Church History

History of First Baptist Church Perryville
1867-2016

First Baptist Church Perryville was organized in 1867, by a group of earnest and dedicated Christians who obtained letters of dismissal from the First Colored Baptist Church in Danville, KY. The church property was purchased for $75 from Catherine Jones. The first officers of the church were Henry Chatham, Nero Granville, Preston Sleet, S. Q. Goodloe, and Henry Peters. The church currently holds alliances with the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., and the Southern Baptist Convention at both the State and Regional levels.

Our foundation was built through the dedication and tenacity of our pastors, early officers, and members. Our pastors have included leaders who through teaching and example guided our membership in an exemplary way. The officers of our church have served faithfully and unselfishly.

The Brotherhood and Willing Workers Club, organized in years past, have contributed to the church both spiritually and financially. Currently, the Brother-to-Brother fellowship and the Sister-to-Sister Café provide a resource for the men and women of FBCP to come together for prayer, conversation, and discussion about our spiritual life and the well-being of the church. Our Radio and Television Ministry is in its 14th year, broadcasting on the local cable access channel each Sunday.

In 2004, the church parsonage was torn down and rebuilt. In 2009, the former Perryville Colored Schoolhouse was purchased from the Perryville Springhill Cemetery Committee for $1. Renovation was completed in the fall of 2014 and includes a room dedicated to Rev. Dr. Willie F. Newby, Jr. The structure was renamed the Amelia Sleet Burton Colored Schoolhouse.

The foundation of First Baptist Church Perryville was rocked by the death of our minister of music, Leonard Bell, in 2005 and the death of Rev. Dr. Willie F. Newby, Jr. who was fatally injured in an automobile accident in 2007. Over the past few years, Deacon Frank Jones (2015) and Trustees Sammy Johnson (2012) and Henry Walker (2013) were called home. All of them left a void within our church family, but through faith in God and much prayer, the church continues to work for the glory of God.

Rev. Gerry K. Hearn joined us as pastor of First Baptist Church Perryville in 2008. Pastor Hearn was committed to the ministry of Christian apologetics: knowing who we are in Christ, what we believe, why we believe, how to share it, and how to live it. Pastor Hearn resigned in December 2015.

In June of 2016, the church extended an offer to Minister Jeffrey Yocum to become the next pastor of First Baptist Church Perryville. Minister Yocum accepted and preached his first sermon as pastor on July 10, 2016. Minister Yocum was ordained August, 19, 2016, by Rev. Windrell Hunn, pastor of First Baptist Church, Springfield, KY. Installation services for Minister Yocum will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

As the church begins a new chapter in its storied history, we welcome Pastor Yocum and his family to First Baptist Church Perryville. Pastor Yocum has begun his new journey with spirited sermons and demonstrations of his dedication and serious relationship with God. We are confident that he will lead, guide, and direct us as we continue our mission of “Building on a Sure Foundation: Making Christian Disciples. We ask for prayers for our new pastor, our church, and its members as we continue serving God, growing in our Christian walk, and giving God the glory for it all. We thank God for all He has done and will continue to do to assure that His people at First Baptist Church Perryville remain focused on God’s vision for His church. God Has Spoken, Let The Church Say Amen!