About our church
Burnaugh Baptist Church was founded on October 16th, 1949. Burnaugh is a Southern Baptist Church and subscribes the doctrinal commitments expressed in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Burnaugh is a member of the Greenup Association of Baptists.
The History of Burnaugh Baptist Church
Written by Faye Craft in 1974, for the 25th anniversary of the founding of our Church
In the summer of 1949 Rev. Bert Caldwell, missionary for the Greenup Association of Baptists, came to the Burnaugh community and held a tent meeting on a lot owned by Mr. Charles S. Rankin. The response was encouraging. Several people made professions of faith and there were several Baptists living in the community at the time, most of them having moved here with the Tennessee Gas Transmission Company.Up to the time of the coming of T.G.T. to this area, this was predominantly a Methodist community, with five Methodist Churches to be found within a distance of approximately ten miles. Since Methodism had been the only religious teaching in the community for over a century, it was deeply implanted in the hearts and minds of the people whose forefathers had lived here for generations.Nevertheless, enough Baptists were found to warrant the organization of a Baptist Church and so the Burnaugh Missionary Baptist Church was organized on October 16, 1949. Representatives from about 15 Baptist Churches met with the people at Burnaugh, heard the reasons for wanting a church here, and proceeded with the organization.According to the records, ten people, having letters from other Missionary Baptist Churches, made up the charter membership of the Church. Eight members were received for baptism; seven of them were baptized immediately following the service.The church was to be called the Burnaugh Missionary Baptist Church and it accepted as its statement of faith the New Hampshire Confession of Faith.Brother Bert Caldwell pastored the young church for the first few months. Meetings continued to be held in the tent for a while and later in the home of Brother and Mrs. Alex Fry. In November, the church purchased the lot in which our building now stands, from Brother Alex Fry. The construction of our church building began in the early spring of 1950. On May 21, the church services were held in the new building.On July 30, 1950, the church voted to call as their Pastor, Brother Thurman Jackson. Bro. Jackson accepted the call; was ordained Oct. 22 of that year. The young church grew and prospered under Brother Jackson's leadership. He remained with the church until Nov. 9, 1955, when he left to become pastor of the First Baptist Church in Wurtland, KY.On May 9, 1956, the church issued a call to Rev. Calvin Terry. We moved Brother Terry and his family onto the church field and he remained with us until November, 1958. In 1957 the church suffered quite a loss when, due to a difference in doctrinal interpretation, nine adult members left our fellowship. In November, 1958, Brother Terry submitted his resignation. Once more, the little church was without a pastor.Rev. John Atkins came to be our pastor in February, 1959, and resigned in January the following year.From November, 1960, until September, 1961, Brother P.K. Woods served as pastor. In January, 1962, the church invited a young lay minister by the name of Wayne Kuhner to fill our pulpit for as long as he felt led to do so or until the church should be directed by God to call an ordained man onto the field.By April 28, 1965, this promising young man had felt a definite call from God in to the gospel ministry and expressed his desire to be licensed and ordained. The church voted to license Wayne and made plans for his ordination which took place May 9, 1965. On March 6, 1966 Brother Wayne submitted his resignation and we sadly gave him over to the Worthington Baptist Church. Once again the little flock at Burnaugh was without a shepherd.Rev. Everett Kiger became pastor of the church in January, 1968, and continued until May of the same year. During the next few years the church was led by a faithful layman and dedicated christian, Brother William C. McFarland who acted as moderator and held things together until January, 1971, when the church issued a call to Rev. Richard Miller to come and serve as out pastor. Brother Miler accepted the call and stayed with us until May 14, 1972.Brother McFarland continued to act as moderator for the church until August 12, 1973, when due to ill health and upon the advice of his physician, he resigned from that position. Brother Robert Copley, who had been filling our pulpit from time to time, acted as moderator pro-tem for a while.And then God gave us "Pete"!In January, 1974, Brother Edgar P. Miller announced that he had heard God's call, had surrendered to preach and even felt led to fill the pulpit of the Burnaugh Baptist Church. He was licensed by his home church, The Second Baptist Church of Ashland, KY. The Burnaugh Baptist Church issued a unanimous call and he readily accepted. He was ordained July 7, 1974.The Burnaugh Baptist Church, as so many small rural churches do, has had a struggle. We have been on the mountain top and we have been in the valley. We have experienced victory and have known defeat. We are greatly indebted to a host of men, some young, some old, who have come to us to preach during the many months that we have not had an under shepherd. It would be impossible to name them all.Our membership down through the years has been made up largely of people who were transients. People who came for a little while and then moved on to other places. It has been difficult to make a strong foothold among those who are permanently settled here. Even today the vast majority of people on our church roll have moved into this community within the last few years.The industry that promised so much and the better highways that have been built, and those that will soon be constructed, seem only to move more people out than to bring people into our community. But someday surely, Burnaugh will become a thriving place. Bustling with people and when they come, the Burnaugh Baptist Church will be here waiting to minster to their spiritual needs and point them to God. In the meantime, we shall endeavor to reach those who are already here and try to give a vital testimony for God in this place.