In 1968, I recognized God was calling me to Australia to win souls and establish New Testament Churches. At the time I was the Pastor of Avalon Avenue Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This was one of three churches God had used us to plant and fully establish over a period of ten years. Looking back, it is easy to see that my church planting experience was critical to my ministry in Australia.
With the sponsorship of First Baptist Church, Bryant, Arkansas, we completed deputation and on December 10, 1969 and flew out of Little Rock Arkansas on a 707 bound for the land down under. (Later on West Somerset Baptist Church, Somerset, Kentucky, would sponsor us.) Upon arrival on the field, we were soon convinced God was leading us to plant the first church in Campbelltown, a western suburb of Sydney. Over the early months we attempted to knock on every door in our new and growing suburb; not only inviting people to send their children to Sunday School and then worship with us when we began our worship services, but sharing the gospel as well.
Sherwood Hills Baptist Church and Christian School
Over the next four years we saw many souls saved and baptised in our personal work as well as in our youth work and other services. Purchase of property and finance of the building was done with the cooperation of a local bank. Our growing group also financed the building. Volunteers did most of the work. The completed building was dedicated on December 14, 1975. Approximately 180 people were present for the dedication.
In 1979 we were convinced of the need for a Christian School. We built a facility and established and organized a twelve grade Christian School. The first Learning Centre was built and the School opened in February, 1979.
In 1980, I notified our supporting churches that Sherwood Hills Baptist Church would be self-supporting in the future and stopped all overseas support. I became the “Australian Pastor” of a fully self-supporting church. Below: Sherwood Hills Baptist Church and Christian School
Hinterland Baptist Church
In 1989 we left Sherwood Hills Baptist Church and returned to America to go back on the church planting mission field. We were convinced God was leading us to go about six hundred miles North to the Gold Coast of Queensland to plant another New Testament Church. God blessed us with a new sponsoring church, Grace Baptist of Bowie, Maryland. Beginning in 1990, this church and their pastor, David Price, generously supported our work in establishing Hinterland Baptist Church.
Our approach and methodology remained the same as in the four previous churches we had planted. Door knocking and personal soul winning were the primary tools God blessed. We saw a good number saved and baptised. In 1993 we had obtained two and one-half acres of prime property on the main North-South Motorway between Sydney and Brisbane. In June 1996 we dedicated the completed building. Below: During church construction, and Hinterland Baptist Church.
