs. Angela Hartwell, Mrs. Blanche Miles, Mrs. Neva Kilber, Mrs. Ron (Irene) Fontaine, Mrs. Delores Journey, and Mr. Bob and Betty Ray.
The total membership on Oct. 1980 was 63; Sunday school attendance average was 56 with 25 baptisms during the year.
Feb. 1981 it was decided to purchase an office mobile home. The association mobile chapel they had been using was needed by the association to begin another mission. A ground breaking for the second building took place on their first anniversary and dedication day. Several churches from out of state and individuals have helped make this building possible. First Baptist Church of Hobbs, New Mexico purchased the second mobile unit. Several mission and Service Corp workers were from the Home Mission Board have came to help build the building. Willard and Jackie Overstreet with their girls Ruth, Rachel and Becky came from Mississippi to help build and teach in the mission.
Ray Tanner and the TV crew from the Home Mission Board came to make movies of the building and the Mission Service Corp people who volunteer their services.
May 7th 1981 Duane McWillians was elected music director, David Whitehead was elected Youth director, Grace Whitehead became church Secty and clerk, Robert Whitehead Sunday School director, Dorothy McWilliams WMU director, Peggy Poston treasurer, Gary Hetheriton bus driver and Joe Reed bus mechanic. Other teachers in Sunday school and church training were elected.
June 7th, 1981 Pastor Whitehead presented plans for the next building committee and the vote carried 100%.
July 1st 1981 the church accepted 2 buses that had been purchased by a family.
Because of crowded conditions, another building was talked about. Pastor Whitehead told of the need and how could build by faith. August 1981 the ditches and trenches were started for a new 50’ x 120’ educational building. Service Corp workers Bill Bowles and Joe Heranny building superintendents gave much time on the building. During the months other Mission and Service Corp workers came to work on the building. Al and Emma Jennings from Oklahoma helped 4 months. Those serving on the building committee were: Mr. Ken McWilliams, Mr. Charles Jackson, Mr. Lannis Owens, Mr. U.R. Neely Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Walter Herrington and Mr. Lester Smith.
We thank First Southern Baptist Church of Apache Jct. for being our Mother church for sign- ing our loan papers, making our loan payments for the first year, letting us use their baptistery to baptize, and for inviting us to their church activities. For their prayers and office help and for the many other little things they have done for us.
We thank our missionary Mark Daniel and his wife, Clara and our Association Secretary, Mrs. Maxine Bowles, for their help in the office and moral support and other helps. For Bill Bowles in helping locate building materials. For Jim Phipps, the first building Supt. and for the people in the area who have helped clean the grounds and buildings and help build. For each member in the mission for the giving of their time, money, and personality and for Bro. Whitehead in his leadership. We thank the lord for the Home Mission Board in loaning money to buy the land and for the help of the Arizona State Convention for their help and in our Pastor receiving CPA.
Sept 2nd 1981 Mr. U.R. Neely, Sr. donated a 1973 Plymouth automobile to be used by the church.
Oct 1981 the membership of the church had grown over the preceding year to 150, Sunday school attendance average was 82, with 44 baptisms during the year.
December 1981 the church went a little over their Lottie Moon Christmas offering goal of $500.00
Jan 1982 the church voted to pay the expenses for Mr. and Mrs. Glen McFarland to move here from Ft. worth, Texas. Mr. McFarland was coming as an Interim Pastor to replace Bro. R. G. Whitehead who was stepping down May 30 to begin working as a Home Missionary with the Estrella Baptist Association as an Area missionary. Bro. Glen is a Grand Canyon College graduate and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The church adopted a budget of $ 92,000 with no negative votes.
June 1982 Bro. McFarland was voted to become the regular Pastor.
Oct 1982 the membership of the church had grown to 194, Sunday school attendance average was 85 with 33 baptisms during the year.
Nov 7, 1982 a ceremony was held and it was resolved that our church terminate it’s mission status and organize as a New Testament church.
May 1983 the church voted to begin a new mission with Gary Luukonen as pastor. First Baptist Church of Hurst, Texas where Gary Kirksey, former pastor of Lakes, Tempe, is pastor, will help support the mission financially. Luukonen was a member of Lakes before leaving to attend seminary.
August 1989 Bro. Glen McFarland, being a member of the Armed Forces Reserves accepted a position of Chaplain and re-located to Tacoma, Washington.
Feb 7, 1990 Bro.Don Crosby, his wife Jennifer and son Matthew came to join the church. Bro Don was voted into the church as Pastor and Jennifer was employed as music director. They remained until he submitted his resignation as of July 31, 2000.
August 2000 Mr. Jerry Martin, director of evangelism and missions, came as an Interim pastor while the church prepared a pastor search committee.
March 2001 with the help of 30+ teen volunteers from Mustang, Oklahoma and many dedicated workers from the church it was given a new and attractive paint scheme. The grounds also were given a tender going over to make it even more attractive. Chuck Ward, Bldg. & Grounds chairman, Ron Hesterly, Keith Griffith (a winter visitor from Canada) Don Townsend, Al Braught, John West, Roger Wernecke, Steve and Jan Schafer, Dolores Journey, Bob Campbell, Terry See, Tom and Nilda Tisch were among those that worked hard to make it happen. Martha Durham, Kitchen Committee chairwoman, along with helpers Marlene Keller, Irene Fontaine, Delores Journey and Eleanor Saulsberry provided the lunch for the workers.
June 23-29, 2001 the church held it’s annual Bible School. This year they were fortunate to have a group of about 20 young people of Bethel Baptist church in Bethel, Oklahoma come, at their expense, for the week and assist in the programs. Although the attendance was down from previous years it went off well and all had a good time of fellowship and learning about Jesus. Many thanks to those young people.
July1, 2001 was the last service for interim pastor, Jerry Martin. (As Director of Evangelism his time was limited and he had served Baseline as interim pastor longer than the Association had Been willing to permit.) The church then approached LaVern Lewis, a retired pastor from Chandler, and father-in-law of Rev. Rick Warren,, to be the interim and he accepted beginning his first service on July 22nd.
During the month of July several wanted to remodel the kitchen and Chuck Ward began a drive to raise the funds. Enough was raised for new cabinets to be installed on the East Side of the kitchen plus new counter tops for the West Side and the serving window. This was completed by the end of August. Another drive will raise the money to complete the balance of the kitchen.
During the month of August the search committee had narrowed the field of resumes down to one individual. Pastor Cecil Hopson was called to preach on Sunday Sept. 16 in view of a call and the church voted unanimously to accept him to be our pastor. Pastor Hopson accepted our call and he and his wife Linda expressed to the congregation how much they enjoyed the welcome and warmness they received. Pastor Hopson said he would begin his ministry with the church on Sept. 30th , 2001
In the spring of 2005 Cecil and Rick Fowler, the pastor of Power Road Baptist Church happened to be discussing churches and church growth. It came about that Power Road was sitting in the path of progress and development and were having to sell and relocate. Discussion led to the thought of combining the 2 churches and then work to sell Baseline Road also and build a new and bigger church in a different location. Further talks brought the subject to both congregations and they agreed it was a good plan and by vote agreed to move the Power Road group to Baseline. This was done in the summer of 2005. In the spring of 2006 an offer was made on the Power Road site and accepted. With Pastor Rick coming in we now had two full time pastors.
In March of 2006 we received word that our former interim pastor, LaVern Lewis had passed away at his daughter’s home in Calif. A memorial was held for him March 31st. at Gateway Fellowship Church and his son-in-law and noted author Rick Warren gave the eulogy.
In 2007 the church was approached by a Spanish Pastor who had a few followers and a need for a place to hold services. The church allowed them to use the buildings on Sunday afternoons. As time went by their group grew and were allowed to become members of the church and because of the language problem they used the fellowship hall for their services on Sunday mornings. During the year also, we were able to purchase the remaining lot at the West end of the property and that gave us ownership of the entire block from 78th St to 80th St,
As the year 2007 came to an end Pastor Rick and Cecil agreed that the church was really to small to accommodate 2 full time pastors and Rick chose to resign. In Jan. 2008 Pastor Cecil decided to retire from the ministry and the church was put in the position of searching for a new Pastor. Also the Spanish Group had grown to the point they needed a church of their own so the church aided them in locating and getting settled. In the meanwhile the church chose to get a Transitional Pastor and Gary Dodrill was chosen in June, 2008 to fill that role.
In January 2010, the church called Doug DeLong and his family to be pastor. |