On December 21, 1890 thirty-five persons with letters from the Baptist Churches at Mt. Moriah,
Shawnee Run and Harrodsburg met in Cannon Hall, for the purpose of organizing a Baptist
Church. (Cannon Hall is the second floor over the building that still stands at the corner of Main
and Walnut St.) Rev. Strother Cook Sr. was chosen as chairman for the occasion. Rev. Ben
Upton offered the introductory prayer and Rev. J.W. Lynch preached the organizational sermon.
Rev. B.F. Taylor led in song and prayer and Rev. W.A. Borum gave the charge to the church.
Rev. Strother Cook, Sr. gave the history of the Baptist denomination to those who gathered for
the ocassion.

Rev. Strother Cook, Jr. son of the Rev. Strother Cook, Sr. was perhaps the first Christian miss-
ionary from Burgin to be sent to a foreign country; Africa's west coast. He made six trips to
Africa his first trip was in 1884. He was sent by the Baptist people on some of these trips and
was sponsored by the Christian Church on a later trip. He died and was buried in Africa.

Rev. W.A. Borum was chosen as the first pastor of the Burgin Baptist Church. He served one
year from January 1, 1891 to December 12, 1891, during this time there were received into
the membership thirteen by letter and ten for baptism. A committee was selected to purchase the lot
at the corner of Main and First Streets from John A. and Nancy Huguely on January 21, 1891.
On August 18, 1891 Burgin Baptist Church was admitted into the South District Association.
The new church house was dedicated on November 11, 1891 with the Rev. R.W. Dudley
preaching the dedicatory sermon.

The Rev. R.C. Medares was called to be the second pastor and he was responsible to preach
two times a month. He served one year during which time the church received two members by
letter and seven by baptism. Rev. W.E. Mitchell became the third pastor and served one year
and nine months. During Rev. Mitchell's ministry Atwood Voris was ordained to preach. A janitor
was hired for the summer months at a rate of $1.50 and $2.50 for the winter months.

The next pastor who came was the Rev. R.M. Strickler. He served for two years and the
membership continued to grow; twenty by letter and sixteen for baptism. While Rev. Strickler
was pastor, a most liberal offering meeting of $9.39 and a gold ring was taken at a District
Missionary preaching. After Rev. Strickler came the Rev. T.H. Coleman who began his work
in November 1897. The membership increased again; twelve by letter and five for baptism.
Also, during Rev. Coleman's ministry, the Ladies Aid Society became active. By now the
membership at Burgin Baptist Church was one hundred fifty. The Rev. R.H. Tandy
was the first pastor called for an indefinite term. Rev. George Green had the shortest past-
orate followed by Rev. W.H. Robinson and Rev. J.B. Jones. In 1909 Rev. W.S. Taylor was
called as pastor and it was during his ministry that a new organ was brought. J.W. Campbell
became the next minister in June 1910. Any member absent without good cause from busi-
ness meetings were to receive a visit by a committee. The church clerk was instructed to
contact non-resident members, and ask them to take their letters with them; if no respond-
ance was received, their names were dropped from the membership list. William Jackson,
the next pastor, ordained Ernest Gash to the gospel ministry. The Rev. R.L. Kimble followed
Rev. Jackson and it was during Rev. Kimble's pastorate that the church voted to adopt an
envelope system embracing the pator's salary, current expenses and a small emergency fund.
During the pastorate of Rev. W.M. Stallings in 1917, the church voted to build new Sunday
School rooms off the side of the auditorium at a cost of $2000.00. The new rooms were
dedicated in September 1917.

The first full time pastor was Rev. E.L. Mitchell and during his ministry a parsonage was
purchased. This parsonage was located on High Street. Rev. Dillard Sebastian became
the next pastor. The first community census was taken in October 1922. Sunday School
classes were divided and classified for the first time. Dr. D.R. Petty had a short tenure, but
during this time the church distributed envelopes and took pledges of $2,200.00 for the church
budget for the comming year. Rev. W.L. Shearer served the church from August 1924 to
January 1929 as pastor. While Rev. Shearer was pastor the B.Y.P.U. was organized and
the first every-member financial canvas was made. While Rev. H.O. Nicely was pastor, the
church held its first Sunday School teachers training week.

Dr David R. Grant held the longest pastorate up to this time. Nursery facilities were begun and
a kitchen in the basement was built. A study was made for a mission work at Buena Vista, Ky
and a mission was established in that area. Morgan Hocker was ordained to preach and
W. D. Hulette was licensed to preach. Rev. L.L. Day served as pastor from December 1952 to
September 1953. Following Rev. Day was the Rev. Donald White and it was during his ministry
that plans were made to build an educational building, however this building was not erected
until the next pastor, Harold White, was called. While Norman Shockley was pastor, another
parsonage was purchased just two doors from the church building on the corner of Main and
Second Street. Work to develope a playground on the lot behind the parsonage began.

Dr. Otto Spangler began his ministry at Burgin Baptist in January 1963. While he was pastor,
the playground park was lighted and the park construction was finished which included a garage,
restrooms and equipment storage room. The church building fund had now reached $10,000.00.
Robert Cheak was licensed to preach. Rev. James Heard became our next pastor in 1966, and
it was during his ministry that a new church building was erected directly across from the Burgin
School on the Alfred Caddell property at a cost of approximately $220,000.00.

In 1972 Rev. Harold Dann became the minister and it was during his tenure that a new parsonage
was built in 1973, next to the church building. In February 1977 Dr. Richard Harris came as our
pastor and during his pastorate on June 18, 1978 Burgin Baptist celebrated the burning of the note
of indebtness on the church with a homecoming event. In December 1981 Rev.Steve Hadden
was called to serve at Burgin Baptist Church and it was during his ministry that two more
additions were added to the church building to create additional Sunday School rooms and office
space. Both wings of the building were extended at a cost of $182,000.00. A sermon tape
ministry was also started during the leadership of Rev. Steve Hadden. Rev. Hadden resigned as
pastor of Burgin Baptist Church in May 1985. Dr. Jon Roebuck became the pastor on December
1, 1985 until March 5, 1989. While he was pastor the television ministry was begun and a computer
was installed in the church office.

The church was without a regular pastor for approximately one year after the service of Dr. Jon
Roebuck. During that time Dr. Paul Lee and Bro. A.B. Colvin served as interim pastors. On
April 1, 1990, John Penick came to Burgin as pastor and during that year the church celebrated
it's one hundredth anniversary with many former pastors and members attending a special
celebration service on September 16, 1990. After the departure of John Penick as pastor,
Bro. Albert J. Gisler served as an interim pastor until Joseph Vest came as the pastor of Burgin
Baptist in February 1996. It was during Bro. Vest's tenure that a new sound system was installed
for an approximate cost of $11,000.00. After his resignation in 2000 Bro. Albert J. Gisler served
as the interim again until August 2001 when Mike Hamby came on the church field as the minister.
His tenure ended on August 6, 2006.

Burgin Baptist Church has been blessed with the following pastors who have answered the call
to stand in the gap on many occasions when the need for an interim prevailed. Dr. George
Redding, Rev. H.B. Kuhnle, Rev. Bob Jones, Rev. Al Hardy, Dr. Paul Lee, Rev. A.B.Colvin
and Rev. Albert J. Gisler.