Fifth Article in 90 Days of Praise Series

With the raising of the first sanctuary, the Smyrna community realized that we were serious about beginning a new Baptist work in our community.   Membership grew slowly at first, but God added people who were really interested in serving the Lord.   Most of our members were military, who were accustomed to challenge and were well versed in making do with limited resources.

Many times it was touch and go for the Pastor and the church, for funds were scarcely enough to meet our week to week expenses.   Brother Amburn's home church, First Baptist Church of Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, sent $50 per month to help us get through our first year of ministry.   Dear friends of the Pastor in Smyrna brought groceries to him and his family each Saturday evening for over a year.   God used so many wonderful people to help establish this church and to pay our expenses until we could stand alone.

But oh, God did bless!.   Mrs. Janet Amburn and the ladies of the church completely renovated the Sunday School building, and began a bed baby nursery and junior department -- not to mention staffing these positions.

In June of 1953, we held our first Vacation Bible School with an enrollment of 75, and by the spring of 1954, Stones River Baptist had grown to 125 members with an average attendance in Sunday School of 99.

The good Pastor always prepares and equips his people to continue the work in his absence.   Reverend Dwayne Amburn certainly did a marvelous job in this respect for in the spring of 1954, God called him to Christian Higher Education at Campbell College in NC.   It was a sad time for the church, yet it was a moment God had been preparing Stones River for.   To their amazement, they were ready to continue the work until God could send them another shepherd to guide them.   That is exactly what God did as members of the church, along with Brother Nicholson, the Association Missionary, drove to Southern Seminary to interview a young man who would graduate in the fall.   Even though we do not remember this man's first name, his last name is indelibly etched in our memories because it was Shepherd -- God had provided a Shepherd to shepherd His flock.
~ Brother Ross ~