Historical Highlights
The Early Years, 1928-1940
On March 18, 1928, a council was called for the purpose of constituting Buechel Baptist Church. A.C. Chism was called as the first pastor. The church began construction of the church building at Six Mile Lane and Bardstown Road in the summer of 1928. The first worship service was held on Thanksgiving Day of that year.
Pastors
A.C. Chism (April,1928 – January,1930)
Charles F. Leek (December,1930 – July,1931)
Gaines S. Dobbins (July, 1931 – December, 1934)
B. LaMar McGinty (January, 1935 – June, 1937)
Ozie D. Pruett (September, 1937 – October, 1940)
War and Turmoil, 1941-1947
In September 1943, the church was presented with an opportunity to buy the property next door that housed a store known as a “beer joint.” The money left from this purchase was invested in War Bonds.
Pastors
T. Emerson Wortham (May, 1941 – March, 1942)
Theron D. Price (June,1942 – August, 1943)
E. W. Moon (January, 1944 – December, 1947)
Stability and Growth, 1948-1964
On Thanksgiving of 1948, the church gathered to celebrate twenty years of ministry in the Buechel community. In July of 1949, the church purchased another portion of land adjoining the property on Bardstown Road and began to think together about the need of expanding building facilities. After months of prayerful consideration, the church chose to buy property on Hikes Lane, its present location. The sale was concluded in June of 1953, a risk of faith which has proven itself many times in the intervening years. On December 8, 1954, the church approved a recommendation from the deacons that the name of the church be changed to Buechel Park Baptist Church. A new recreation building was completed in the summer of 1958. In March of 1958, the church adopted a Constitution and By-Laws to set clear guidelines for the operation of the organization and business of the church.
In 1958, the church began to extend its mission outlook. The most significant expression of mission concern came in the move to establish another church in the Buechel community. In July 1959 seven and one-half acres were purchased. Within two years of the purchase, the Midlane Park Baptist Mission came to life. Midlane Park began a vital ministry to the Buechel community and was re-united with Buechel Park on February 28, 2010.
Pastors
W. W. Richardson (October, 1948 – November, 1953)
John Boykin (Mary, 1954 – September, 1956)
Wallace DeLoach (September, 1956 – May, 1965)
Maturity and Social Change, 1965-1978
The focus of church life came to center on the importance of personal relationships. Pastors stressed the importance of a counseling ministry, and the activities of the church seemed to center on meeting human needs and bringing people together. In February 1967 the church took new steps forward in crossing both denominational and racial lines. Church membership grew to 1,344. Beginning in the 1970’s, the church explored new frontiers in their Christian mission.
The ministry of Larry Dipboye, who published the first history of Buechel Park, The First Fifty Years of Buechel Park Baptist Church, as represented in this summary, was installed as pastor in 1974. The character of Buechel Park in the years of 1975 to 1980 was centered in the necessity of decision. One such decision included the study and ultimately the approval of new guidelines providing the election of women to serve as deacon. In 1976, Mazelle Allen began the first woman deacon, and in 1977 Julia Tate was also chosen to serve as deacon. The issue of school busing for racial integration was addressed as a matter of Christian conscience.
Pastors
Victor Priebe (August, 1965 – May, 1968)
Thomas A. Moore (January, 1969 – March, 1974)
Larry Dipboye (November, 1974 – August, 1988)
Minister of Music
Kendale Moore
Associate Pastor, Ed Causey (1978-1980)
Minister of Music and Education, Barbara Stauffer (1982)
Minister of Recreation, Robert D. Spears, Sr. (1981-1983)
Minister of Music, Paul Clark (1982-1984)
Minister of Youth and Education, Joe Metts (1984-1985)
Minister of Youth and Recreation, Linda McComb (1984)
Minister of Music, Lynn Packwood (1985-1986)
Minister of Education and Youth, David Cassady (1986-1991)
Minister of Music, Phillip J. Morrow (1987-1992)
Women & Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, 1979 – 2015
Rob Nash, 1989-1992
Rob Nash came to Buechel Park in June 1989. The issue of women in ministry and the support of Jefferson Street Mission occurred between Buechel Park and Long Run Baptist Association. Jefferson Street had called Cindy Webber as pastor, which was supported by Buechel Park but not by Long Run. Long Run asked the Mission to vacate their building. A new location was found and Buechel Park began a supportive relationship which continues to this day.
During this time and due to the dramatic altering of the historical nature and identity of the Southern Baptist Convention by the rise of fundamentalism, Buechel Park became the first church in the area to escrow funds from the Cooperative Program (1990).
Associate Pastor, David Cassady (1990-1991)
Associate Pastor, Amy Mears (1992-1993)
Bruce Hardy, 1993-2000
Hardy led the church in long-range planning with VISION 2000 and organized workshops such as Parenting by Grace and divorce recovery. The children’s ministry was expanded through the establishing of the position of Minister to Children. Dr. Hardy organized the evangelistic ministry and emphasized global missions. Hands-on missions were begun during this time.
Minister of Youth/Recreation and Music, Barry L. Combs (1993-1994)
Minister to Youth, Chip Jenkins (1994-1998)
Minister to Children, Julia Yuen (1994-1999)
Minister of Music, Todd Greve (1995-1998)
Minister of Music, Bruce Maples (1999-2005)
Minister of Youth, David Hood (1999)
Don Rogers, August 2000 – April 2015
Rogers emphasized the importance of church members being directly involved in missions and ministry. Vital ministries were continued with actions taken with new partnerships: Kentucky Baptist Fellowship (Mountain Hope, Extreme Build), neighborhood schools (Christmas Shoeboxes, winter coats, Valentines), YMCA, Red Cross Disaster Response, Metro-Louisville Senior Nutrition and Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts.
In February of 2001 and after a lengthy process of prayerful study guided by the Denominational Relations Team, Buechel Park approved the severing of ties with the Southern Baptist Convention and thereafter placed its primary affiliation with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. The primary issues that guided this decision was the SBC’s revision of the Baptist Faith and Message which: reasserted the inferior status of women, weakened the long-held Baptist distinctive of the priesthood of all believers, and diminished Jesus Christ as the final authority on the interpretation of scripture.
In February 2010, Buechel Park united with Midlane Park Baptist Church forming one new congregation under the charter of Buechel Park. The joining of these two congregations has strengthened our fellowship and missional journey in our community and the world.
Minister of Youth, Becky Speight (2000)
Minister to Children, Wende Abihabib (2000 – 2004)
Minister to Youth, Mark Nethery (2000 – 2004)
Minister to Youth, Anita Roper (2005 – 2009)
Minister of Music and Families, Katie Anderson (2006 – 2009)
Minister of Music, Brittany Krebs (2010 – 2013)
Minister of Youth, Jon Self (2009 – 2013)
Minister to Children and Families, Andrew Noe (2010 – 2013)
Minister with Youth, Sara Turpin (2013)
Minister of Music, Jacob Cook (2014 – 2015)
Unity – Living into God’s Mission, 2016 – 2021
Erica Whitaker, September 2016 – October 2021
Pastor Erica began her ministry with BPBC in the fall of 2016. BPBC united together under a new mission statement. Strategic planning and visioning work began in the spring of 2018. With the formation of a new budget, new leadership structure and new ministry teams, BPBC began leaning into new hope for tomorrow.
Summer Youth Intern, Jessica Jenkins (2016)
Children’s Ministry Intern, Morgan Fritz (2017-2018)
Summer Intern, Hannah Moody (2018)
Summer Intern, Jackson Campbell (2019)
Pastoral Intern, Keith Mitchell (2019 – 2020)
Music Director, Matthew Butterfield (2019 – 2021)
Summer Pastoral Intern, Morgan Fritz (2020)
Pastoral Intern, Kevin Adams (2019-2021)
Pastoral Intern, Erica Crosby (2020-2021)
Minister of Music, David A. Lindsay (2015 – 2019, 2021)
Pianist, Luann Johnson (2019 – 2022)
Custodian, Enricco Clarkson (2017-2022)
Interim Minister of Congregational Care, Kevin Adams (2021 – 2022)
Interim Minister with Youth, Jackson Campbell (2021 – 2022)
Interim Director of Music, Kristofer Anderson (2022)
Interim Senior Pastor, Sara Turpin (October 2021 – August 2022)
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation, Sara Turpin (2014 – 2022)
That Which Is Being Written, 2022 – Present
Sara Clarke Turpin (September 2022 – Present)
Pastor Sara began her ministry with Buechel Park in 2013, but in 2022, was called by the congregation as Senior Pastor. Together, the church is exploring creative ways to lean into our mission, care for our neighbors, and share the love of Jesus Christ with all.
Preschool Director, Nicole Davis (2000 – Present)
Administrative Assistant / Office Manager, Leigh Meers (2014 – Present)
Music Associate, Shelley Shumate (2018 – Present)
Custodian, Scott Johnson (2022 – Present)
Minister for Music & Worship, Dr. John Campbell (2022 – Present)
Associate Pastor for Children & Youth, Rachel Sherron (2023 – Present)