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Brief History of the Owingsville Baptist Church By Bruce E. Truman, Former
Pastor, Owingsville Baptist Church 1996-2002 The 1770’s saw Baptists make their way from Virginia to Kentucky. Squire Boone, Daniel Boone’s brother, was one of the first Baptist preachers in Kentucky; and in many ways Kentucky history parallels Baptist history, for Baptists were some of the first pioneers. Their work and influence spread rapidly, and by the mid 1940’s only three Kentucky county-seat towns did not have a Baptist church. Those towns were Frenchburg, Stanton, and Owingsville. Confident in God’s call, seeing fields white unto harvest, and with a view toward starting a Baptist work, County Missionary Rev. F.C. Tuttle came to Owingsville in 1946 and began canvassing the town to determine if any Baptists resided in Owingsville. Upon discovering sufficient interest, Rev. Tuttle in August of that year brought a large tent to town and held a series of tent meetings. Those tent meetings generated encouraging response, and so in September, with the help of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, Bro.Tuttle acquired the Coyle Street lot upon which the present church building now sits. In June 1947 he held another tent meeting, at the close of which the Owingsville Baptist Church was constituted with thirteen charter members. Those members were Mary Ella Davis, Robert M. Clarke, Sr., Anna Lee Clarke, Homer Manuel, Josephine Manuel, Elmer Stone, H.C. Burnette, Pauline Burnette, Virginia Gibson, Jim L. Davis, Vesta Sue Cottle, John W. Layne, and Maxine Knott. The church continued to worship under the shelter of the tent and in homes until August 1948, when they broke ground for the construction of the church building. The strategy was simple: build a basement; use it for temporary quarters, and then save the necessary capital for later construction of the complete building. For several years the Owingsville Baptist Church worshipped in this basement, which initially had an earthen floor. When it rained water would pool on the floor, and many times the preacher would deliver his sermon while standing in a puddle of water. During this time, the church became known locally as the “Underground Baptist.” Great crowds filled the basement, and for ten years the Baptists planned and saved for the day when they could complete their house of worship. That house of worship became reality under the tireless leadership of Rev. Garlon Sills, and in 1958 the church completed construction of a new sanctuary. On September 28, 1958 the church held much-anticipated dedication services in the new sanctuary. The steeple was added in 1984. Outfitted with a wonderful carillon system, it was dedicated to the memory of the charter members. An Owingsville native, M. Keith Tingle, became pastor in 1989 and led the church to renovate the sanctuary interior, covering the bare concrete block walls with drywall and crown molding, and adding lovely brass chandeliers. The churches latest pastor, Bruce Truman, served from1996 to December 2002 and led the church in a fresh wave of growth that necessitated the acquisition of more property. A new parking area was added to help foster this growth. In 1999, the Owingsville Baptist Church became the first church in Owingsville to launch a web site, www.owingsvillebaptist.org, and receives about 100 visitors each month to the site. The church stresses outreach and planning for the future. The Owingsville Baptist Church has been blessed to pitch its tent in Bath County for the past fifty-three years. The past is rich, the present is wonderful, and the future is exciting. |