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History of the Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church
In 1976 the Atlantic Association of the North American Baptist Conference approves to start a church extension project in Bensalem, PA with Fleischman Memorial Baptist Church as the mother church. In February of 1977, the Rev. Dennis A. Kee was called as the first Pastor of this church extension project.
April 1977 the church started to meet via home Bible studies with 7 people (Pastor’s Family & Resh Family). The first church service was help on July 3, 1977 in the chapel of the Bensalem United Methodist Church with 14 people present. Neshaminy Valley held its first Vacation Bible School in the courtyard of Korman Suites where the Pastor was renting an apartment. The chapel of the United Methodist Church was not heated so the church was required to find another residence. The Bensalem School District rented the Belmont Hills Elementary School’s gym to the church and Sunday services were moved to this location in September 1977. The church grew in numbers through a concerted effort to reach every home in Bensalem via door-to-door visitation and using the community booth in the Neshaminy Mall. Through these efforts we were able to get information about the church into the community. A map of Bensalem was posted and as the various areas of Bensalem were visited, the map was colored until every home in Bensalem was reached. The church continued to meet for Worship every Sunday at the school and in 1979 the first Sunday School program was established prior to the worship service. On June 24th, 1978 the Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania with 20 charter members. The first baptism service was held at the Fleischman Memorial Baptist Church in 1978.
With the blessings of God, the church grew quickly and towards the end of 1979, the need to find a permanent location was started. After looking at many locations in Bensalem, the church started negotiations with the Terifith Israel congregation for the purchase or 3 acres located on Bristol Road. March 14, 1980 the purchase of the property was finalized. The church contacted the Church Extension Investor’s Fund (CEIF) of the NAB conference to secure financing for a building. Between March 1980 and February 1982 $300,000 was raised through investments in CEIF and the money for the property was turned over to the church in the form of a 30 year mortgage. An architect was hired to design the present building and a contractor was obtained. On April 4th 1982, ground was broken with construction starting on June 14th. There were 98 members when construction was started.
October 24th 1982 the first worship service of the Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church was held at 2895 Bristol Road, Bensalem, PA. A corner stone laying ceremony was conducted on November 6, 1982 with the building dedication held on May 1st, 1983.
On August 16, 1988 Rev. Dennis A. Kee resigned as the pastor and a search started for the next pastor at the church. On October 29th, 1989 Rev. Joseph F. Hart was called to NVBC as the second pastor of NVBC. Pastor Hart started the first Wednesday night prayer time calling it the “Mid-Week Difference” which became “Guardians Actively Praying” (GAP) which is still meeting every Wednesday night. In 1990 Pastor Hart was ordained at NVBC. November 1992 saw the start of the “Karate For Christ” ministry under the direction of Ken Wilhelm. In 1993 we entered into a rental agreement with a Korean Methodist congregation to rent the building on Sunday afternoon for worship. February 5th 1995 the “Teenagers Involved In Going To Heaven Together” (T.I.G.H.T.) was started. Tim & Jackie Faulkner become the first missionary couple the church would supply ongoing support to in 1996. In January 1997, Rev Joe Hart resigned as our second pastor at NVBC.
October 18th, 1997 the church celebrated its 20th year anniversary and the next day, October 19th, the church called its third pastor, Rev. Joseph Thomas to NVBC. On May 22nd, 1998 the first “Senior Saints” meeting was held for those in the church family over the age of 50. In 1998 the church started to operate in the black for the first time in the church’s history. Paul & Mellisa Ewing were adopted by the church as our second missionary family in April 2000. Pastor Thomas was ordained at NVBC on May 28th, 2000. November 26th, 2000, Pastor Dave Dow was installed as the discipleship Pastor at the church and he was ordained at NVBC on December 1st 2002.
In 2001, when Maureen Strange over came cancer she asked God what she could do for Him. God laid on her heart a ministry for children and the Pioneer Club Ministry was started in August of that year. September also saw the start of a new Youth Ministry at the church for Junior & Senior High teenagers in the community.
Between the years of 2002 and 2005 the church began to redefine our calling to the work God had placed before us in the Bensalem and surrounding communities. During this time of refinement we saw God at work in the lives of the children and the ministries focused on children of the church and community. The church decided to focus its energies toward children ministries with the purpose of also reaching the parents of the children who were attending. On June 10, 2005 the church started to reach out to the needs of the community by hosting a dinner for fisherman who had entered a tournament the coming weekend. This has grown into a yearly event with over 40 fishermen attending in 2008. The church adopted our present Vision statement in 2007 to help the church focus on what God wanted the church to become. Our mission endeavors increased with the addition of Mahesh & Anusha DeMel and their work in Sri Lanka in 2006 and the support of Becky Mills with Campus Crusade for Christ in 2007.
Starting in September 2007, God opened His storehouse of blessings upon the church when He answered our prayers for workers who could fill needs at the church and lead the church in new directions. God has more then answered our prayers by challenging us to expand our ministries and worship. On February 17th, the church hired a Director of Music and Worship to enhance our worship of God at NVBC. At the present time, the church is looking at various options such as a 2nd service and expansion of the building and an emphasis on evangelism in Bensalem and community.
We have seen the Hand of God at work though out the history of NVBC. God has built His church through NVBC in Bensalem and our work will continue, as long as we are faithful to preaching the Word of God and the message of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Praise be to God.
• 1976 - Atlantic Association of the NAB approves to start a church extension project in Bensalem, PA with Fleischman Memorial Baptist
Church as the mother church
• 1977 - Rev. Dennis A Kee called as pastor of the church extension project
• 1977 - (June) Home Bible Studies started with 7 people
• 1977 - (July 3) First church service held in the Chapel of the Bensalem United Methodist Church with 13 people present
• 1977 - (July 26) First VBS held at the Pastor's apartment complex
• 1977 - (September) Church services moved into the Belmont Hills Elementary School
• 1977 - First Sunday School is held
• 1978 - (June 24) Church incorporated as the Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church in the state of Pennsylvania with 20 charter
members
• 1978 - First baptism held at the Fleischman Memorial Baptist Church
• 1980 - (March 14) NVBC purchases 3 acres of land in Bensalem
• 1981 - (Oct.) First nursery started
• 1982 - (April 4) Broke ground for the building
• 1982 - (June 14) Construction starts on the church building
• 1982 - (Oct. 24) First service held in the new building
• 1983 - (May 1) Building dedicated
• 1983 - (Nov. 6) Corner stone laying ceremony
• 1988 - (Aug. 16) Rev. Dennis A. Kee resigns as Pastor
• 1989 - (Oct. 29) Joseph F. Hart becomes the second pastor of the church
• 1990 - (Jan 17) First Mid-Week Difference Prayer meeting started
• 1990 - Ordination of Rev. Joseph F. Hart
• 1991 - (Sept. 29) Singspiration help with 4 NAB sister churches lifting their voices in song with 200 people attending
• 1992 - (Nov. 2) "Karate for Christ" program started
• 1993 - (Nov. 17) Basketball Evangelism started
• 1993 - Sharing of NVBC with the Dae Kwang Korean Methodist Church
• 1994 - (Sept. 9) "Karate for Christ" program extended to two hours
• 1995 - (Feb. 5) Youth group "Teenagers Involved in Going To Heaven Together "T.I.G.H.T. started
• 1995 - (Feb. 6) "Karate for Christ" program extended to three hours
• 1996 - NVBC agrees to provide ongoing missionary support to Tim & Jackie Faulkner
• 1997 - (Jan) Rev. Joseph F. Hart resigns as Pastor
• 1997 - (Oct. 18) 20th Anniversary Celebration
• 1997 - (Oct. 19) Joseph Thomas becomes the third Pastor of the church
• 1998 - (Mar 22) First "Senior Saints" meeting
• 1998 - (Dec) NVBC starts a relationship with the Christian Compassion Church in Philadelphia to support their ministries in
Southwest Philadelphia
• 1998 - NVBC operates in the Black for the first time in its history
• 1999 – (Feb) The first NVBC Prayer Calendar was introduced
• 1999 - (Oct. 3) "Experiencing God" Study started with 26 Adults
• 2000 - (May 28) Pastor Joseph Thomas is ordained
• 2000 - (April) NVBC takes on Paul & Melissa Ewing as NAB missionaries to Japan
• 2000 – (April 16) Sanctuary Choir presents “There is Room at the Cross”
• 2000 - (Nov. 26) David Dow is installed as the Discipleship Pastor
• 2001 - (April 4) Inreach Ministry Started
• 2001 – (August 24) Pioneer Club Program starts with it’s “Blastoff” under the direction of Maureen Strange, Sharon Edwards & Russ &
Lorie Linton
• 2001 – (Sept 6) The New NVBC Youth Group starts under the direction of Tom & Jamie Ashby, Pat Kordbegli & John Mammel
• 2001 – (Sept 14) Pioneer Clubs hold it’s first club meeting at NVBC
• 2002 – (Sept 27) Women of NVBC attend their first “Women of Faith” Conference
• 2002 – (Dec 1) Pastor Dave Dow is ordained at NVBC
• 2005 – (Jan 23) Nifities fellowship holds it’s first meeting
• 2005 – (June10) First Fishermen’s Dinner held at NVBC
• 2006 – (Jan) Mahesh & Anusha DeMel taken on as Missionaries and their work in Sri Lanka
• 2007 - NVBC Vision is adopted
• 2007 – (March) First Annual Pioneer Club “Pine Car Derby” was held
• 2007 – (August) Mission support for Becky Mills was adopted
• 2008 – (Feb 17) Nate Moutoux starts as our “Director of Music & Worship"
• 2008 – (October 5) Children's Morning Worship Service Started
• 2008 – (November 1) 1st Praise Band & Worship Evening for College & Career/Young Adult Fellowship
• 2008 – (November 9) 30th Anniversary Celebration & Luncheon
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