Laurel Creek Baptist Church was started in the home of Squire Johnson through the ministry of a preacher whose name was not recorded.  Through his ministry, Squire’s wife, Lavena Hill Johnson, her sister Jane Hill Johnson (wife of Rye Johnson), and their mother, Sarah Cummings Johnson (wife of Elijah Hill) were converted some time in February 1842.

Since the winter was exceptionally cold, ice was broken on Laurel Creek to permit their baptism.

The church was officially organized in 1843 after James Hunter deeded an acre of land to be used as both a church and a school.  A small log house was erected and became the meeting house from 1843 to 1873.  In 1873, a new building was erected after the road was moved so the meeting house could be near the new road

Laurel Creek was originally a Separate Baptist congregation.  The Separate Baptist churches, often called “new lights,” carried the fire and fervor of the Whitefield revivals.  They were critical of the Regular Baptists for not being strict enough and insisted that new church members give a clear articulation of a conversion experience before admittance into the church.¹

Patrick Moore was an early minister at Laurel Creek.  He also held the pastorate longer than anyone else in the church’s history, pastoring for over forty years from the 1840’s to the 1880’s.  Patrick was born in Greene County, North Carolina in 1825 and later married Elizabeth Jane Neal in 1845.  They had 13 children.  After Jane’s death, he married Nancy Cunningham, to which union four additional children were born.²  Moore attended school at Laurel Cove and Burritt College.

The membership at Laurel Creek has fluctuated greatly though out the years.  One has to also remember that in the years prior to 1900, there were often as many or more members dismissed through church discipline than there were added by baptism.  One also has to remember that in the early days of Laurel Creek’s history, the church was located on what was then frontier territory.  The people who settled the area were often as rugged and untamed as were the environment in which they had settled.  Life was hard.  With that said, in 1849, the church had 36 members.  Two years later, only four had been added.  However, by 1867, Laurel Creek had 143 members.  Throughout this period, Laurel Creek was led by elders Patrick Moore, his brother James Moore, and A.L. Parker.  Patrick Moore died in 1879.  He is buried at Laurel Creek.  By 1910, the church had grown to a membership of 291 members.  However, by 1920, the membership had plummeted to 126.  Some of the reasons given for this sharp decline were that several had moved their membership to other churches in the area.  It must also be noted that many people were also attracted to the growing Holiness movement that began to saturate middle Tennessee at this time.  Furthermore, it must be remembered that in 1849, Friendship Baptist Church was constituted with 11 members under the leadership of elders Richard A. Forrest, Patrick Moore, and James Moore.  In addition, in 1938, at least 27 members of Laurel Creek left to organize Mount Elim Baptist Church at the foot of Baker Mountain.

There have been many records lost over the years.  However, a partial list of more recent pastors includes:

•  Frank Edwards
• William Carlton (1950)
• Fallie Hille
• Garvin Haley (1964-1970)
• Donald Rich (March 1970-December 1972)
• Ernest Bates (August 1974-March 1976)
• Dalton Denny (April 1976-December 1986)
• Marshall Kennedy (February 1987-August 1991)
• Randall Kirby [Interim] ( February 1992-September1992)
• Jerry Womack (January 1993-1998)
• Donald Rigsby (1999-2000)
• Fate Wilson [Interim] (2000-June 2002)
• Roy L. Terry (June 2002 –           )³

Laurel Creek Baptist Church remains a vibrant congregation with a current membership of 107 individuals and a weekly attendance usually numbering into the 80’s.  Through the grace of God, her members will continue to press toward the mark of the high calling in Christ until His glorious Second Coming.

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¹Torbet,Robert G. A History of the Baptists. 3’rd edition.  Judson Press: Valley Forge, 1963, 223.

²This information was gained from a letter written to Roy Terry, Laurel Creek’s pastor, by Patrick Moore’s great-granddaughter, Ann Moore Baransy, on September 6,2006.

³Throughout this article, the writer is deeply indebted to an article composed by a historical committee in 1993 at the celebration of the church’s 150’th anniversary.