oUR sTORY

Baker Road Baptist Church has an interesting history. Under the leadership of its Pastor, Rev. A.L. Jordan, Memorial Baptist Church purchased land in Baytown, Texas, on Baker Road in 1966. On January 15, 1978, Memorial Baptist Church launched its new mission with thirteen charter families.

Those charter families were: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bethell, Ty, Lou and Julia Boto, Tommy and Rene Bright, Jerry, and Jerri Brown, John and Connie Chappell, Robert and Libby Earhart, Jim and Claire Gilbert, Bill and Billie Guiles, Woody and Betty Harrison, Mr. and Mrs. Duane Pugh, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Sangerhausen, Steve and Elaine Swenson, and Mr. and Mrs. George Thompson.

The first service was held at Pumphrey Elementary School with Memorial’s Pastor, Dr. Ed. Thiele bringing the message and Woody Harrison, one of the charter members, leading the music. The services continued to be held at Pumphrey Elementary School. During those formative years, pianists from Memorial, such as Doug Hamill, helped with the music. Another charter member, Connie Chappell, took over that responsibility a while later. The mission's name during this time was "Fellowship Baptist Mission." The first new members to join the church were Sandra Woods and her mother, Willie Romine.

On April 16, 1978, Rev. David B. Davis was called to serve as the first pastor. Under his leadership, the church adopted the name "Baker Road Baptist Mission" to impart a specific geographical location. With David's zeal encouraging the congregation for Christ, they launched a bus ministry that utilized the youth and young adults by going to the apartments and neighborhoods on Saturday mornings. They would meet and invite children and adults to Sunday School.

Some of the bus workers dressed as clowns and rode the buses. Before long, the bus ministry brought over sixty children and adults to the Church. The Church ran two buses. The first was called "Cloud 1" and was painted blue and white (Sterling High School Colors). A second bus called "Cloud 2" was painted maroon and white (Lee High School Colors). Also, the Church had an active local radio ministry under Pastor David's ministry through KBUK in Baytown.

In August 1979, after 1 year and 4 months as pastor, David resigned to continue his studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is now a full-time evangelist and founder of Dynamics for Living. This organization reaches into schools and community organizations, teaching the dangers of substance abuse, violence, and suicide. It provides inlets for those who listen to find real hope through the avenue of Jesus Christ.

Coy Lively, a noted Bible teacher of the area, served as interim pastor until November 1, 1979, when the church called Dr. Burt Purvis, a Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate, to serve as its second pastor. The church was small in number but extraordinary in spirit and enthusiasm. Under Dr. Purvis' leadership, the ministry of the new church blossomed. Baker Road became Texas' fastest-growing Southern Baptist Church in 1980-1981. The growth produced a great need for a new home; therefore, Baker Road and Memorial Baptist members joined together in a "Let's Build It Now" effort to raise a building on the site at Baker Road.

In early 1980, Dr. Thiele, his staff, and other honored guests attended a groundbreaking service. On Saturday, October 18, 1980, some dedicated members laid the carpet all night in the sanctuary so the church would be ready for its opening dedication service the following day. On Sunday, October 19, 1980, the first worship service was held in the new 900 West Baker Road building. On May 31, 1981, the church was officially constituted as a church, no longer to be called "Baker Road Mission" but "Baker Road Baptist Church."

In September of 1982, ground-breaking for a new educational facility occurred to house the growing congregation. The present facility could only accommodate some of the Sunday School classes. Youth, Sunday School classes, met at the “Skate Machine” a few blocks away on Baker Road, and the outreach classes met at Luby’s Cafeteria. The need for two worship services also became apparent. Therefore, the Church conducted two worship services in the morning. On April 22, 1984, Dr. Burt Purvis resigned as pastor of Baker Road Baptist Church after establishing Baker Road as a “Church on fire for God.” In total, he served four years and five months as pastor. Dr. Ed Smeltekopt was called to serve the Church as interim pastor.

On April 1, 1985, Dr. Pete Freeman was called to serve Baker Road Baptist Church as its third pastor. Dr. Freeman graduated from East Texas Baptist College with a Master's and Doctorate Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Under Dr. Pete's guidance, Baker Road sought to finish its building project, though it did not come to fruition during his tenure as pastor.

Dr. "Pete" brought the congregation a "well-rounded" church program. Under his leadership, Sunday School became a primary emphasis as he sought to build upon the already laid foundation. In the meantime, mission work took center stage. During Dr. Freeman's ministry at Baker Road, summer missionaries would come to lead youth activities, and a mission group from the church went to Montana to assist a small church with Vacation Bible School. This was done under the direction of Bobby Leonard. Several members also attended Glorietta's WIN School. On April 1, 1985, Keith Cummings was called to serve as Minister of Music and Youth. Eddie Christy was called to serve as Minister of Music in 1987. On February 19, 1989, Dr. Pete resigned to become pastor of First Baptist Church, Kilgore, TX. He served three years and ten months as the Baker Road Baptist Church Pastor.

On November 5, 1989, Baker Road Baptist Church called Rev. Elvin McCann as its fourth pastor. Pastor McCann graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving his Master of Divinity degree. Under Elvin’s leadership, stability and missions became the focus. He was known as a loving pastor with a heart for missions and a desire to grow in and for the Lord.

In 1990 the church also called Rev. Jim Carroll as its Associate Pastor/Minister of Youth. On August 2, 1992, Pastor McCann resigned and was commissioned by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to serve in Hong Kong. He served two years and nine months as a Baker Road Baptist Church Pastor.

Bass Redd was called to serve as interim Pastor and served until December 1993. Associate Pastor/Youth Minister, Jim Carroll, helped immensely with many administrative tasks during this interim period. On November 6, 1994, after serving five years as Associate Pastor/Minister of Youth, Rev. Jim Carroll resigned.

Pastor Rose graduated from Bluefield College (University) (a Virginia Baptist College) and holds a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy. He is also a graduate of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity Degree.

Pastor Rose has also completed all work toward his Doctor of Ministry Degree with the exception of his Project in Ministry Dissertation from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Pastor Rose was elected by the Southern Baptist Convention to serve as a trustee of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in June of 2006, and he served nine years as a trustee.

After beginning his ministry at Baker Road Baptist Church on January 2, 1994, Pastor Rose became the longest-tenured pastor in the Church's history. Pastor Rose has more than twenty-four years above the tenure of the previous longest-serving pastor. On January 2, 2022, Pastor Rose celebrated his twenty-eighth year as Church Pastor. He has brought a deep love for Jesus Christ, a passion for souls, and strong Bible preaching to our congregation. Under his leadership, the Church has accomplished much for the Kingdom of God and the greater Baytown area.

From 1995 to 2000, Pastor Rose led the church to house the San Jacinto Baptist Association in the church’s administrative offices. Pastor Rose moved him and the staff offices to the old office area of the worship center to make room for the Association to be housed in the new offices in the educational building. Through this arrangement, God richly blessed the church and the San Jacinto Baptist Association. 

On December 5, 1999, Baker Road Baptist Church removed its affiliation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and was uniquely affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas State Convention. Over the years, the Church has enjoyed its affiliation with the Southern Baptists of Texas State Convention.

In January 2000, Pastor Rose led the Church to complete work on the unfinished Educational Building. He introduced the Church to the United We Build fund-raising campaign. Mr. Bobby Eckland, from Eckland/May Associates, conducted the campaign. The cost of completing the Educational Facility was over half a million dollars. With Pastor Rose’s leadership over the following 4 years, the Church reduced its debt from half a million to $59,000, and in 2005 the Church was debt free for the first time since its initial building program!

From 1997 to 2004, Pastor Rose led the church to house, in its facilities, the first through third grades of the elementary campus of Baytown Christian Academy. The school initially met in the church's sanctuary area and the Sunday school classrooms around the sanctuary. Having led the church to complete the upstairs portion of the Educational Building in 2000-2001, Baytown Christian Academy moved its entire elementary campus, grades 1-6, to Baker Road Baptist Church and remained there until the completion of its High School Campus in 2005, located at 5555 North Main Street.

On June 27, 2008, Pastor Rose received word that his boyhood home in Virginia had caught fire and that his mother had died. In July 2008, his mother was interred at Arlington National Cemetery next to his father, who was previously interred there. After the funeral and tending to estate affairs, Pastor Rose returned to Baytown. In August, his oldest daughter began college at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. It was bittersweet sending his daughter eight hours away for college on the heels of such tragedy.

In September 2008, Hurricane Ike slammed into Baytown, leaving much damage to the community and significant damage to the facilities of Baker Road Baptist Church. The Church lost nearly all its useable space in the downstairs building, including the sanctuary. As a result, worship services were held in the Church fellowship hall, which also sustained significant damage. Jokingly the congregation called itself “the Church with no walls.” Services continued to be held in the fellowship hall for the next seven months while the entire church facility underwent significant reconstruction.

In October, Pastor Rose’s 12-year-old son was admitted to Texas Children’s Hospital because of an unknown illness that had intensified since the hurricane. In early November, his son was diagnosed with blood cancer. By the end of December, the entire staff of Baker Road Baptist Church, except for pastor Rose, had resigned due to the lack of facilities and ongoing construction at the Church.

During this time, Ronald Loveless, a deacon and properties committee chairman, rallied the Congregation behind the rebuild project, helping the pastor ensure that the Congregation would be back in its facilities as soon as possible. The Congregation also rallied behind Pastor Rose, his Wife Melinda, and the entire Rose family in the wake of tragedy, sickness, and significant changes.

The Christian support and love shown during this time were outstanding, and yes, their son survived his battle with cancer! Unfortunately, during this time, the Church took a significant hit in its active membership as some members went elsewhere to worship due to the construction environment at the Church. By the time the Church was completed, those who had left became active in other churches and did not return.

Once the rebuild was completed in 2008, Baytown Christian Academy contacted Pastor Rose and Baker Road Baptist Church for help. The Alliance Bible Church, which housed their elementary campus, had sustained irreparable damages from Hurricane Ike. BCA needed a new home for its elementary campus. In April 2009, the preschool and elementary campus of Baytown Christian Academy moved into the newly completed facilities of Baker Road Baptist Church. The school remained at Baker Road until May 2011. Pastor Rose has also taught classes in Church History, Bible, Psychology, Computer, and Character Development for many years at both the Jr. and High School campuses of Baytown Christian Academy.

From 2012 to 2017, the church worked hard to regain its footing in ministry to the Baytown Area. New evangelistic tools were embraced, and once again, the church began to experience growth spiritually and numerically.

On August 27, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made its presence known in Baytown. The region experienced catastrophic flooding. Eleven families in the Church, including Pastor and Melinda, lost their homes and belongings. The Church sustained minor flooding in the office area. Pastor Marvin continued to minister to Church families during this time, hosting out-of-town groups/Churches to assist in tearing out houses in the community. During the rebuild process, Pastor received help from various groups to assist community members and the B.R.B.C. family. Items such as sheetrock, mud, electrical, cleaning, and clothes were distributed to those in need from donations given to Baker Road Baptist Church.

Once again, membership waned as people were rebuilding their homes. Many Church members were displaced during this time. It took most people over a year to return to their homes. In October 2018, Pastor Rose and Melinda moved out of a camper they had set up in their driveway and back into their rebuilt home thirteen months after the flood.

The end of 2019 brought another disastrous event, the COVID-19 Pandemic. Life around the world changed quickly. Due to the Pandemic, services were halted at Baker Road Baptist Church for several months. Pastor Rose recorded his sermons and uploaded them onto Social Media Platforms. Sunday School was taught over Zoom meetings, and church business was conducted through Zoom meetings. By June 2020, pastor Rose led the church to begin “in-house” services. Into the third year of the Pandemic, attendance remains scarce; however, Baker Road Baptist Church had not ceased in-house worship since its initial shutdown when the Pandemic started.

By God's Grace, Baker Road Baptist Church is determined to survive the onslaught of hardship it has experienced through natural disasters and the like, only to be the shining beacon of hope to a city inundated by the darkness of lost souls.

The vision of Baker Road Baptist Church is to create a community of authentic believers and to witness a city transformed by the life-changing reality of the Gospel as people come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.