Worship on Indian Creek Road
Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Church sits on Indian Creek Road in the northwestern reaches of Huntsville, Alabama, in Madison County. The congregation's motto, "A Loving Church That Worships God and Serves Mankind," frames everything that happens here. Members gather under three simple banners - One Church, One Spirit, One Vision - and the Sunday morning worship service is the heart of the week. Long-time members, recent arrivals, parents with infants in the nursery, students in Sunday School, and visitors all find a place in the same room.
A Story That Goes Back to 1869
The Indian Creek story goes back to the latter half of the nineteenth century. The church's title to the property at its present location dates to April 21, 1869, when the congregation was known as the African Baptist Church. Its founder and first pastor, Reverend Ned Coleman (also called Reverend Ned Clay), led the early group of believers in the Madison County countryside.
The second pastor, Reverend J. Kempfield, led the church to separate from the Indian Creek Association and join the Mallard Creek P.B. Association, of which the church remains a member. Kempfield was known to have baptized fifty-three candidates in a single day. The third pastor, Reverend Ned Patrick, saw a new roof and a new ceiling added to the original building.
In 1937, Reverend Sonnie Hereford became the fourth pastor, adding weather boarding around the church, digging a well, building a pastor's living quarters, and laying a church cornerstone. After his passing, stewardship came to Reverend James Townsend, the fifth pastor. In 1952, lightning destroyed the church, and almost nothing was saved except the piano. Under Townsend's leadership, a new church was built in less than two years. A larger church with a balcony, five service rooms, four bathrooms, and a baptistery was finished in the early 1970s, with an annex added in 1982. Until 1984, worship was held only twice a month, but that year the membership voted to gather every Sunday.
Reverend Michael Hartwell became the sixth pastor on August 14, 1985. During his ten years, the church grew in size and in scope, with new prayer services, Bible classes for all ages, a homebound ministry, the Limestone Prison Ministry, a tape ministry, a food source program, children's church for ages 6 to 11, a seniors' day center, and an aerobics praise and fitness group. Hartwell's pastorate ended in September 1995.
Pastor Timothy M. Rainey and a New Sanctuary
Elder Timothy M. Rainey, a Mobile, Alabama, native, was elected as the church's seventh pastor on April 5, 1996, and assumed the pastorate in May 1996. He became the congregation's first full-time pastor on January 1, 1998. Before entering ministry, Rainey had spent two decades in journalism and was a 1977 graduate of Troy University. He was named Troy University's Journalism Alumnus of the Year in 1997. He earned a Bachelor of Theology from Huntsville Baptist Institute in 1994, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Faith Evangelical Seminary and College in 2008, and a Master of Divinity from the same school in 2016.
Under Rainey's guidance, the membership developed the mission statement and the motto that still frame the church's identity. He organized an Evangelistic Ministry, a Partners in Prayer Ministry, a New Member's Class, a New Members Ministry, an After-School Program, a Summer Enrichment Program for ages 5 to 12, a Singles Ministry, a College Ministry, Cub and Boy Scout units, and a Physical Fitness Ministry. The former building received a $40,000 face-lift, two vans were purchased, and more than seven acres of land were acquired.
In the early 1990s, the church had purchased five acres of land along Indian Creek Road known as the Newby Property. A groundbreaking ceremony for phase one of a new facility was held on April 3, 2005, and in November 2007, the congregation moved into a $4.2 million sanctuary and fellowship hall. Since that time, second-floor classrooms in the north and south wings, administrative offices, and The Gathering Place, which includes the Holyground Coffee Shop and Book-N-Things, have been completed. The next phase of the vision, a gymnasium and multipurpose center, is in development.
Five associate ministers serve alongside Rainey: James Epps, Marcus Beasley, Stanley McCrary, Richard Whetstone, and Brian Hill. A Minister of Music and a part-time administrative secretary are on staff, along with five part-time After School Care teachers.
Sunday Mornings and Wednesday Bible Study
Worship at Indian Creek follows a steady weekly rhythm. Sunday School begins at 8:45 a.m. and morning worship begins at 10:00 a.m. Livestreaming on YouTube starts at 9:00 a.m. so that members at home can join the service, and a sermon archive is available on the church's YouTube channel. On Wednesday evenings, Bible Study meets at 6:00 p.m., both in person and on Facebook Live.
The Music Ministry leads the congregation in worship, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through song and giving believers a chance to use their gifts. A Dance Ministry celebrates, worships, and praises God through movement led by the Spirit. The Audio, Media, and Video Ministry runs the sound systems and produces the recordings that feed the livestream.
Ministries Across Every Stage of Life
The church's ministry list reflects the wide range of ages and life circumstances of its members. Children are cared for in the Nursery Ministry for ages 0 to 4 and in the Sunday School and Children's Church Ministry, which offers a child-friendly worship environment. The After-School Program and the Summer Enrichment Program for ages 5 to 12 extend the church's reach into the lives of working families during the school year and the summer months. Cub and Boy Scout units sponsored by the church give boys ages 6 to 18 the chance to grow in character, leadership, citizenship, fitness, and reverence for God.
The Youth Ministry empowers adolescents and young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. The Singles Ministry and the College Ministry connect adults in those seasons of life, and the Marriage Ministry walks alongside couples. The Senior Aid Ministry offers practical help, like cleaning and grocery shopping, to members who are ill, sick, or shut-in. The Matron Ministry visits the elderly, the sick, and the shut-in, offering prayer, encouragement, and fellowship. The Bereavement Ministry provides consultation, support, and guidance to families who have lost a loved one.
The Brotherhood Ministry encourages male leadership and involvement in church, home, and community, with the men serving as big brothers and role models for younger males in the church. The Kitchen Ministry feeds the Indian Creek family whenever a church function calls for a meal, and the Wedding Coordinator Ministry assists the pastor with ceremony details. The Usher Ministry and the Sunday Greeters Ministry make sure that every person who walks through the doors is welcomed with a smile.
Outreach ministries include the Van Ministry, which helps members and non-members without transportation get to Sunday worship and Wednesday Bible Study; the Evangelism Ministry, which carries the gospel to those who do not yet have a church home; the Prison Ministry, which shares the gospel with the incarcerated through worship services and Bible teaching; and the Military Ministry, which promotes spiritual fellowship and support among Christians who serve in the armed forces and the spouses who stand beside them. The Health Care Ministry attends to the whole-person health of body, mind, and spirit, and the Faithful Fitness Ministry pairs physical activity with spiritual growth and good fellowship. The Photography Ministry captures the smiles, the laughs, and the families of the congregation, while the Newsletter Ministry keeps members informed and inspired. The Bookstore Ministry, located in The Gathering Place, supports ongoing spiritual education and outreach.
Thrive Groups and the Mission of the Church
A new season of small-group ministry is underway with the launch of Thrive Groups, which meet throughout the year. The groups gather around Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, drawing participants into a deeper relationship with God and helping them face the crises and issues of everyday life.
The church's stated mission, lived out through these many ministries, is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone, to praise and worship God, to encourage the household of faith with love, kindness, and compassion, to minister to the spiritual needs of the community through evangelism and systematic witnessing to the unchurched and the unsaved, to equip, train, and nurture the saints of God as mature Christians in the word, greater disciples in the world, and good stewards over God's time, talent, and treasure, to reach out to the downtrodden and those in despair in the likeness of Christ, meeting physical needs, and to be servants unto all.
Joining Indian Creek
The church is located at 380 Indian Creek Road, Huntsville, AL 35806, and the office can be reached at 256-837-2335. Giving is available during morning services by envelope, online through Givelify, or through the Givelify mobile app. The congregation looks forward to welcoming friends old and new on Indian Creek Road for Sunday School, morning worship, and Wednesday Bible Study.