Minutes of the Organizational Meeting of the
Burna Missionary Baptist Church
Burna, Kentucky
A group of Baptists, including a number of ordained ministers, met in an abandoned business building in Burna, Kentucky, Saturday night, July 24, 1954, for the purpose of constituting and organizing a New Testament Missionary Baptist Church.
Brother Don Cooper, from the Southside Baptist Church, Paducah, Kentucky, had been holding services in this building and otherwise doing mission work among the people of the community for several weeks before. Southside Church had extended an arm to this mission and a number of people had united with them at this place.
The organizing presbytery men went in a back room while the congregation was singing and formed an organization. According to the plan of this presbytery the program proceeded as follows:
1. With Elton Wilson, pastor of the Julian Baptist church, as moderator and I. W. Rogers, Editor of the Faith
and Southern Baptists, as clerk, the presbytery recommended that the Articles of Faith found in
Pendleton’s Manual be read to the church about to be formed at some future meeting and as early as
convenient.
2. A call was made for prospective members of the church about to be formed and a number of people came
forward, taking front seats.
3. Letters of dismissal from the Southside Baptist Church, Paducah, Ky., were read by the clerk for the
following people who had already signified their intention of becoming charter members of the new church
and were present:
Lamie Dickerson
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Ruby Hall
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Franklin Cosby
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Nadine Abell
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Ethel Cosby
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Marley Hall
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Lymon Abell
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Mrs. Don Cooper
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Claude Hall
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Edna McDowell
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Paul Chittenden
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Don Cooper
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Ollie Lemon
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Phyllis Jean Hall
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Burna Baptist Church was organized by an arm of authority from Southside Baptist Church of Paducah,
Kentucky.
4. Southside Baptist Church of Paducah, Kentucky, was organized in 1933 out of the West End Baptist
Church of Paducah, Kentucky.
5. West End Baptist Church of Paducah was organized in 1923 out of the First Baptist Church of Paducah.
6. First Baptist Church of Paducah, was organized in 1840 out of Gum Springs Baptist Church, that later
became Friendship Baptist Church of McCracken County.
7. Gum Springs (Friendship) Church was organized in 1840 out of Old Salem Church of Smithland, Kentucky
(currently Salem, Kentucky).
8. Old Salem Baptist Church was organized in 1805 out of Red River Baptist Church (Mouth of Sulphur Fork)
of Red River, Kentucky.
The Remaining Lineage is copied from information that was prepared by Brother James Fortner.
9. The Red River Church, originally known as Mouth of Sulphur Fork of Red River, was organized in July 1791. This Church was located near Port Royal but later moved to Adams, Tennessee. John Taylor and Ambrose Dudley came by request to this pioneer settlement to help in the organization of the Church. John Taylor was from the Clear Creek Church, and Ambrose Dudley at the time was pastor of the famous Bryan Station Baptist Church. Both churches were located near what is now Lexington, Kentucky. There is no indication in the historical records which of these churches would be considered the actual mother church. However, as to church lineage it would not make any difference since both of these churches (Clear Creek and Bryan Station) originated from the South Elkhorn Church. It would seem more likely that the Bryan Station Church would be considered as the mother, due to the fact that John Taylor was only a supply pastor at Clear Creek Church at this time.
10. The Clear Creek and the Bryan Station Churches were organized in 1785 and
1786, respectfully. Both churches were mothered by South Elkhorn. South Elkhorn is known as a great mother
of churches in Kentucky.
11. The South Elkhorn Church (Fayette County, Kentucky) was formed in 1783.
This Church originated from the Gilberts Creek Church.
12. The Gilberts Creek Church was made up of members of the Upper Spottsylvania Church in Virginia. Lewis
Craig a noted pioneer preacher migrated with this group to Kentucky (now Garrard Co., Kentucky) in 1781.
This church is famous in Kentucky church history, being referred to as the Traveling Church.
13. The Upper Spottsylvania Church was organized in November 1767. This Church arose from the missionary
efforts of Samuel Harris and James Read. The organization was completed with the help of Dutton Lane, who
was the pastor of the first “Separate” Baptist Church formed in Virginia.
NOTE:
According to information which has been obtained since the first publication of this history, it appears that the Grassy Creek Baptist Church in North Carolina actually extended the authority for the organization of the church. This being the case, the church lineage presented here remains intact, inasmuch as the Grassy Creek Church was organized by the Sandy Creek Church in North Carolina about 1757.
14. The Church pastored by Dutton Lane was organized in August of 1760.
Daniel Marshall from Abbott’s Creek Church helped Elder Lane in the institution of this Church. The name of
this Church was not given in the historical records available to the author. (Note: There were two distinctive
groups of Baptists at this time known as “separate” and “regular”. Their differences were not great and they
later united as one group. Thus the designation of Separate was applied to this Church).
15. Abbott’s Creek Church was formed by Sandy Creek Church sometime between 1755 and 1760.
16. The Sandy Creek Church in North Carolina was instituted in November of 1755 by Shubal Stearns. Mr.
Stearns had come here with Daniel Marshall from the Opewuon Church in Berkeley Cpimtu, Virginia.
17. The Opequon Church, originally organized in 1743, was evidently unsound in its beginning. History regarding
this says it was reorganized (new modeled) in 1751 by ministers sent from churches in the Philadelphia
Association. Elder Miller returned again to check on the church after a complaint was lodged with the
Association. He found all to be in order with this church on his second visit.
18. Scotch Plains Church was organized from the Piscataqau Church on September 8, 1747. This Church is also
the mother of the First Baptist Church of New York City. The famous John Gano was once pastor here.
19. The Piscataqua Church in New Jersey was organized in the year 1686. This Church was made up of
immigrants from Wales, England. This Church was also part of the Philadelphia Association of Churches.
At this point a few explanatory comments are in order. The old Philadelphia Baptist Association originated with churches planted by immigrants from Wales. In at least one instance, a church was formed before leaving the Old World and was sent over as an organized body. The Baptists of Wales are of great antiquity and are believed to have existed before the end of the first century. The following information deals with the ancestry of the Baptist Church at Dyer, Tennessee, and is deemed to be credible and worthy of the readers' study.
20. H. Roller came to the Philadelphia Association of Churches in America from the Hillclift Church in Wales.
See minutes of the Philadelphia Association Book 3, item 1.
21. Hillclift Church was organized by Aaron Arlington, in A.D. 987. See Alex Munston’s Israel of the Alps, p. 39
22. Lima Piemont Church ordained Aaron Arlington in A.D. 940. See Jones’ Church History,P324
23. Lima Piedmont Church was organized by Balcolao, A.D. 812 See Neander’s Church History, Vol 2, P.320
24. Balcolao came from the Church at Timto, Asia Minor, See Neander’s Church History, Vol.2 P.320
25. Timto Church was organized by Archer Flavin, A.D.738. See Mosheim’s History, Vol.1 P.394
26. Archer Flavin came from the Darethea Church, organized by Adromicus, A.D. 671, in Asia Minor, See
Lambert’s Church History, P. 47
27. Adromieus came from Pontifossi, at the foot of the Alps in France. See Lambert’s Church History, P.47
28. Pontifossi Church was organized by Tellestman from Turna, Italy, A.D 398. See Nowlin’s Church History, Vol
2 P. 318
29. Turan Church was organized by Tertullan from Bing Joy, Africa, A.D. 237. See Armitage’s Church History, P. 182
30. Tertullan was a member of the Fatus Church at the foot of the Tiber, that was organized by Polycarp, A.D.
150. See Cyruys’ Commentary of Antiquity, P. 924
31. Polycarp was baptized by John the Beloved or Revelator, on the Twenty-Fifth of December, A.D. 95, See
Neander’s Church History, P. 285
32. John was with Jesus on the Mount. Mark 3:13-14; Luke 6:12-13.
The Apostle John is believed to have been the pastor of the Church Ephesus at the time he baptized Polycarp. This occurred the year before the Revelation was given on the Isle of Patmos. The Ephesian Church was organized by the apostle Paul as a Missionary out of the Antioch Church2in Syria, Barnabas was sent from the Jerusalem Church to confirm the Church at Antioch in the Faith (Acts 11:22-23). Jesus ordained the Twelve Apostles, and they became the charter members of the first Church (I Cor. 12:28). This Church was later settled in Jerusalem.
The principle of Church perpetuity has long been under attack; nevertheless it is a Bible principle. The foregoing material demonstrates that today’s true Churches have a direct link to the New Testament period. The Lord established his Church in visible form while on the earth. He set it up as a functioning body, and it has continued in such capacity ever since.
History of Pastors
Pastor's Name Date Called Date Resigned Comments
Bro. Don Cooper July 24, 1954 March 11, 1956
Bro. Marvin O. Dowdy March 21, 1956 January 19, 1958 Building erected
Bro. Marshall Conway Jan 19, 1958 January 6, 1963
Bro. Mann Hill February 24, 1963 September 6, 1970
Bro. Bob Courtney September 6, 1970 June 6, 1971
Bro. Bob Courtney June 13, 1971 September 15, 1971
Bro. Buddy (Charles) Cooper October 6, 1971 January 24, 1973
Bro. Jimmie Oliver February 18, 1973 August 21, 1974
Bro. Donnie McElmurry October 6, 1974 June 30, 1977
Bro. Lawerence Richardson Nov. 27, 1977 June 28, 1978
Bro. Buddy (Charles) Cooper July 1978 September 16, 1979
Bro. Dalton Stalions January 23, 1980 January 11, 1981
Bro. Montel Paschall May 27, 1981 March 17, 1982
Bro. Frankie Hickerson April 4, 1982 July 27, 1983
Bro. Bob Courtney September 7, 1983 February 4, 1990
Bro. Kenny Odom March 18, 1990 September 1, 1993
Bro. Richard Sexton October 17, 1993 November 5, 1995
Bro. Steve Stagner January 21, 1996 September 2001
Bro. Austin Prince February 3, 2002 July 2002
Bro. Bill McAlpin November 6, 2002 December 31, 2006
Bro. John Taylor August 26, 2007 Present
* Information received from church clerk books
