Andover Baptist Church (Linthicum, Maryland)
| Church Location | Linthicum, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Theological Tradition | Reformed Baptist |
| Date Founded | Unknown |
| Elder(s) | Neil Jackson, Jamie Martin, Jim Carter |
| Deacon(s) | David Coeyman, Jon Sanders (baptist deacon), Tom Tremain |
| Membership | Unknown |
| Website | AndoverBaptist.org |
Andover Baptist Church is a Reformed Baptist church located in Linthicum, Maryland.[1]
Early history
On a October 26, 1948 group of people who were discouraged with conditions existing in the First Baptist Church (Brooklyn, Maryland) met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alford Miller, Sr for a time of prayer and fellowship. Some of those present decided that they would not go back to First Baptist for Sunday Services, but would meet in the home of Mr. Miller. Others, who held places of service, went back for Sunday Services, and then told the current Pastor, Rev. E. C. Dean, they were severing their relationship with First Baptist from that date forward, on October 31, 1948". A group of twenty-two people, stood in circle and joined hands (determined with God’s help), to start a 'Fundamental, Bible teaching' testimony in Brooklyn.
Andover was originally a split from First Baptist Church of Brooklyn which was and still is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention. The testimony of the founders varies to a degree on the exact causes of the split, but it appears that doctrine, personality, and cultural differences between the more established Baltimoreans and newer immigrants from West Virginia and Tennessee all played a role.
The church was incorporated on November 23, 1949 as "The Independent Baptist Church of Brooklyn, Maryland". The four "sober and discrete men" who served as the first trustees were Conner E. Manley, William L. Houghton, Sr., LaMar G. Miller, and Ned Wolfe. The first minister was Lloyd Morris who served from November 1949 to September 1952. The articles of incorporation required that the church "shall be affiliated with and subject to the constitution and by-laws of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, North."
Prior to incorporation the little group struggled through business meetings considering names; Friendship Baptist Tabernacle and Bible Baptist Tabernacle were entertained, and then they settled on Baptist Tabernacle of Brooklyn. They voted for chairs and to give 10% of their budget to missions. The flock also voted on making "a long distance" telephone call to the Reverend Reese of Ohio of the Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions about finding a pastor to serve the congregation.
By December of 29, of 1948, Rev. Johnson of Indiana, Indiana was contacted and served the congregation until the end of March 24, 1949. The Reverend Reese then suggested Pastor Lloyd Morris as the pastor. The church's minutes show that during this first year the little flock struggled to identify itself. There are explanations as to what the GARBC is and does. On May 4, 1949 the congregation had even briefly considered aligning themselves with the Mennonite Brethren in Christ, but the "Group decided to remain in Baptist work". By May 11, Pastor Morris begins to appear and slowly helped the church identify themselves and organize through the purchase of property, incorporation, and fundraising. Morris’ original support from the group was $50 a month. By God’s grace the owner of three corner lots donated the land to the church after Morris suggested he donate a parsonage.
Without explanation or much fanfare the Rev. Morris resigned in September of 1952. In the next four years the church would have three pastors, Charles Miles (1952-1954), George V. Cosby (1955-1956), and then the Rev. Howard Stoughton who served from November 1956 to his death on June 25, 1983.
Pastor Stoughton provided the church with 27 years of faithful service. His daughter Gayle King is still supported by the church as a missionary to the Ivory Coast. Like the church he came from a Southern Baptist tradition, but he carefully integrated the church into the local GARBC association and expanded the work through evangelism and missions. When he passed away the church was full and the work booming, but the neighborhood around Townsend Avenue Baptist had begun to decline. What had once been a blue-collar community was steadily becoming a neighborhood sprinkled with drug dealers and prostitutes.
After Pastor Stoughton passed on to be with the Lord, Pastor Derwin G. Hauser served the church from early 1984 to December 1989. Hauser understood his role as helping Townsend Avenue Baptist Church transition from the long service of Pastor Stoughton to a new permanent pastor.
Recent history
Scott Neiswender became the pastor in August of 1990 and served until his resignation in November 2000. During his tenure Townsend attempted to respond to the changes in the neighborhood and to formulate the best form of worship and outreach possible to serve the local community and the existing congregation. Sadly, the congregation was wracked by disagreements on issues of styles of music and direction.
Pastor Brent Brewer became the new pastor in early 2001 and served until May of 2007. He led the congregation to remove themselves from the GARBC. The congregation then briefly considered merging with another church near Annapolis, Maryland. When the merger fell through they purchased land in Linthicum in May of 2005. The Townsend Avenue property was sold at the end of 2005. The congregation rented the 7th Day Adventist building on Andover Road in Linthicum and changed the church's name to what it is known as, Andover Baptist Church. Andover Baptist Church met in the Adventist’s building until the completion of the current building in the summer of 2011.
In 2006, Pastor Brewer led the congregation to change its doctrinal statement to the New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833) and to change the constitution of the church to include a plurality of elders and deacons. Brewer and the newly chosen elder candidate then began searching for a replacement pastor in late 2006 and early 2007. Brewer resigned after beginning the search and stepped down in May of 2007. Pastor Shane Walker then came to Andover Baptist in June of 2007, who is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to becoming a pastor he was an editor of a theological journal and worked in the U.S. Congress as a Legislative Assistant.
The current pastor, Neil Jackson, was called to serve as senior pastor at Andover Baptist Church in 2018, after serving as the assistant pastor since 2010. Jackson is a native of Indiana, he holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Union University and a M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.[2]
