A Partial History Of Owensboro Christian Church

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The Owensboro Christian Church began as a dream in September of 1953 when the Men for Christ Evangelistic Association of South Central Kentucky had a vision of starting a New Testament Christian Church in Owensboro, Kentucky. In September of 1953 with the support of the Men for Christ, a church began in Owensboro -- the Owensboro Christian Church.

The first service of the church was held in the auditorium of Owensboro High School on September 27, 1953, with 23 people present. Dave Rose, Evangelist of the Man for Christ, led the service. There were 2 responses to the invitation.

Through the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Z. Wilking and many others, in April of 1954, Dave Rose accepted the call and became the first minister of the Owensboro Christian Church. By June of 1954, membership had reached 53. It was during this month that Edgar Yates, Minister of the First Christian Church in Elizabethtown, began a 5 night preaching campaign at Owensboro Christian which resulted in 17 additions. On the following Sunday, the church was organized with a charter membership of 70.

The church immediately set out to purchase 2 lots on what is now Frederica Street at the south end of the city for $8000. The property was completely paid for by the end of November 1954 and the building program was launched in March 1955. It was completed 4 months later with members of the congregation doing most of the work. The total cost of the building, lots, and furnishings was $38,000.

During the first 3 months of 1955, God blessed the Owensboro Christian Church with 53 more additions bringing the total membership to 131. Through the next several years Owensboro Christian Church continued to grow. Worship attendance had reached 181, Sunday School was 155 and the record attendance at this time was 204. In 1958 Dave Rose resigned as minister to go to a new church work in Canton, Ohio sponsored by the Northeast Ohio Associate of Helpers.

In March 1958 Lilburn Simmons accepted the call and became the second minister of Owensboro Christian Church. During Lilburn's 6 year ministry at the church, additional property was purchased, 4 new classrooms were added to the north wing and a parsonage was purchased at 704 Warwick Drive. Under Lilburn's ministry, in 1964, there was a $27,000 wing added to the church that included 6 classrooms, 2 nurseries, a fellowship hall, and restrooms. The church continued to grow and by 1964 attendance was averaging 205 in worship, 190 in Sunday School, and offerings were averaging $350 per week.

John Palmer began his ministry at Owensboro Christian Church in September 1964. Under his ministry improvements were made to the building and the facilities. It was during the ministry of John Palmer that Owensboro Christian Church continued to develop a weekly radio devotional program. John Palmer ended his ministry here in Owensboro on November 1, 1968.

In 1969, Howard Mountcastle was called to be the minister of Owensboro Christian Church. Under Howard's ministry, more improvements were made to the building. The church also purchased a parsonage at 3511 Chickasaw and the preschool program began, which still operates to this day. Howard Mountcastle ended his ministry in 1975.

In the same year, Ed Roark was called to be minister of Owensboro Christian Church. During this time, the public ministry began, the loan on the church building was paid off and the church began assisting the Kentucky Christian Student Fellowship with the purchase of the campus house in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Myke Templeton began his ministry in November 1979. Before he arrived, the church had started a $90,000 renovation of the church facility on Frederica Street. During the first 4 months of 1980, the church met at Apollo High School while renovations were taking place.

The '80s were a time of people's development. Members were encouraged to discover, develop, and deploy their spiritual gifts to prepare for the work of ministry. Classes and seminars were started to equip people to do the work of ministry and many people participated in the Evangelism Training classes.

In 1982, the first associate minister was hired, Billy Swain. In 1983, a building committee was formed and by the end of that year, 143 families had committed $612,000 to the new building project. The congregation broke ground for the new auditorium that is located on Frederica Street on June 24, 1984. One year later in July 1985, we entered the new auditorium. That same year we purchased the property at 923 Hermitage and Dan Evans came on staff as Music Minister.

In 1989, the Owensboro Christian Church took another step of faith and began the initial process of relocating to a new piece of property. On August 22, 1990, the Board of Elders and Deacons made their first tour of Lincoln Mall, an 184,000 sq. ft. facility sitting on 24 acres of land that possibly could be our future sight. After Myke Templeton and David Drake went to San Antonio, Texas, and saw a church using a mall, the project was launched and on September 9, 1991, the Owensboro Christian Church purchased Lincoln Mall for $1.2 million.

As we look back over 40 years of the history of the Owensboro Christian Church, it has been a glorious past. It is a much different world than it was 40 years ago. Church work is much different than it was 40 years ago. The church's place in our society is not nearly as central. And yet as we look to the year 2000, through the efforts of committed Christians and visionary leadership, Owensboro Christian Church seems to be well positioned to make some important contributions to the spiritual climate of this region. With a 185,000 sq. ft. mall and a 24-acre campus to operate from, only God knows what the future of the Owensboro Christian Church will be. And whether it's here in this community or with him in glory, there will be reasons for rejoicing. written by our minister and others in 1994

Bullet Headlines of the History of Owensboro Christian Church (to 2006)

1. In 1939 a man by the name of Karl Wilking moved to Owensboro from the Lexington area and decided that a New Testament Church was needed in the area.

2. Therefore in early 53, the Men for Christ of South Central Kentucky sponsored

the new church. The first service was held on September 27, 1953, at Senior High, and 23 attended.

3. In 1954 two lots were purchased on Frederica Street (which is now the present Walnut Memorial Baptist Church facility) to build the first worship center. The building was completed in June of 1955. There were 33 additions to the church that day.

4. In 1961 additional property was purchased at the same location and classrooms and a kitchen were added.

5. In 1979 Myke was hired as the Senior Pastor

6. In 1981 the average attendance was 281 with an average offering of $2875 per week.

7. In 1984 a new Worship Center was constructed on the same property.

8. In 1991 with an average attendance of 789 the present-day location (Lincoln Mall) was purchased at a cost of $1.2 million and the Frederica property was sold for $800,000.

9. In 1994 the new facility was completed and the first service was held in March of that year.

10. In 2000 the average attendance was 1737.

11. In 2004 the new present Worship Center was completed with an average attendance of 2300.

12. In 2006, the present, the average attendance is 2660.

Notes that didn't make it into the history statement above

It's hard to tell what makes growth happen in a church. Oh, we say God has blessed us and he always does, but for him to bless, we have to respond to his word. In 1978 we had only two elders and one had moved away and our bylaws call for a plurality of elders. So, in January 1979 the deacons started meeting each Sunday afternoon for the specific purpose of praying for the growth of the church, not only in number but spiritual maturity also. By the early 80s, a new generation of strong Christian families came to help in leadership. People like Mike and Cathy Templeton, John and Jane Hitchell, Darrell and Judy later Phyllis Humphery, Larry and Debby McGuire, Rick and Chelle Marcum, David and Bev Drake, Bill and Carol Beauchamp, Jeff and Diane Erb, Jack and Gwen Barrett, Mickey and Barbara Griggs, Ken and Judy Hawbaker, Larry and Pat Mercer, David and Joyce Simpson, Art and Lois Lebahn along with many others help move the church forward. 

In 1984 during a 3-day training session, we did not dare call it a revival, Gary York a guest minister from Bloomington Ill led a session that could be considered another turning point by some. His main message was that "your minister should be the voice that brings people to the church and motivates, the members are the ones who do the work of evangelism, shepherding, stewardship, and fellowship." This must have been what this new generation needed to hear. Not long after that meeting a couple men asked Mike Templeton, our minister, to teach them how to evangelize. From that request, a program known as Evangelism Training (ET) grew. It was patterned after James Kennedy's book on Evangelism Explosion. We met for 13 weeks of intensive training and scripture memorization and after each training session, we went into the community to knock on doors. By the middle 90s over 95 people had been trained and scores of people visited. We saw hundreds of baptisms during those times. 

In the '80s the church was still meeting three times a week, Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and on Wednesday evening. A change was made in the Wednesday service that turned it into what was called University 101. Teachers were identified, and trained, and they led group sessions like how to study the bible, the Book of Romans, the Book of Acts, Christian Stewardship, Christian Marriage, Introduction to OCC, Leadership Training, and many others. With this training, we were able to combat the trend of a Church being a mile wide and an inch deep. 

In the '90s many ideas came before the leadership which basically followed a plan that says if you think of it, perhaps you should be the leader that makes it happen. Many small programs grew from this philosophy. There was a letter-writing ministry, a food ministry, a group that visited the sick and shut-in, an after-school homework help for school kids, a greeting ministry, a choir ministry, a flower and decorating ministry, and many others. This church has always grown because of individual members answering the call to work in the Lord's kingdom. 

We have always been a giving church. At times 20% of all money received went to missions. Over the years many individuals and groups have received monthly support from this church.