ON OCTOBER 20, 2002, WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE ALL OUR FORMER PASTORS CHRONICLE OUR HISTORY AS A CHURCH. FOLLOWING ARE THEIR NOTES:
- Founding Pastor, Bobby Creiglow
- Our Second Pastor, Doug King
- Our Third Pastor, Kevin Mitchell
- Our Fourth Pastor: Danny King
OUR FOUNDING PASTOR, BOBBY CREIGLOW:
FROM SINNER TO FOUNDER
INTRODUCTION:
When in school I was probably the least expected to succeed because I did not apply myself. My reasoning for this was, that since I was going to be a farmer I did not need an education. Enough said about the reasoning of a teenager of the 1940’s. I left the farm in 1946 and married Betty, and we were unsaved.
God’s providence:
During my school years and even after we were married I was so bashful that I had much difficulty talking to people; in fact I wanted a few days off work to go on our honeymoon, but was so bashful that I could not bring myself to ask my boss for just three days, so when we returned I did not have a job. The Lord, knowing what he was going to call me to do, for the next ten years kept me in jobs where I had to meet and deal with the public. The Lord always gets his job done, and by the time he was ready to save me I had lost most of my bashfulness. I now realize that everything good in my life, from birth to the end of this earthly life, is by the providence of the Lord.
Salvation:
Betty and I were both born and reared in central Ohio, Betty was the baby of her family with seven siblings; I on the other hand was eighth in a family of twelve children. After graduating from different high schools we met each other and married the following year on May 18, 1946. In 1953 while working as route salesman for Bordens Dairy we left our two children with my sister taking a vacation to central Florida. Upon returning to my job it was decided that we would move to Florida the following year to get rich. In March of the following year we loaded a few things into a new Mercury and moved to Mount Dora. For the following eighteen months I was trying to sell insurance, but instead of getting rich I found that in the providence of the Lord things had gone in the opposite direction. We were in debt for not only the car, but for furniture and every day bills, and not making enough to pay them. We were living in Kissimmee at this time and the lady that we owed for our furniture told us if we would start going to church things would get better for us. Upon taking another job with another insurance company we moved to Sanford with plans to start going to church. We soon received visits from Brethren Bill Stephens and Bruce Lunsford of South Side Baptist Church. After their having witnessed to us for several hours we were asked, “if you died today, where would you go”? Our response was, that we would go to heaven because we were such good people that paid our bills and were good neighbors. After hearing us out Brother Lunsford quoted Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Those words struck my heart like a dagger, and for the first time in my life I realized I was lost and on the road to hell, and was well deserving of it. For the next two weeks I could neither work, eat nor sleep because of deep conviction of my sin against the Lord, in fact, when I would close my eyes I could see myself hanging by a thread over the flames of hell, and was filled with fear that the thread would be burned and I would plunge into hell. While reading through the Gospel according John I came to the conclusion that the only way to be saved from my sin was to trust The Lord Jesus Christ to save me. Betty and I both trusted Christ about that same time, and He through His mercy and Grace saved us.
Baptized and called to Preach:
On a cold, windy day of January 29,1956, Brother Bruce Lunsford baptized us into the fellowship of The South Side Baptist Church of Sanford, Florida. As we came shivering out of that cold lake water the congregation was singing, “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go.” That hymn almost froze me, knowing that that would be my motto for the rest of my life. As we sat on the back step of our home on Sanford Avenue and Thirteenth Street, trying to warm up in the warm afternoon Florida sun I asked Betty, “Do you suppose the Lord has kept me in jobs meeting the public all these years preparing me to preach His Word?” At the time I put that in the back of my mind, but it was not long that I realized that was the day he had called me to preach. I preached my first sermon on May 16 of that same year and I did such a terrible job of it that for the next three months I kept trying just one more time trying to decide whether God had really called me to preach. The Lord gave me that assurance in August of that same year.
Training and Ordination:
About this same time Brother Bill Stephens was wanting to start a new work, and purchased and old church building that was in much need of repair on the west side of Sanford. I was invited to work with him in this new work, so while we were fixing up the old building Brother Stephens was also teaching me the Bible. The Bible teaching continued for the next three and one half years, and Brothers Stephens divided the preaching and teaching services with me giving me the best opportunity to develop as a preacher. He gave me more opportunity than most young preachers receive, and I will be ever grateful to him for that. The West Side Baptist Church was organized in a few short months, and I remained there as assistant pastor.
Two missionaries who were then working in Brazil visited our church and through their instrumentality the Lord called me to Brazil also. In mid 1957 Brother Stephens recognized my calling to be a missionary, and under most circumstances, I being so young in the faith, would not have recommended the ordination, but he seeing how well I had developed, asked the church to call for my ordination. The West Side Baptist Church ordained me on December 17, 1957
Baptist Faith Missions and I:
As I was considering the call to Brazil, I wanted to make sure that it was of the Lord, so I prayed, that if it was not the Lord’s will, that He would take the burden away, but as the weeks passed the burden became stronger. In 1958 I made application to go to Brazil under Baptist Faith Missions and at the same time I asked the Lord that if it was His will for me to go to Brazil, that I would be accepted by the directors of B.F.M. That summer my family and I took our vacation visiting each of the directors in their homes, and was told by each of them that they did not know me, and to prove that I was genuine by, either pasturing a church or starting a mission that would become church. I interpreted that as an answer from the Lord saying, “You are not ready, go to work and wait.”
The Call to Gotha:
About this same time Brethren Walker, Nellie and Billy Creel who were living in the neighborhood were praying for the Lord to send someone to start a church in Park Ridge. After contacting Brother Stephens and I, it was agreed that there should be a church started in that area, so since Brother Stephens was pastor of West Side it was mutually agreed that I should be the one to go to Gotha. God in His providence was still working, and I thought I was ready to get on with it. By this time I thought I had all the answers, even to questions that had not ever been asked yet. Oh how green and immature I was, but I knew God had called me to Gotha. In my heart I also knew that this was just one step in God’s great plan to get me ready for Brazil.
Starting Preparations:
As I recall Park Ridge at that time still had some of the old army barracks standing that were built be the army for world war two soldiers, and very few houses. Gotha was not too much different than what it is today. We, the Creels, Betty and I looked into the possibility of perhaps acquiring one of those old barracks to start the work in, but soon ruled that out because the old Lutheran Church in down town Gotha was for rent. The building was just what we needed with pews, pulpit and everything except a musical instrument. We didn’t even mind the old musty odor.
We were still living in Sanford and I was still employed by Perfection Dairy at the time, so we commuted back and forth while the work was in the planning stage and for a short time thereafter. Of course all this had to be done after work and on weekends. My Sister, Evelyn Proctor was also living in Sanford and agreed to commute with us to play a small keyboard for services until we could get someone else to assume those duties. By Mid March of 1959 we were ready to start, and were very excited about it.
Started at Last:
Mrs. Nellie Creel and her son Billy were not employed at that time, so they were very busy inviting people to the first service and of course to all services that would follow. That first service was very well attended and if my memory serves me well the house was almost full. Most of those that came that first day were Baptist from other churches, and we were very much encouraged with the attendance, but we were there to reach the lost of that community. From that time forth services were held every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night.
My family and I began looking for a house to rent and found none, but Peach Lake Manor in Ocoee was just starting to build, so we made application to buy one of those houses. After a few weeks we were informed that our loan was approved and within a few more weeks we moved into our new home.
In the meantime T.G. Lee dairy hired me for a retail milk route, even though they did not have any routes open. When a route did open up it was one that no one else wanted. The providence of the Lord was still working, because this route was on my church field, and I got it. Now I could do my church visitation at the same time I worked my milk route, and what a blessing this turned out to be.
The Work Grows:
With our having moved to Ocoee we were left without a musical instrument and someone to play for us since my sister still lived in Sanford. I continued to lead the singing, but even though we did not have a musician it was obvious that we needed a piano and someone to play it. We started with the easy part. The Creels and I went to the music store, made a down payment and signed a note to pay so much each month until the total price of $450.00 was paid off. Mrs. Creel then undertook the job of learning to play the piano. When she learned to play that first song well enough for us to follow she would play that one song every service while she was learning another. What she could not play we sang a cappella. Needless to say we sang many of the same songs over and over, but the Lord was still providing. One song I was accused of singing in every service, was, “To the Regions Beyond.” I think I was falsely accused, but perhaps not, because I was never very far from that call to Brazil.
On Wednesday nights just the Creel family and mine were attending and for some time I kept after the others to come, but without much success. On one Wednesday night the others showed up and from that time on we had about as many in attendance for the mid week services as we did on Sunday.
About this same time we all realized that sooner or later we were going to need a permanent home for the church that would soon be organized. The two wooded lots where the church is presently located were available, but there was a problem; there was one lady in the neighborhood that did not want a church there. We presented our case to the proper authorities and she presented hers, and as you can see we won. Within a few short weeks the lots were cleared and ready for the building.
I have no records to indicate the progress of the work, but I do know there were a good number of people saved between March and October of that year and the Lord added to his church such as should be saved. By this time the church was paying me the fabulous salary of ten dollars per week, and we were all happy with that.
During this same time we decided we should have a revival meeting, so I asked the congregation who they thought we should call as evangelist and to my surprise they all agreed that I should preach it. At that time I was working long hours on my milk route, so while I was taking my shower betty would take the station wagon, pick up the people, take them to the church and come back to get me. Several times I got there just in time to ask them to sing one more song while I searched for something to preach. Oh what a great meeting we had!
I do not remember even the exact date the church was organized, but I continued as pastor of the church until July 1960, and the Lord continued to bless.
Answering The Higher Calling:
In the spring of 1960 construction of homes on Matador, the street behind those two church lots had begun, so Betty and I thought it would be good for us to buy one of them so that we could live nearer to the church that had not yet been built. The home was completed and we moved in. After making our first month payment we received a notice from Baptist Faith Missions that we had been accepted as missionaries to go to Brazil as soon as possible. We though we had bought that house for us, but in the providence of the all wise God, it was not for us at all, but for the pastor that would follow us. The Lord just used us to secure it for him and his family.
To my unpleasant surprise the new church did not share my enthusiasm for the work the Lord had called me to do in Brazil, some were heard to say, “The church would soon die,” and others said, “Those two lots would soon belong to another.” Upon hearing these remarks I became angry and showed my maturity, (the lack thereof) by publicly giving them all a very good scolding. After repenting of showing off my bitter attitude, the next couple of days were spent going to each of the members apologizing for my actions, and I was forgiven by all.
My last work as pastor of Park Ridge Baptist was to help find the right pastor to succeed me. This being accomplished on July1, 1960 I turned the church over to the new pastor, Pastor J. Douglas King.
Conclusion:
My family and I arrived in Brazil on September 1,1960 where we served the Lord for thirty-three years. I am now seventy-six years old and my motto is still, “Wherever He leads I’ll Go.”
OUR SECOND PASTOR, DOUG KING:
Who were you before God made you pastor of PRBC?
I was a know it all fresh out of Bible School with a Th-B degree (June 1959), ready to pastor the First Baptist Church at Possum Trot. No church seemed to be interested in me. I had to settle for an assistant pastor job at Bible Baptist Church, Orlando (January 1960 –June 1960) having only been there six months.
Why did God send you to PR?
The Lord must have decided that I had finished my internship at Bible Baptist Church. I learned a lot working daily with Pastor Malcolm E Tompkins. We visited hundreds of homes. The pay was $50.00 a week, plus a house. We sold our television for $35.00. We needed the money.
On a Wednesday night after Prayer Meeting we were at home, not watching TV. A knock came on our door. There stood Pastor Bobby Creiglow and Brother Billy Creel. Brother Creiglow told us that he was going to Brazil in August as a missionary. He asked, “Would you be interested in pasturing the Gotha Baptist Church? If we can’t find a new pastor the church will probably fold up.” I was very interested! It was not First Baptist Church, Possum Trot but it was a church and they were interested in me!
Gotha Baptist Church called me in June 1960 to be their pastor. The pay was $10.00 a week. I needed a job. Brother Creiglow was giving up his job as a house-to-house milkman with T.G. Lee Dairy. I got his job. I needed a place to live. Brother Creiglow had just a few months before bought a new house $8,500. The payment was $65.00 a month. He signed the house over to us. So I got his church, job and his house.
I believe that the Lord sent me to Gotha Baptist Church (now Park Ridge) because He was ready to begin using me as a pastor of one of His churches. I am profoundly humbled that the Lord chose to us me, and is still using me at Temple Baptist Church, Arcadia.
What were the various conditions of the (church/neighborhood/Central FL/country/world) before and during your pastorate?
The Church had seventeen members. I was the youngest member. Even my wife was a year and two days older than me. We were making payments on a piano and property at Park Ridge. For the first three years of my ministry we rented the old Zion Lutheran church building, Gotha. There were no rest rooms or water fountain. No nursery or Sunday School rooms. Oh, but the power of God was there. We saw a number of people get saved! One that I well remember was my brother Charles’ wife Barbara King. Brother T.B. Freeman was preaching for us in a revival meeting. She still today faithfully walks with the Lord. Another was Carol Spainhoward. She later married Tommy Freeman, my wife’s brother. She too continues today to faithfully serve the Lord.
I worked for T.G. Lee Dairy for three and a half years. July 1960 December 31 1963. In 1963 we built the first part of the church building at Park Ridge. One of my milk customers, Elmer Hoseclaw got the permit (at no cost to the church) to build the building. We sublet the work. It was my job to contact contractors (Elmer told me who to call) and agree on a price. Elmer came by the construction every day. I had never before built any thing. Our two children Mike and Elizabeth were both very excited about the construction of the new church building (so was I).
In the early 1960s Gotha, Florida was a very small community mostly of older homes. In those days it would have been a rare house in Gotha that had more than one bathroom.
The countryside was more orange groves than houses. Old Winter Garden Road from Hiawassee Road to Hi-way 50 was mostly orange groves on both sides of the road.
In the years that we served at Park Ridge Baptist Church we saw a lot of changes in Central Florida. Two consecutive freezes killed most orange groves. Disney World was built. Health Central was built. The first Wal-Mart was built at Hi-way 50 and Maguire Road.
When we moved from Evansville, Indiana to Orlando, Florida in 1960 there was not one Interstate highway for us to travel on. Highway travel became Interstate travel, during our years at Park Ridge. I-4, I 75 and I-95 and I-10 were built in Florida. Most all of the interstate highways in the United Stated were built, during our years at Park Ridge.
Politically:
United States presidents during the time that we served at Park Ridge were:
Ike Eisenhower – 1961.…………..Voted for him
John Kennedy - 1961-1963………Did not vote for him.
Lyndon Johnson – 1963-1969… Did not vote for him.
Richard Nixon – 1969-1974………Voted for him.
Jimmy Carter – 1977-1981……….Did not vote for him.
Ronald Reagan – 1981-1989…….Voted for him.
George W. Bush 1989-1993……...Voted for him.
Bill Clinton – 1993 -………………..Did not vote for him.
Spiritually:
Personally I did some growing spiritually. At first I thought that I knew everything. I discovered that I did not know anything.
Finding the lost and winning them to the Lord is always work. Teaching them to observe all things is work also. But, oh, the joy of seeing people come to know the Lord Jesus as their Savior and then see them grow in Lord. It is especially gratifying when you know that the Lord used you to teach them much of what they know. Not all showed signs of spiritual growth. Many stayed spiritual dwarfs. Some even had to be disciplined.
Financially:
In the first ten years it was especially hard financially. In those years I worked at some kind of secular work. But my first job was always the church. By the end of 1963 we were in the building at Park Ridge. I quit T.G. Lee dairy the last day of 1963 and went full time at the church. We tried but the church could not give us enough support to live on so I did other work to got back up on our feet financially.
Some of the jobs that I did were:
*House to house milk delivery
*Getting customers for other milk routes.
*Body and paint shop for my Dad.
*Body and paint shop for my brother, Richard.
*Salesman for a motor club
*Salesman for Gerber Baby Food.
*Funeral homes picking up bodies, working funerals
* Conducting funerals for people who had no pastor.
My wife Betty never had to work outside our home. At times we did not have much but the Lord always supplied our needs.
What major events took place during your pastorate?
Events that affected the church were:
* The Park Ridge church building was built.
* The Lord gave Betty and I two more children in the 1960s. Like a fool I did not think that we could afford more children.
* Danny was born in 1966. He is now the Pastor of the church.
March 20, 1966 was a Sunday. I took Betty to the hospital about 4:am at 8:am Danny was born. The doctor told me that we had a boy but he would be lazy. I asked, “How do you know”? The doctor said “because he was born sitting down”.
That morning I went to church very tired. By the help of the Lord I preached. Ten people responded to the invitation. That evening four more responded at the invitation at the close of the service. Most of those were by baptism. That day was the most that ever responded to the invitation under my ministry, before or since.
* Susie was born in 1968. She was my full time secretary the last six years of my pastorate.
* Additions were added to the front and rear of the church building
* Eleven acres were purchased off Good Homes Road, for $176.000. The down payment was $25,000 then $2,000 a month. We paid that for 5 years.
Why did you leave?
I began in late 1991 to lose power with the Lord. The records show the church attendance began to go down and the offerings followed. We were not seeing people saved as we once did. I tried to blame it on my wife’s ill health but that was not the real problem. The real problem was myself. I was not walking with the Lord as I once did.
Betty was sick for years. In 1991 a doctor in Winter Garden said to me, “There is nothing wrong with her”. I made the sad mistake of believing the doctor rather than believing my wife. My actions and my attitude toward Betty were not right. Though her health was bad and it continued to get worse year after year. I should have handled it better.
She felt that the church expected of her, as the pastor’s wife, things that she could no longer do. In 1992 we were in the kitchen of our house, Betty’s nerves were bad and she said to me, “If you could get us out of the presser cooker we have to live in, I might someday get better.” Something in side me said, “It’s over”. In less than a year I was out.
I never left the ministry, but I had to get out of the pastorate. Four years after leaving the pastorate we lost her to colon cancer. Though I had tried to do all I could to help her before her death, it took me a long time after her death to forgive myself of what I had done, in not believing her. I would say to any man, if your wife says that she does not feel well, believe her. Don’t do as I did and act like the south end of a mule going north.
Who were the outstanding members?
The Lord blessed us with many outstanding members. They were faithful to attend the services and faithful to support the church financially. They had a desire to see others be saved. They were faithful witnesses for Christ.
Two that come to my mind were Waldo and Velma Whiddon. The Whiddons were with us for more than twenty-five years. They attended all the services. They would go for a year at a time and not miss a service. Brother Whiddon was a lay preacher and my helper. When Sister Velma died I missed her prayers. Things did not go as well as they did when she was with us. We missed Brother Waldo’s prayers when he died but not as much as we did when his wife Velma died.
Two of my brothers, Charles and Barbara King, and David and Brenda King. They were a help to the church and to me. They never held leadership positions in the church but they stood with the church and supported the ministry of their brother in the flesh and pastor both in good and trying times. I shall always remember their support. David’s wife was a great pianist for the church.
Tommy and Beverly Smith. Every church needs a Tommy and Beverly Smith. He now pastors Grace Baptist Church, Ocklawaha, FL. Brother Tommy was a real great blessing to the church. Not only spiritually but he could do almost anything that had to do with construction. We had plenty of work for him.
Floyd and Evelyn Penny were faithful. For well over a dozen years, they drove almost forty miles one way to get to the Church building. Then 40 miles back to their house. They did that three times a week. That is 240 miles a week driving to and from church.
What are you proud of?
The Lord chose to use me as a vessel to pastor Park Ridge Baptist Church. He could have chosen any one of many others that were much smarter than I but He chose to use me. Now He had chosen to use our son Danny, to be the Pastor.
What dreams did you have for PRBC?
My prayer and dream is that Park Ridge Baptist Church will always be a church that is faithful to try to reach lost people with the gospel of Christ. Any church that is not at least trying to reach more people is surely going to die.
I pray that Park Ridge Baptist Church will be a church that exalts Christ, as the only Redeemer. That poor lost sinners will be saved. That the baptismal waters be often disturbed. That the Church will continue to teach and preach the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace and local church truths.
Please include a passage of Scripture that describes your experience at PRBC
I am not an Apostle Paul or Peter but as an older man with many years of experience I want to encourage my son Danny with their words.
Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
2 Timothy 4: 1 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
2 Peter 5:2 “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Members of Park Ridge Baptist Church:
Ask the Lord to help you to become grateful and thankful people, for your pastor and every thing that the Lord has blessed you with, because you were not born grateful or thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:12,13 “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
1 Timothy 5:17-19 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor,especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.
5:19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12,13 “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
Remember all God called pastors study to show themselves approved. They study to bring to their hearers a message from the Word of God, a message to feed the flock of God, a message that includes the Gospel of Christ for the unsaved. He works at preparing his message as a mother works to prepare a meal for her family. You say “Mom that was a good meal, thank you.” If you do not express your love and appreciation, you need to learn to be grateful and thankful. The preacher worked to prepare his message (spiritual food) and then delivered it to you.
When you shake hands with your pastor or anyone else around the church house, look him in the eyes. When you look at someone in the eyes when you are shaking hands with them, you are saying “I like you, I am glad to see you, I am glad that you are here etc. It is so discourteous to shake someone’s hand especially around the church house and not look them in the eyes.
When the service is over go by and shake your pastor’s hand esteem him very highly in love for his work’s sake. Tell him that you appreciated the message or that your soul was fed by that message. Some way let him know that you appreciate his ministry. If you got nothing from the message at least shake his hand and say to him “God bless you.” If you say nothing, he does not know if your soul was blessed or if you got sick from his spiritual food.
You may say, “I have told my pastor that I love him and enjoy hid preaching. He knows that I love him." That is like a man that did not from time to time say to his wife, “I love you.” He says “I told her that I loved her when we got married.”
At least say “thank you for the message today”. Remember he worked to put that message together, as a mother does in preparing a meal. It is only respectful to show some appreciation for his work. It only encourages him to do an even better. There are preachers that have dropped out of the ministry because, they were not encouraged by ungrateful and unthankful church members.
With the following I close:
1 Timothy 5:19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”
A pastor from Orlando just left our house here in Arcadia. While he was visiting us he told me about a family that used to be in the church that he pastors. This family caused their pastor much grief, defaming the pastor both privately and publicly. You may not always agree with your pastor but you should respect him. No one has the right to speak to the pastor in a disrespectful manner. If he has a problem leave him in the hands of the Lord. The Lord will deal with him. Psalm 105:15 “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
Park Ridge Baptist Church 1960 - 1979
Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4, 5:14, 6:1
1960
Called to pastor June 26, 1960
Became Pastor July 18, 1960. At age 23.
19 members. The pay was $10.00 a week.
Immediately attendance started going down: 4 Creiglows to Brazil.
In less than a month one lady ask that her name be removed.
Two months later 3 more (Creels) moved to Georgia.
First converts, Jack and Gloria Booth, 1960. Baptized at Pearl Lake.
Second Baptismal Service at Pearl Lake, December 7, 1960: Pete Hargis, Jim Lynn, Joann Hargis, Evelyn Hargis, Ruby Nell Cateritt
1961
January 1, 1961 we had 32 members, 21 additions in less than 6 months.
Barbara King was saved baptized 3/19/1961. She was converted under the ministry of T.B. Freeman, preaching in a revival meeting. She said, “A team of horses could not have held me back”.
1962
*April Carol Spainhoward was saved and baptized. Betty’s brother Tommy married her in August. He served as music director till August 1965.
This is not all that made a profession of faith; just some that are dear to me, and some that some of you may remember.
1963
*Church building was built.
There is a terrazzo under your feet. Not green concrete. Electric hear & Air condition. Not a potbelly stove. It was not easy to convince everyone
*Jane McKnight began attending. The building was not completed. We had no pews, no ceiling. She said, “I attended at first because about every week something new was done to the building. Then I began paying more attention to the messages.” I noticed that about every time at the end of a service she looked like she was about to cry. She said “after the services on my way home I would say to myself I am not going back because it make me upset. But then I found myself getting ready and going back. And I didn’t want to go back.” I well remember the service that Jane Mcknight was saved. She came down the isle very fast. I thought she is going to knock me down. I put both of my hands and caught her shoulders. She was baptized March, 1964.
*We practiced Church discipline.
1964
*Herb Daniels was saved April 5. He was in the middle of the pew with people on both sides of him. He stood on seat, walked to the end and jumped over the end of the pew.
1965
*The Park Ridge Baptist Messenger was born in January.
No computer. Continued for 20 years. Betty typed a manual typewriter till 1973.
*1965 Pastor went full time at $100.00 per week. (Did not last long)
*May 1965, first softball team was started.
1966
*A second tray was bought for the Lord’s Supper, as one was not enough.
*March 20, 1966 Danny King was born.
March 20, 1966 14 people joined the church most by baptism. (My biggest day ever)
*June, Monday night Bible School was started for preachers and anyone. George Boyer, Teacher. Continued till summer of 1968
November Donna Wilson became financial secretary.
1967
*Satan used some good people to tear up church attendance. Church attendance dropped from 75-100 to a low of 24. I began taking nerve pills.
*January, Church approved using offering boxes (lasted 3 months)
*November, Mike King was saved. Missionary Rudy Johnson led him to the Lord.
1968
*August the West lot was bought. A member loaned the Church the $1,600.00 interest free.
*We practiced Church discipline.
*The Church was growing again.
1969
*January the North lot was bought for $2,000.00 ($200.00 down and $60.00 per month)
*Early 1969 Joann Daniels Sisson was saved.
*September the Church approved raising the pastor’s pay to $110.00 per week. This was the beginning of paying the pastor a full time wage.
*Brother Herb Wilson was used of the Lord to help us begin this turn around in pastoral pay.
1970
*Mike King began in May mowing the church yard and both lots $15.00 per month.
1971
*October Herb Daniels Jr. was baptized.
This is not all that made a profession of faith; just some that are dear to me, and some that some of you may remember.
1972
*Brother Waldo Whiddon was approved as Church Clerk. He was the Clerk off and on for many years.
1973
*Ken Hale first paid music director. He served one year.
Elizabeth King Ward was saved. (age 14)
1974
*The Park Ridge Baptist Messenger began to be addressed on an addressograph machine. Before that the ladies of the church addressed the Messenger by hand.
*May 12, Danny King was saved and baptized on May 16.
*Health insurance for the pastor’s family came up and was tabled twice. One brother said if Pastor wants health insurance let him buy himself.
1975
*Bought an IBM typewriter @ $670.00 for the Messenger.
One brother objected. He said “I saw a typewriter at Walgreen’s for $29.00.”
Richard Hatcher said, “You didn’t want us to pay $140.00 for health insurance for Pastor’s family. Betty had to have an operation and it cost us $8,000.” The church approved the $670.00 for the IBM.
*Corey Shaw was saved. (Sister Walker’ grandson)
*Nancy Walker was saved.
1976
Attendance was averaging well over 100
March, 14, Sherie Fowler King saved, baptized 3/28
Betty and I visited the home Dr Roy Mason and his wife.
April, Rick Paulin family took membership with us
April 11, following the evening service, the Church gave Betty & I birthday party and a radio.
May, Sister Alma Hornsby brought us a large bowl of soup and Lemon pie.
August, Tommy & Beverly Smith took membership with us.
22 new members in the first six months.
August 11th baptized two more: Theresa Seagraves, Lynn Stafford
September, Vicki Walker was saved. She said, this church looks so different.
Health insurance was approved for the pastor’s family, continued for years.
We practiced Church discipline.
December, Beverly Smith was saved.
1977
January 30 five were waiting baptism.
February 27 first time the baptistery was used.
Our daughter Susie was the first to be baptized along with 5 others
July, Brother Rosco Brong preached for us 7/31 both services
August, Shirley Whitaker (wheelchair bound) was put in the baptistery through the window.
Brother Rosco Brong preached for us 87/31both services
The pews you are sitting on were used. $2,800. (Expanding the building).
August Danny Ward was saved and baptized. (son-in-law to be)
Danny King read all 66 books of the Bible. (first time - age 11)
1978
January, ground breaking service for church building
March, Floyd and Evelyn took membership with us.
Betty was sick a lot in these days.
May, Brother Rosco Brong preached for us.
June, Kelly Shaw was saved
July the church sent me to Jamaica.
1979
March, From my diary: “Danny and I both bought new shoes today. My old shoes were about worn out. Danny did not have shoes to wear to church.
Tommy Smith announced his call to preach the gospel of God’s sovereign grace. I Corinthians 15:1-4
15:1 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached
unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:”
Have you believed the Gospel of Christ?
Park Ridge Baptist Church 1980-1994
Acts 20:20
1980
*February Ronnie Shiver Baptized
*March, Elmer & Winona Fountain took membership with us.
*April 13, 4 professions, 2 of them were Dena Hatcher, and Ric Hatcher
*September 20, Tommy Smith ordained.
*October, Jackie and Marlene Clark, took membership
*November, Sue Bowles, took membership
This is not all that made a profession of faith; just some that are dear to me, and some that some of you may remember.
1981
February, Norman and Susan Phillip, took membership. (Wine use in the Lord‘s Supper explained)
March, Guy and Alice Steinette were saved and baptized
July, Began Giving BFM $300 per month
September, Douglas Blanchard was saved (Gladys Wood’s brother)
November, began sending Pastor to BFM Thanksgiving Conference
November, Bro. Elgie Hornsby became Music director.
1982
We practiced Church discipline.
January, Bill & Helen Reuschling, baptized. Tree in north lot planted in his memory.
February, Linda Joyce Thomas saved knocking on doors.
May, Diane Strickland, Ronnie and Leslie, took membership.
August, Robert Shrader saved.
September, $200.00 to help Sheridan Stanton move to Peru.
September, Anita Thomas saved.
1983
January 12, Danny King Became music director (age 16)
January, Mission Conference moved from March to January.
In these years we kept water in the Baptistery. Line in Baptistery.
May, Dr. Gail Terrell spoke for us for the first time.
May, Some wanted Danny paid. Turned down by the church.
June, By standing vote, approved paid nursery workers.
August, Dena Hatcher was saved.
September, Brad Hatcher was saved.
This is not all that made a profession of faith; just some that are dear to me, and some that some of you may remember.
1984
Diane Strickland became first full time Church Secretary.
June, Myrtle Fuller, Julie and Roxanne came by letter.
August, Billy Clark took membership with us
September, Mildred Chamberlain, baptism. (age 80)
1985
February, Stanley & Minnie Ewell took membership with us.
April, Donna Wright was saved.
April Thartus and Jean Wright were saved.
April, Lamar Strickland took membership with us.
April, Valerie Henderson was saved
July Church approved looking for land to relocate
August, Sandi Pape was saved.
October, 1978 Lincoln was given to the Church
1986
I underwent gall bladder surgery. Myrtle Fuller (a nurse) discovered that I had an irregular heart beat.
May, Billy Clark took membership with us.
May, Fawn Gray took membership with us.
June, Patricia Glover, took membership with us.
Eugene and Ben Glover came by baptism.
July, increased BFM giving from $300 to $350 per month.
July, Church approved paying Betty King Medical bills that were not covered by insurance. Betty was sick a lot of the time.
September, Eunice Glover took membership with us.
1987
January, Kirsten Walker was saved
April 26, Church approved purchase of 10+ acres off Good Homes Road ($176,000: $25,000 down, $2,000 per month for five years.)
June, Melissa Walker was saved
June, first full time youth director was fired a month later. (Immorality)
August, Larry & Linda Young came by baptism.
1988
March, The first computer was bought $5,000.
April, Porche and Angie Williams were received by baptism.
May, Pastor authorized to serve as a BFM director.
May, Approved sending Pastor to visit Peru.
August, Susie King became our second full time Secretary
October, J.W. and Mary Connell took membership with us.
We practiced Church discipline.
1989
May, Fawn Clark was saved.
June, Gerald Thomas was saved.
September, Tami Bowles was saved.
September, Shawn Treadway was saved.
November, Kelly Walker was saved.
This is not all that made a profession of faith; just some that are dear to me, and some that some of you may remember.
1990
February, Marie Warren was saved & baptized.
Bill & Marge Stanton were saved. (formerly attended the Episcopal church)
April, Jessica Walker was saved and baptized.
May, Melissa Walker was saved and baptized.
August, Christopher and Brian King were saved and baptized (two of our grandsons.)
1991
February, Estella Lyttle took membership with us.
March, Julie Prows was saved. I met her folks at a gas station.
March, Donnie Adams took membership with us.
March, Wade & Rebecca Smith took membership with us.
April, David Fuller was saved and baptized.
May, Margaret Smith took membership with us.
July 21, Chad Ward was saved (one of our grandsons.)
July, Greg Bowles and James Balius baptized.
October, Velma Whiddon went to be with the Lord. Her death was the beginning of a down-turn in my life and in the church. We could not get enough people to fill the prayer gap she left. In less than a month we began to feel the loss of her prayers.
Wayne and Sandra Clemans took membership with us.
We practiced Church discipline.
My wife Betty was sick a lot of the time.
1992
My life was turned upside down. I made some bad choices. It was as though power with the Lord was removed from my life.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Genesis 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from whence he was taken.
3:24 So he drove out the man;
I began in late 1991 to lose my focus.
*Betty was sick a lot this year. Worse than in 1991. One doctor said there is nothing wrong with her. He was so wrong. I made the mistake of believing him rather than my wife. I believed that she just thought that she was sick.
January, Sister Janie Wood went to be with the Lord.
Forty-four preachers signed the Winter Mission Conference register. This was our largest Winter Missions Conference in behalf of Baptist Faith Missions.
March, Lisa Carter was baptized March 22 (my niece)
June, Alice Stinnette went to be with the Lord.
October, Brother J.W. Connell went to be with the Lord.
November, Edna Robinson was saved and baptized.
1993
My wife was sick even more this year. Doctors did not find her problem.
My attitude toward Betty was not right. It was hard to pastor the church with our home life in such stress.
January, Audrey Stoner was baptized. Now Brad Hatcher’s wife.
May, Brother Sherman Jarrett went to be with the Lord.
June, Brother Elgie & Judy Hornsby took membership with us.
November, Pauline Jarrett went to be with the Lord
1994
Betty was sick even more this year. Can you imagine being sick and no one believes you, not even your family?
June 8, My last service as Pastor. I enjoyed preaching the gospel of God’s Sovereign Grace and pasturing at Park Ridge Baptist Church.
I still preach the same Gospel at Temple Baptist Church, Arcadia, Florida.
Acts 8:29-31 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this
chariot.
8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet
Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And
he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
This is an illustration of:
Romans 10:13-15 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
*August, 1995 Betty Freeman King was diagnosed with cancer. She went to be with the Lord July, 1997.
Praise the name of the Lord. Psalm 113.
OUR THIRD PASTOR, KEVIN MITCHELL:
Who were you before God made you pastor of PRBC?
I was a husband, father, and minister to youth at Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, AR. At the time I knew God was in the process of moving me, though I never contemplated moving to Florida. I knew I had a strong desire to be more involved in the preaching/teaching ministry as well as more pastoral responsibilities. I was in the process of applying to a professional school that would allow me to support my family outside of ministry, while being free to go wherever God led, and be involved in church planting in areas that needed New Testament works.
Why did God send you to PR?
The "why" of God is something that I will only understand when I know Him as He knows me. Though I am confident that as always God's purpose in moving any of His children in any way is to bring them into a deeper relationship with Him, and to bring them into a greater understanding of who He is. God's plan for my life is to lead me into an intimate knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ. The move to PRBC was a part of God's plan to accomplish that purpose in my life.
What were the various conditions of the (church/neighborhood/Central FL/country/world) before and during your pastorate?
I will never forget Doug King's initial letter to me inviting me to visit the church and pray about being the church's next pastor. He painted a very grim picture of the condition of the church. My initial response was, "Oh, that sounds great, jump out of the skillet directly into the flame." Upon the visit I found that His description was accurate, though the thing he could not communicate was the personality of the church and their teachable spirit, with a tremendous capacity for demonstrating God's love.
- Politically - Pres. Clinton had recently moved from Arkansas, to D.C. to serve as our nation's president.
- Spiritually - God was in the process of moving me.
- Financially - The church was in the condition that Bro. King had described, though the church continued to be a strong giving church - giving much from their little.
What major events took place during your pastorate?
The presidential scandal took place during that time reflecting the spiritual/moral condition our nation was experiencing.
Why did you leave?
Leaving the PRBC was a very sad time in my life. The events in my life and the progress of the church met at the same point in time that made it possible for me to step aside with confidence that the leadership of the church was in good hands. As I walked away I was able to pursue God's next step in my life that included placing a real priority with my time and energy in caring for and ministering to my family.
Who were the outstanding members?
They were all outstanding.
What are you proud of?
The way the church reached out to hurting people, and demonstrated God's love to them in real and tangible ways.
What dreams did you have for PRBC?
One dream I had for the church was that it be a center for healing of broken lives.
Another unrealized dream that I had for the church was that it be instrumental in planting 10 - 20 churches in the next 10 to 20 years in the Greater Orlando area. In addition to that I dreamed that we would be involved in worldwide missions by supporting missionaries on every continent and be involved in starting churches on every continent in the world.
Please include a passage of Scripture that describes your experience at PRBC (such as Moses with the Children of Israel, or Paul with Timothy; you get the idea.)
Acts 2:42-47 - I was continually amazed at how God worked in and through the lives of the people
WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED READING THIS ACCOUNT OF OUR HISTORY AS WELL AS WE DID WHEN WE HEARD IT. OUR HISTORY IS STILL BEING WRITTEN, ONE SERVICE AT A TIME. WILL YOU BE A PART OF IT?
Danny King
 | Danny King became pastor on September 22, 2001, just 11 days after the World Trade Center attack. He had previously been a member of Park Ridge Baptist Church; his first service was when he was only 2 weeks old. His father, Doug King, pastored Park Ridge Baptist Church for 34 years. |
On July 12, 1974, when Danny was just 8 years old, Pastor Doug King led Danny to the Lord. In 1982, at the age of 16, Danny became the Music Director and taught Sunday School. He got married in 1988 to Sandi and they had a child, Samantha, in 1989. In June of 1995 he continued his work with his father's successor, Pastor Kevin Mitchell. In 2000, Danny felt the call of God on his life to become a pastor. But where?
Due to unrelated circumstances, Kevin announced the need to resign shortly thereafter. At the age of 35, Danny was privileged to pastor the only church he had ever attended.
Danny's wife, Sandi, is very active in music and the children's ministry. His daughter, Samantha, also loves music and is very active in the church. The King family has been a blessing at Park Ridge.
This family serves as an example to the congregation, living the life that God has called them to, to the best of their ability. "We're not perfect; we don't claim to be. We simply know a God who forgives, and we want to help others know Him, too."
Letter of Resignation
January 21, 2007
To my family at Park Ridge Baptist Church,
It is with great sorrow that I present my resignation as your pastor. I have had a long standing depression and anxiety problem that I have tried desperately to bury. I have seen this coming for a long time but have fought hard to avoid it. I thought that if I just stayed busy enough, simple inertia would be enough. That has failed.
I have had two breakdowns since the Conference ended. This did not begin this week. I had my first one when I was 17 at college, and have had four others since then. I have been under psychiatric care since my attempted suicide 14 years ago.
It has been suggested that I take a leave of absence, or a reduction in work load. Neither of these will work because you need a pastor, not just a face. I do not wish to become full-time because my Gas Company job actually helps because of all the physical activity.
I need you to accept this. Please trust that I do not make this decision lightly. Please do not ask me to stay. I have cried until I do not have anything left.
This is not Danny King’s church; it is the Lord’s church. You will be just fine. I need you to continue to love and support it as I have. Emotionally I cannot be there and I don’t want any severance or good-byes. I only need each of you to commit to carry on without me. Find a new pastor that will teach you the Bible, not his agenda. Make sure he believes what we believe, and make sure he backs up everything from the Bible.
I have asked Ben Glover to serve as Interim Pastor until you decide who will permanently fill the position. I will not be attending services because I have seen new leadership hindered by the presence of old leadership. Please, support Ben. Please call him when you need guidance. Please allow me to rest.
Please support this church. I will be greatly saddened if anyone leaves because I am no longer there. Please do this for me.
I love you all,
Danny