SCIOTO VALLEY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

HISTORY:
In early spring 1988, The Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Ashland, Kentucky sponsored four missions.  One mission had just constituted into a church.  Budgeted was $10,000 for another mission.  Two families, who lived in South Point Ohio had recently become members of The Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church.  Pastor Charles Stewart suggested to these two families the need for a Southern Baptist Church in South Point.  They made a commitment to be a part of a new mission.  Those members living in South Point were Thomas and Ruth Ledford, their daughter Cynthia Ledford, and Ronald and Bonnie West.  The Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church voted to sponsor the new mission in South Point Ohio.  Several families in the South Point  expressed an interest in becoming a part of this new mission.  Prayer meetings were held in homes within South Point, followed by an exploratory meeting at the Holiday Inn at South Point Ohio.  The only room they had available which was large enough was the old bar room that has been closed for some time.  They rented it for $20.  This was where The First Southern Baptist Chapel of South Point, Ohio was born during the spring of 1988.  A commitment service was held on  Sunday morning August 14, 1988.

​

The commitment was truly an act of faith, as there was no idea where the first worship service was going to be held.  The mission rented the South Point Community Building, located on Second Avenue West in South Point.  On August 14, 1988, Pastor Charles Stewart brought the message.  At the end of the service 21 people stepped out on faith to become members of The First Southern Baptist Chapel of South Point, Ohio.

​

Ruth Ledford and Bonnie West put feet under their prayers and began searching the village of South Point for a piece of land large enough to build a church facility.  They found an old outdated building for sale.  The sign had been knocked down and hidden among the weeds. This is the site where the Church now stands.  With a $7,500 grant from the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and the help of the Mother Church, the land was purchased for $58,000.  Plans were soon made for a church facility seating 130 complete with a baptistry.  In June of 1989, the Chapel called Rick Frazier as their first mission pastor.

​

On September 17, 1989, the first worship service was held in the new building.  By June 30, 1995, the mission had completed two new additions to the building, including a fellowship hall, additional Sunday School rooms, and increased the seating capacity in the sanctuary to 240.

​

Pastor Rick Frazier resigned to accept the call to the First Captist Church of Louisa, Kentucky after serving teh Chapel for six years.  Pastor Charles Stewart had retired, and served as the interim pastor for about one year.  Coming from North Carolina, Bro. Burt Wilbur was called as mission pastor on June 16, 1996.  He served until November 16, 1997, when he reisigned to pastor a church in North Carolina.  The Chapel depended on supply preachers for eight months.  On July 26, 1998, Gary Yochum was called as mission pastor.  The chapel constituted  under the leadership of Pastor Yochum.  Services were held on November 14, 1999 in which the name was changed to First Southenrn Baptist Church of South Point, Ohio.  Bro. Gary continued to served as the pastor through August 2000.  He moved to Louisville, Kentucky to pursue his seminary education.

​

In Janaury 2001, the church called Bro. Mitch Webb as the interim pastor.  In June, he was called as pastor.  He served for five years.

​

From the very beginning, the church has given to mission programs thorugh the Cooperative Program.  This mission support includes The Southern Baptist Convention, The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, and The Scioto Valley  Baptist Association.  Also three special offerings each year go directly to support Southern Baptist Missionaries on the foreign field and in the United States are taken.  On May 2, 2004, the church voted to give a $3,000 to Global Outreach in the  southern part of Sudan Africa to help complete a new church building under construction on seven acres of land, where 70% of the population is Muslim; where 25% practice different indigenous religions, and only 5% are Christians. 

​

International mission trips have been taken to Romania and Guyana.

​

A Servant Evangelism Project took place in 2005 at Huntington Ritter Park, Huntington West Virginia.  Over 1500 bottles of water were handed out.

​

In 2006, the church called Bro. Ricky Kirk as Pastor.  He served for six years.  It was during this time, the church held a note burning service in November 2008.  Annual Homecoming services have been a highlight during the years.  Bro. Chuck Price was called as pastor in 2012. In 2013, he resigned to the accept the call of pastor of his home church in Louisa Kentucky.  In 2013, First Southern Baptist Chruch began an annual Car Cruise-in as a witness event in the community.  Refreshments are served and the gospel is shared.  Early in 2014, Bro. Paul Booth accepted the call as Interim Pastor and later was called as Pastor.

​

The Church is located on more than four acres near the intersection of US 52 and South Point Ohio exit.