History

For over 30 years, Valley View Baptist Church has been a place where countless people, of all walks of life, have been able to learn, love, grow, experience and share the Love of Jesus with one another. We’re especially grateful you have taken the time to visit our website and hope that you will decide to come visit us in person, if you have not done so already.

Here, we share our history with you, so that you can get to know us a little better. We especially look forward to getting to know you better as well.

The Barn
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On May 8, 1977 a group of nine people met in a home for prayer. Sensing God’s presence they continued to meet and the group began to grow. In the fall of 1977 they moved their meetings to the American Legion building, affectionately called The Barn, on Crume Road in Vine Grove.

The body was led by Reverend Elmer Palmer. As numbers and fellowship increased it became clear that this group of people was beginning to function as a church. They voted to call themselves the Southern Baptist Fellowship Group and began to contribute to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Full Time Pastor
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Reverend Palmer provided invaluable leadership to this new body. In November of 1977 he urged the group to call a full-time Pastor. Shortly thereafter the group called Reverend Adrian Lampkin as its first full-time Pastor.

The Fellowship Group began to experience tremendous growth and new groups began to form within the Fellowship, including the Woman’s Missionary Union and the monthly Men’s Prayer Breakfast. The Fellowship Group began to support many activities, including the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program, Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong mission’s offerings, Kentucky Baptist Children’s Care Program, the Severns Valley Association of Baptists and other community needs.

Becoming Official

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In March of 1980 the Group began to discuss the possibility of becoming a mission of the Severns Valley Baptist Church or forming a new church on their own. It was decided that the Group was ready to stand on their own and began to move toward constituting the body as a church.

On September 14, 1980 a service was held for the purpose of officially forming the Southern Baptist Fellowship Group as a church. The Severns Valley Baptist Church served as host. With 138 charter members, the Group became the Southern Baptist Fellowship Church.

Building
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On October 1, 1980 the site committee recommended the purchase of eight and one half acres on Valley View Drive in Vine Grove to provide a location for construction of a permanent facility. By January 1981 the debt for the land was paid and the church established a Building Fund and designated all fifth Sunday offerings to the fund. The Church voted to change its name to the Valley View Baptist Church.

After serving faithfully for two years Reverend Lampkin resigned, feeling that he was unable to continue in his work because of health concerns.  On September 1, 1981 Reverend William Steeger was called as Pastor. Reverend Steeger proved to be a much needed catalyst in urging a young church to realize her potential.

On November 28, 1982 a special service was conducted at the site on Valley View Drive. The foundation for the new building was marked by a string boundary and the congregation gathered within it for a service of commitment to the Lord and to each other. Construction began soon after and on October 16, 1983 a dedication service was held in the newly completed building.

Reverend Steeger resigned as Pastor in 1984 to accept an assignment as a missionary with the Foreign Mission Board. On March 3, 1985 Reverend Ray Sullivan became the third Pastor. During his service the Church paved the parking lot, upgraded the sound system, and continued to grow in commitment and service. In 1989 Reverend Sullivan resigned to move to a Pastorate in Georgia.

On July 12, 1989 Reverend William Hurt accepted the Church’s call to become the fourth full-time Pastor. Valley View continued to grow steadily with Reverend Hurt’s leadership. He resigned in 1991 to accept a Pastorate in his home state of Mississippi.

Reverend Michael Rodgers was called as Pastor on July 5, 1992. Under his guidance the Church retired its debt and completed what had only been a dream a decade earlier. In 1997 he resigned to pursue other endeavors.

The Latest
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On September 20, 1998 Reverend Christian Burton was called as Pastor. Under his direction a long-range plan was adopted to utilize resources and increase ministries. That plan included construction of a 16,000 square foot Christian Life Center, which was completed in June 2001 and paid off in 2009. Also, significant in this plan was the church’s expansion of its ministries with full-time Minister of Music in 2001 and full-time Minister of Youth in 2002. Christian left us in June 2010 to pursue other endeavors. Dr. Tom Townsend is presently serving as our Interim Pastor.

The Valley View Baptist Church looks forward with hope as she continues to grow. We envision a future of relevant ministries, additional staff, increased congregational participation, and most importantly, love and grace from our Father in Heaven through our Savior, Jesus Christ.