June 11, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
The New Bildad Primitive Baptist Church is turning 210 years old and special worship services are planned this weekend to commemorate it.
In this week’s WJLE Preacher Feature, Elder Joseph Arnold talks about the history of the church and his ministry as pastor there.
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Established on June 26, 1809, the church was originally known as Bildad Baptist Church located in the Keltonburg Community and actually pre-dated by two months the founding of Salem Baptist Church, long considered by many to be the oldest church in the county. Years later after a division among Baptists over the issue of foreign missions, many churches took on the name “Missionary” Baptists while others, including Bildad became “Primitive” Baptists. Then in 1854, differences over doctrine created a split within the church itself. As a result, the Keltonburg location became Old Bildad Church and those who sought to adhere to the original teachings about the bodily resurrection formed New Bildad in the Seven Springs Community where the church still worships today. The Old Bildad Church no longer exists as all members have since passed away.
The existing church building where today’s congregation still meets was constructed around 1879 of course over the years there have been renovations and about 25 years ago a fellowship hall was added.
For 33 years Joseph’s father Elder Ricky Arnold served as pastor of the church until stepping aside two years ago. In January Elder Ricky became pastor at the Mount View Primitive Baptist Church. After Elder Ricky’s tenure as minister at New Bildad the congregation turned to Joseph to carry on the tradition.
“I believe ministering is what the Lord wanted me to do. I wasn’t sure exactly why because I don’t have the smoothest voice or the most eloquent look of a minister but I felt the Lord has blessed what I have tried to do. I started out introducing services there when I was 14 years old in 1994 and continued that until they liberated me to preach at other places in 2001. I was officially ordained as a minister in 2012 at New Bildad but before that within the space of about five years I preached at Lebanon Primitive Baptist Church and Yellow Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Dunlap where my dad’s brother Elder Reed Arnold was once pastor. He is now deceased,” said Elder Joseph.
Elder Arnold and the congregation of about 20-25 who meet regularly at New Bildad invite you to join them for their weekly services.
“We meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings except the 4th Sunday evenings of the month when we meet at the Webb House Retirement Center at 6:00 p.m. We also have a Wednesday night service at 6:30 p.m.,” said Arnold.
You also have a special invitation to attend the services this weekend in conjunction with the church’s 210th anniversary.
“Jeff Winfrey of Kentucky is our invited speaker. We will meet on Friday, June 14 for supper at 5:30 p.m. followed by a service at 7:00 p.m.. The following morning, Saturday, June 15 another service will get underway at 10:30 a.m. with lunch to follow and then we will have an afternoon worship service at 2:00 p.m.,” said Arnold.
As part of their community outreach the New Bildad and Mount View Primitive Baptist Churches share a Sunday morning program on WJLE at 8:00 a.m. called the Firm Foundation featuring Elder Joseph Arnold and Elder Ricky Arnold. New Bildad also has an active Facebook and You Tube page.
New Bildad Primitive Baptist Church is located about a half mile off Highway 56 on New Bildad Road in the Seven Springs Community.
Elder Joseph and his wife Christy are the parents of two children, 13 year old Yasmin and 11 year old Lealon.