A Southern Baptist Family on South Highway 53
Ballardsville Baptist Church sits along South Highway 53 in Crestwood, Kentucky, a few miles north of LaGrange in Oldham County. The brick building with the large white cross out front has been the Sunday morning gathering place for generations of families across the county, and today it anchors a wide network of ministries that reach from the church parking lot into neighborhoods, schools, prisons, and mission fields abroad.
The church describes its mission as impacting the world with the love and message of Jesus Christ, and its vision as establishing disciple-making communities that multiply in every neighborhood in LaGrange, Crestwood, and ultimately Oldham County and the world. To make that vision concrete, the staff teaches three Life Steps that summarize the life of a follower of Jesus: Experience Jesus, Engage Others, and Embrace the Commission. Those three phrases show up across the ministry calendar, from the nursery to senior adult Sunday School classes and from Wednesday night youth to short-term mission trips.
Ballardsville affiliates with the Southern Baptist Convention through the Cooperative Program and works closely with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Kentucky Women's Missionary Union, and the Ignite Church Network. The church's denominational convictions are rooted in historic Baptist beliefs about the inerrancy of Scripture, the autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of all believers, believer's baptism by immersion, and the symbolic nature of the Lord's Supper.
Planning a First Visit
For anyone considering a Sunday at Ballardsville, the church lays out the experience step by step. The Worship Gathering begins at 10:30 AM, and arriving a few minutes early gives time to park, find a seat, and meet the people who will greet you at every door. Guest Parking spots are reserved on both sides of the building for first-time guests, and the two main entrance doors on the front of the building sit beside the big white cross that marks the campus.
Once inside, greeters point visitors toward the auditorium, refreshments are often available, and an usher team helps with seating. The gathering runs about an hour and fifteen minutes and features music from the worship team and a message from the Bible delivered by one of the pastors or a guest preacher. Dress is casual: jeans and t-shirts are common, though some still wear coats and ties.
For families with children from birth through fifth grade, the children's ministry provides a safe, Christ-focused experience. Parents should plan to arrive about ten minutes early to check in. A First Impressions volunteer in the foyer will meet the family, walk them to the correct room, and gather basic information for the first visit, including parent names, child's name and birthdate, home address, phone number, and any allergy or special instructions. The church stores this information securely and never shares it. Parents of infants may also use the Parent's Viewing Room, a private space designed for mothers and fathers who want to enjoy the service while caring for little ones.
First-time guests are encouraged to fill out a Plan Your Visit Connect Card online, which helps the staff prepare for the visit and follow up with a personal note or call.
Kids Connect: A Chronological Journey Through the Bible
Ballardsville's children's ministry, known as Kids Connect, serves children from birth through fifth grade across two Sunday morning hours. At 9:00 AM, Sunday School classes gather by age in the Children's Hall. Precious Lambs (birth through twenty-three months) meets in Room 105, Little Sparrows (twos and threes) in Room 106, and Early Birds (first through fifth grade) in Room 108. The younger rooms follow gentle rhythms designed to introduce toddlers to Bible stories, key verses, and simple worship songs.
At 10:30 AM, during the Worship Gathering, Kids Connect classes open with Little Lights Nursery (birth through twenty-three months) in Room 105, Little Explorers (two- and three-year-olds) in Room 106, Little Learners (four-year-olds through kindergarten) in Room 107, Discovery Club (also four-year-olds through kindergarten) in Room 104, and Power Hour (first through fifth grade) in the Fellowship Hall. The ministry uses the GO! Curriculum, which walks children through the Bible chronologically each year so they can see how their own stories fit inside God's larger story. The hour includes key verses, kid-friendly worship, journal time, craft time, and prayer.
Two major annual events anchor the children's calendar. Vacation Bible School runs for one week each summer (the 2026 dates are July 12 to 16) and features a themed adventure with games, music, and Bible teaching. Crossings Kids Camp at Crossings Cedarmore in Bagdad, Kentucky, gives older children a multi-day, distraction-free environment with zip lines, bazooka ball, escape rooms, fishing, and high-energy activities woven together with gospel teaching.
330 Youth: Middle School and High School Ministry
The student ministry at Ballardsville is called 330 Youth, a reference to Acts 2:14 and the broader theme of being filled with the Spirit and sent out. The ministry meets in two weekly rhythms. On Sundays at 9:00 AM, 330 Youth Sunday gathers for in-depth Bible study and discussion led by adult leaders who walk students through Scripture and its real-world implications. On Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, 330 Youth Weekly Worship offers a high-energy time of teaching, worship, and small group connection.
The student ministry also runs special events throughout the year, including volunteer work days, movie nights, game nights, open gyms, and seasonal parties. Crossings Camp at Crossings Cedarmore serves as the summer highlight, drawing students in grades six through twelve for a multi-day camp experience about thirty-five minutes from the church campus.
Adult Discipleship: Sunday School and Home Groups
Ballardsville structures adult discipleship around two complementary rhythms: Sunday School classes that meet at 9:00 AM on the church campus, and Home Groups that meet during the week in homes throughout the area.
Sunday School offerings include Expedition (adults 35 and older, led by Chris Clark and Eric Doran, Room 136), Fellowship (adults 60 and older, led by Tom Hawkins, Room 137), Mom Core (moms of all ages, led by Morgan Inman, Room 124), Heart and Soul (adults 35 and older, led by David and Cathy Stoess, Room 135), Joy Boosters (women, led by Amy Nettle, Room 139), and BBC Connect (adults in their twenties and thirties, led by Lead Pastor Tony Wolfenbarger and Worship Pastor Mario Delgado, Room 132). Coffee and hot chocolate are available in the foyer to make the early hour easier for families.
Home Groups are small gatherings of typically eight to twelve adults that meet weekly in someone's home for a meal, conversation, and a discussion of the previous Sunday's sermon. Groups typically follow the school semester calendar, August through December and January through May, with some groups continuing through the summer and others gathering for monthly outings. New groups start when an existing leader apprentices a new leader and the group grows past twelve to fourteen people. The church describes Home Groups as the primary relational environment for being and making disciples, inviting new people, and doing life together.
Women, Men, and Marriage
The Women's Ministry centers on several ongoing Bible studies and mission-focused gatherings. A Ladies Sunday School class meets Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:15 AM in Room 139. A separate group for moms meets Sundays at 9:00 AM in Room 124, walking together through the everyday challenges of motherhood. Women on Mission gathers on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM in Room 139 for prayer, fellowship, and mission projects, and the affiliated "Sew" It Goes group meets immediately afterward to sew stockings, totes, and other items used in mission work. Monthly Bunco nights offer a social outlet, and Life Together evenings provide additional fellowship opportunities for women throughout the year.
The Men's Ministry is being developed as a place for men to grow in their walk with Christ and connect with other men in the church.
Marriage ministry focuses on building marriages that reflect the union between Christ and His church. Resources, classes, and events support couples at every stage.
Missions: Local, National, and International
Missions sit at the heart of Ballardsville's identity. The church supports a long list of local partners across Oldham County and beyond, including Wayside Christian Mission in downtown Louisville, where members serve breakfast and provide financial support by purchasing breakfast food on the fifth Saturday of each month; Crossroads Pregnancy Center in Crestwood, which offers pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and peer counseling; Foundation of Hope, a Buckner-based food pantry that addresses food insecurity in the area; Good News Homes in LaGrange, which helps displaced and at-risk families with housing and related resources; Highpoint Charitable Services in LaGrange, which provides food, clothing, and other essentials to those on the verge of poverty and homelessness; and Hope Health Clinic in LaGrange, which provides basic health services to under-served persons and families.
Through the Oldham County Ministerial Association, the church helps fund lodging, fuel, and food for neighbors in crisis, with requests coordinated through Pastor Don Wright.
On the national level, Ballardsville participates in the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions and partners with the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions through the International Mission Board. Through the Kentucky Women's Missionary Union, members support the Eliza Broadus Offering, which funds Kentucky missions including disaster relief, church planting, language missions, and collegiate ministry.
The church plants and supports churches through the Ignite Church Network and the North American Mission Board's Send Network, including partnerships with The Church at Four Corners in Bozeman, Montana, and The Valley Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Short-term mission trips have taken teams to the Dominican Republic to work with Haitian communities through A Door to Hope, to Ecuador for discipleship and mentoring, and to Honduras each March for church construction and medical clinics in partnership with Frontline Missions.
Operation Christmas Child is a major seasonal emphasis. Each fall the church collects school supplies, socks, and other items, and members fill shoeboxes that are distributed through Samaritan's Purse to children around the world.
Volunteer Teams and How to Get Involved
Volunteers are the engine behind the church's ministries. Several teams serve every Sunday and throughout the week. First Impressions includes greeters, the Next Steps team that helps newcomers get connected, ushers in the auditorium, and a Lord's Supper team that prepares communion once a month. The Worship Team includes vocal leaders and a rotating band with bass, drums, piano, keys, acoustic and electric guitar, and often brass, winds, strings, and additional percussion. Auditions and church membership are required to join the worship team, and rehearsals are held Tuesdays at 7:00 PM and Sundays at 8:30 AM.
The Production Team runs audio, slides, and online video for the gathering. Open roles include in-house audio engineer, overhead slide operator using ProPresenter, online video director, online audio engineer, and camera operator. No prior experience is required, and the church provides training. The BBC Kids Team serves in the nursery, preschool, and elementary classrooms, and includes a Special Needs Buddy role for one-on-one support for children who need extra help.
The Building and Grounds Team maintains the church facilities through landscaping, lawn care, lighting, painting, building maintenance, appliance repair, and carpentry. The 330 Youth Team invests in middle and high school students through Sunday School and small group leadership.
Beyond ongoing teams, the church rallies volunteers for major events each year, including Vacation Bible School, the Living Nativity at Christmas, and the Fall Festival.
Sermons and Teaching
Teaching is a major part of life at Ballardsville. The church has maintained an extensive sermon archive that visitors can search by speaker, series, book of the Bible, or topic. The longest-running series walk through the Gospel of Luke, while shorter series have covered 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, Genesis, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, James, 1 John, and many others. Recent teaching has included the Romans: Good News for Real Life series, a multi-year walk through Paul's letter to the Romans led primarily by Lead Pastor Tony Wolfenbarger, with sermons contributed by Worship Pastor Mario Delgado and NextGen Pastor Jason Wallin.
Sermons are posted online and can be streamed through Ballardsville Online. Video and audio are available, and the church also provides a free digital library through RightNow Media, giving members access to thousands of discipleship videos for kids, youth, and adults.
Giving and Stewardship
Ballardsville teaches a biblical view of stewardship rooted in tithing and cheerful, systematic, and proportional giving. Members and guests can give in several ways. Online giving is available through the church's Realm account, recurring gifts can be set up for automated giving, and one-time gifts can be made by texting BBCGift to 73256. Gifts can also be mailed to the church office or dropped in the offering receptacles during any gathering. In addition to regular tithes and offerings, members can give to the World Mission Fund, which supports designated mission organizations throughout the year.
Beliefs: A Confessional Baptist Faith
Ballardsville Baptist Church holds to a detailed confession of faith that reflects classic Southern Baptist convictions. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and the supreme authority for faith and practice. God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God in three persons, Creator and Sustainer of all things. God the Father reigns providentially over His creation, and through Jesus Christ He makes salvation available to all who believe.
The church affirms that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, was buried, rose again bodily, ascended to the right hand of God, and will return personally and visibly in glory to judge the world. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, convicts people of sin, regenerates those who trust in Christ, baptizes and seals every believer, and empowers the church for worship, evangelism, and service.
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ, and includes justification, regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. Once saved, the believer is secure in Christ forever. The church practices two ordinances: believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, both understood as symbolic acts of obedience.
The church affirms the priesthood of all believers, the autonomy of the local congregation, the equal worth of husbands and wives before God, the sanctity of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, the dignity of human life from conception, the importance of Christian family, and the responsibility of believers to give cheerfully, regularly, and proportionately for the advancement of Christ's work.
Staff and Leadership
Dr. Tony Wolfenbarger serves as Lead Pastor. A graduate with both business and theological training, he is committed to making disciples who make disciples. He loves Jesus, his wife, his kids, and the church, in that order. He is joined by Mario Delgado, who serves as Worship Pastor and oversees the music ministry, and Jason Wallin, who serves as NextGen Pastor and oversees the church's ministry to children, students, and families. Jason, his wife Sarah, and their children Annabelle and James have been members of Ballardsville since 2014, and Jason has served in many roles over the years, including on the Worship Team, Choir, Personnel Committee, Deacon, Elder, Awana, and Youth Leader. Morgan Inman serves as Children's Director and oversees Kids Connect and Sunday School for kids. The staff also includes a Ministerial Communications Assistant who handles internal communications.
The pastoral team is supported by deacons, elders, and ministry leaders across the congregation, and a body of dedicated volunteers who keep Sunday School, Home Groups, music, children's ministry, and missions running throughout the week.
Getting Connected
For those who want to take a next step, the church offers several on-ramps. The Plan Your Visit Connect Card introduces newcomers to a staff member who can answer questions and help find a place to serve. Sunday School classes are open to anyone who wants to study the Bible in community. Home Groups are designed for people who want deeper relationships and consistent discipleship. The church also runs a Discover BBC class for those who want to learn more about Ballardsville's beliefs, mission, and membership process.
Regular communication happens through weekly announcements, a mobile app powered by Realm, and the church's digital library. Visitors and members can stay up to date on upcoming events, small groups, volunteer needs, and sermon series through the app, social media, and the church's email list.
Ballardsville Baptist Church is open and active in Crestwood, with the central message that the gospel is the power of God at work in everyday life. Whether a guest arrives for the first time on a Sunday morning or joins a Home Group on a Tuesday night, the church's desire is that every person would experience Jesus, engage with others, and embrace the mission of making disciples who multiply in every neighborhood and nation.