About Us
History of Crofton Baptist
Crofton Baptist Church was organized in 1850 at the log home of Bro. Matthew Armstrong under the name of Liberty Baptist. In 1884 there was a division; the church was divided into West Liberty Baptist Church (West Grove) and North Liberty Baptist Church (Crofton). It was not until 1889 that the church changed its name to Crofton Baptist Church.
In 1884 the Baptists in Crofton were strong enough to build their building and move out of the Union Church House and the Crofton Academy. Bro. John Waldon organized the first Sunday school in 1898, with services occuring once a month with Pastor Alex McCord.
The church started a mission in Empire, Kentucky, in 1905. Five years later, a new building in Crofton was erected that served the church until 1951. In 1924 a piano was added to accompany the reed organ for worship.
The church organized a Baptist Young People’s Union (Training Union) and moved to half-time services in 1925. WMU was formed a year earlier with Mrs. Lillie Clark as its first president.
The church continued in its growth and with revivals as an integral part of the strategy, with baptisms occuring at Crofton Mill Pond, Dripping Springs Creek, and Raildroad Lake. During the first 100 years, only two men were called to preach from the congregation, E L Pendley and Benjamin Lawther.
In 1949 the church called Porter Cole as pastor, and under his leadership, the church went to full-time services, 2-week VBS, and a 10-day revival each year.
The church would build an educational wing and fellowship hall during his five years as pastor. 1954 brought about the remodeling of the auditorium and the purchase of the first parsonage. The following year the Brotherhood would be started along with RA’s.
In 1963 a heating and cooling system was added to the building, with the following year extending an invitation for Bro. Don Mathis to serve his first pastorate. Bro. Don would serve as pastor for two years, preach five other revivals, and serve a 1-year interim pastorate (2022) at CBC. Bro. Truman Luther was called to serve in 1971, and during his pastorate, a new auditorium was built in 1974. During Bro. Rick Hatley’s tenure, a family life center was constructed and dedicated in his memory (Bro. Rick Hatley passed on February 1st, 2022). In 2023 the church called its 35th pastor, Bro. Jim Gifford.
Under the leadership of pastors, deacons, lay leaders and members of Crofton Baptist Church from 1980 to the present, the church has baptized 512 people.
The church has given $475,000 for mission causes in that same time frame. To God be the glory!
Our Pastor
Bro. Jim Gifford
I have served as pastor here at Crofton Baptist Church since 2023. I am passionate about seeing people connect in authentic relationships with God by grace through faith in Christ alone.
I hold a bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay, a graduate degree from Western Kentucky, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a master’s degree from Union University. My wife, Carolyn, and I have 4 children & 6 grandchildren.
Administrative Ministry Assistant
Tina Wood
Treasurer
Penny Thielen
Director of Music
Becky Morales
Deacons
Chairman: Ronnie Byrum
Jimmy Byrum, Jimmy Corneius, Terry Dexter, Gary Grace, Chris Morales, Peter Wood, Clifford Young
We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God and the basis for our beliefs. This church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message, 2000 as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000. This statement shall be for the purpose of binding believers together around common doctrines and beliefs. It shall be the basic standard of beliefs by which all members must unify. To view the document in full click here.
1. We affirm that the Bible is the holy, inspired, Word of God and is inerrant – fully true and trustworthy.
2. We affirm there is One True God, revealed in the Bible as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, three fully divine persons. Jesus is the Son of God, being one with the Father; he is fully God and fully man. The Holy Spirit indwells and leads God’s people.
3. We affirm that man, in his natural state, is sinful, disobedient to the will of God, and under a curse of death.
4. We affirm that salvation is the free gift of God, bought by the death and resurrection of Jesus, offered for the forgiveness of sins, to be received by faith.
5. We affirm that God’s purposes of grace include his works of election and perseverance by which he begins and completes the work of salvation in us, to the display of his glory and grace.
6. We affirm that the church is a body of baptized believers committed to each other and to God’s mission. The church is led by pastors, an office reserved for qualified men, and deacons.
7. We affirm that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water that symbolizes our rebirth and union with Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a practice of those baptized believers that memorializes the death of Christ and anticipates his return.
8. We affirm that the church’s mission is to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the entire world, through preaching, evangelism, compassionate ministry, and church planting.