Tucked along Doylesville Road on the western edge of Richmond, Union City Baptist Church has gathered for worship in Madison County since 1812, making it one of the oldest Baptist congregations still active in central Kentucky. Of the eighteen charter members who constituted the congregation on April 12, 1812, only one is named in the surviving records with any descriptor: "Jennie (a black woman)," remembered alongside the Winns, the Dennys, the Millers, the Quisenberys, and others who planted this church on a tract of one and a half acres deeded by John Winn in August 1813. The meeting house that grew up there still belongs to the same Baptist body, anchored by the same confession the founders wrote into their covenant: that the Word of God in the Old and New Testaments is "the only infallible rule of Faith and Practice," that the saints shall persevere "through Grace to Glory," and that baptism is "by Immersion."
From Cabin to Brick to a 213-Year Heritage
The first year's records set a tone of strict discipline that would carry through the early church. Members were expected at every business meeting, and any male member absent from two in a row was sent for. In 1814 the church voted to begin practicing the ordinance of foot washing; that same year a member was disciplined for playing the fiddle.
In May 1812 Robert Frier became the first pastor, serving until his death in December 1819. Colby B. Quisenberry was elected the first clerk, a post he held until 1830. In June 1812 the congregation joined the Tates Creek Baptist Association, and Quisenberry and Samuel Denny were chosen as the first deacons. James E. Duvall was the first member ordained to the ministry.
The biggest test came in October 1830, when Alexander Campbell's doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration divided the church. Most of Campbell's followers drifted toward what became the Disciples of Christ. Fifteen Baptists held their ground, and by December sixteen more had joined them under Pastor Thomas Ballou. The dissenting years reshaped the congregation's ties, moving it from the South Fork Association in 1847 to the Boone's Creek Association in 1857 and back to the Tates Creek Association in 1961.
In 1848 the Baptists agreed with the local Reformed brethren to erect a brick building on the lot the log meeting house had occupied. Baptists worshipped on the first Sunday of each month, the Reformed on the second. That joint arrangement continued until November 3, 1893, when the Baptists purchased the Reformers' interest. An organ was installed in 1887, a Sunday School organized in 1891, and a major repair campaign in 1897 expanded the building. A revival in August 1904 led to nineteen additions by experience and baptism. The congregation marked its one hundredth anniversary with a Homecoming on April 30, 1912, when former pastors returned and Dr. J.W. Porter preached the centennial sermon.
A few long-serving lay leaders shaped the church between the two world wars and into the twentieth century. Alton R. Parke held the office of treasurer for thirty-seven years and nine months, the longest such tenure in the church's history. Helen Blevins became the first woman elected clerk and held the role for thirty-three years. Pastor Joseph Stiles oversaw construction of an education building in 1939. Pastor Willis Bennett directed the building of a parsonage begun in 1950. William Slagle led the way to a baptistery and basement completed in 1953, and William Craig's tenure brought a stone wall along the road and an outside bulletin board. The highest regular attendance in the church's history came under Pastor William Tucker. Pastor Ronald Kerr's leadership brought a new constitution and by-laws and the 150th anniversary, while Pastor Ted Huckaby's service saw the Stella Parke Circle of the WMU organized.
The pastor line runs from Robert Frier in 1812 through Smith V. Potts, W.E. Chambliss, John C. Wray, John G. Pond, and dozens of others, into a modern era of Richard Brown (1993 to 2012), James Hardin (2012 to 2015), David King (2015 to 2023), and the interim pastors Jerry Anderson, James Poynter, and Tony Hancock beginning in March 2023. Dr. Michael Barnes stepped into the pulpit in October 2025.
Pastor Dr. Michael G. Barnes
The current pastor is a homegrown preacher. Dr. Michael G. Barnes was born and raised in Richmond and graduated from Madison Central High School, where he met his wife Michelle (Bruner) Barnes. They were married on August 16, 1985, in Richmond. Two daughters came from that union, Tara in 1988 and Kayla in 1991, and four grandchildren - Parker, Hailey, Emersyn, and Kayin - round out what Barnes calls "a special gift from God."
Church life runs deep in his family. His grandfather Oscar Neal and his father Glen Edward Barnes were both deacons, and his father also served as a song leader. Barnes describes his first trip to church as a six-week-old, when his mother Elizabeth carried him into a pew in a baby carrier. He received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at twenty-five on December 16, 1990. Three years later, on October 8, 2000, he surrendered to what he describes as a years-long call to preach the gospel. He counts it a singular joy to have seen his wife, his two daughters, and one of his grandchildren also come to know Jesus as their personal Savior.
His formal training came from two institutions. He earned three certificates from Seminary Extension in Nashville, Tennessee, covering Understanding the Bible, The Life of Christ, and Pastoral Ministries. He then completed three diplomas from Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, Georgia: a Bachelor of Ministry, a Master of Pastoral Counseling, and a Doctor of Theology. Barnes has published three books on Amazon - "The Eden Effect," "The Bible and Homosexuality," and "The Kingdom of God" - and his daily scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Office hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays by appointment only, plus Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The pastor can be reached through the church office during those hours or by email at pastor@unioncitybaptist.org.
Sundays on Doylesville Road
Visitors are warmly welcomed at every service. Casual dress is the norm, with no pressure about attire; the focus, the church says, is on worship and fellowship, not what anyone is wearing.
The weekly rhythm is straightforward. Sunday School begins at 10:00 a.m., with classes for children, youth, and adults of all ages. The Morning Worship Service follows at 11:00 a.m., weaving traditional hymns together with contemporary praise songs. An Evening Worship Service gathers the same day at 6:30 p.m. A Wednesday Night Service rounds out the week at 6:30 p.m., with a Prayer Meeting and Bible Study often meeting the same evening at 7:00 p.m. A quarterly "Breakfast before Sunday School" has become a recent addition to the calendar, with the next gathering scheduled on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m.
Families with young children are welcomed into the sanctuary. Little voices and baby cries are accepted as part of the joy of worship, but a nursery is available for parents who would prefer a quieter space, and children in kindergarten through fifth grade may leave the sanctuary partway through the morning service for Children's Church.
The lot has three entrances - one off Doylesville Road and two off Walker Parke Road - and worshipers can enter the building either through the front doors or through the side entrance by the parking lot, which opens directly into the Sunday School classrooms and the Fellowship Hall.
The church office is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The general email is unioncitybaptistchurch@gmail.com. Prayer requests submitted to the church are kept confidential and emailed only to the pastor. Live streams of services and recordings of past services are posted each week on Facebook and YouTube, so anyone unable to attend in person can still follow along.
The Praise and Worship Team
Music has long been central to Union City's identity. In 1887, decades before the rural electric cooperatives reached many parts of Madison County, the church installed its first organ. Today the Praise and Worship Team blends congregational hymns with contemporary praise songs, plus solo performances, quartets, and seasonal cantatas.
Five musicians currently serve on the worship team. Pastor Dr. Michael G. Barnes leads the group spiritually, shepherding the singers and musicians and ensuring the church's praise remains Christ-centered and biblically grounded. Ellen Stone serves as song leader, pianist, and singer, guiding the congregation into moments of praise, reflection, and joy. Pianist Lynita Brown helps lead worship through voice or instrument. Brian Newman plays guitar and sings, and Larry Smith serves as a singer and song leader, helping set the tone and unite voices across the room.
The team invites anyone who can play an instrument or sing to join. The goal is to have special music in each service, including youth and children, and the team works willingly with Sunday School and youth leaders to integrate younger musicians.
A working list of praise songs the congregation has learned includes familiar worship standards such as "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)," "How Great Is Our God," "Way Maker," "Goodness of God," "Graves Into Gardens," "What A Beautiful Name," "Give Thanks," "Joy to the World," and "House of the Lord," along with "Emmanuel God With Us" and "Gratitude."
Cornerstone Kids Ministry
Children's ministry at Union City is named after the cornerstone of a building - Jesus Christ - and is rooted in the conviction that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The ministry partners with parents to disciple children in accordance with what Scripture calls the primary calling of the home: "These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children." The Cornerstone Kids program points children to the gospel from Scripture, supports parents as primary disciple-makers, and fosters a safe, Christ-centered environment where kids are loved and taught.
The Sunday School hour at 10:00 a.m. provides age-appropriate classes for children and youth, and Children's Church during the 11:00 a.m. worship service is offered for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. A nursery is also available for families who prefer a quieter space for little ones. A summer Vacation Bible School rounds out the children's ministry calendar each year.
The Deacon Family Ministry
Seven deacons currently serve the church: John Covington, Sam Cain, Johnny Covington, Mike Eirich, Kurt McDaniel, William Hendricks, and Trevor Stiltner. In September 2026 the pastor announced a leadership transition in which Kirk McDaniel and Trevor Stiltner stepped into the chairmanship and vice chairmanship of the board.
The Deacon Family Ministry is built around a simple idea: every family in the church has a designated deacon who serves as a spiritual friend, encourager, and point of contact. The arrangement reflects Acts 6, where the early church set apart servant leaders "of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom" to care for the practical needs of the body so that the ministry of the Word could flourish.
Each deacon is asked to pray regularly for the families assigned to him, to make encouraging calls, notes, texts, or visits, to check in periodically, to welcome new members, and to assist during illness, hospitalization, or crisis. Deacons also coordinate meals, visits, and other practical help, and they communicate needs to the pastoral leadership. The scriptural qualifications are spelled out in 1 Timothy 3: deacons are to be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, and proved before being entrusted with the office. A deacon is to be the husband of one wife, ruling his children and his own house well.
Reaching Out: From Trunk-or-Treat to the Ends of the Earth
Missions and outreach at Union City run in two directions at once - into the neighborhood around Doylesville Road and around the world.
The most visible community event is Trunk or Treat, the church's Halloween alternative, where decorated trunks and a family-friendly atmosphere draw families from the wider Madison County area each fall. Monthly fellowship breakfasts for men and women, a quarterly "Breakfast before Sunday School," and "Young at Heart" gatherings that pick a restaurant and build intergenerational ties round out the social calendar.
The giving budget tells the rest of the story. Sixteen percent of undesignated receipts are forwarded to the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention, four percent to the local Baptist association, and one and a half percent each to Clear Creek Baptist College and Oneida Baptist Institute. One percent supports Sunrise Services. Set dollar amounts also flow to Local Missions, Baptist Campus Ministries, the compassionate ministry initiative Operation Inasmuch, and Hospice. Quarterly missions offerings are devoted to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, the Sunrise Children's Services offering, the Eliza Broaddus offering supporting Kentucky WMU missions, and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions.
Year-round ministries include a nursery, Vacation Bible School in the summer, the music and worship ministry, the Women's Missionary Union, ongoing Bible study for children, youth, and adults, and the Deacon Family Ministry. The pastor's letters close with a call to "be the salt and light and a Lighthouse in someone's life today, showing them the love and compassion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
What They Believe
Union City Baptist Church adheres to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, the confession of faith adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention on June 14, 2000. The eighteen articles cover the Scriptures, God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), man, salvation, God's purpose of grace, the church, baptism and the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Day, the Kingdom, last things, evangelism and missions, education, stewardship, cooperation, the Christian and the social order, peace and war, religious liberty, and the family.
The Bible is described as a perfect treasure of divine instruction, "totally true and trustworthy," given by men divinely inspired. There is one living and true God, infinite in holiness and all other perfections, who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, "in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man." The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, brings believers to faith, cultivates Christian character, bestows gifts by which believers serve God through His church, and seals believers "unto the day of final redemption."
Salvation is the redemption of the whole person, offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification, with no salvation apart from personal faith in Christ. Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, prerequisite to church membership and to participation in the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Day, the first day of the week, commemorates Christ's resurrection and is set aside for worship and spiritual devotion.
Marriage is defined as the uniting of one man and one woman in lifelong covenant; children, "from the moment of conception," are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. The church under the Lordship of Christ is described as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, governed democratically under the headship of Christ, with pastors and deacons as its scriptural officers. The church's aim, in the language of the final article, is for its members to seek to "make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society," opposing racism, greed, and sexual immorality, caring for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick, and contending for the sanctity of all human life.