Theydon Bois Baptist Church

Brief History
Theydon Bois Baptist Church began as a mission on its present location in the early 1880's. The very first services consisted of open air meetings on the village green. The church building was a small chapel on the present site and it became a formal Baptist Church in January 1894.
The first ministers at the church were lay preachers and student pastors from Spurgeons College,the first link in a connection that has remained strong through to the present day. The student pastor in January 1894 was Dr Frank Boreham who went on to become a prominent preacher, writer and broadcaster in New Zealand and Australia. Earlier in the 20th century the church has had either full time pastors or student pastors from Spurgeons College, however from the 1920's there has been a full time minister in the church. The original building was extended and lasted until 1962 when the present building was erected. Halls were added to the back of the church in the early 1970's and the building has continued to service the varied functions of the church well. A more extensive history of the church is available in the form of a short book, Chapel on the Green, written by David Walling. If you would like to obtain a copy of this book please contact us.

Ministers of Theydon Bois Baptist Church

Rev Sue Barclay 2009 - to date
Rev David Penegar BA Dip Couns 1987 - 2009
Rev Richard Kidd MA BD MTh 1983 - 1986
Rev Alan Griggs MA BD 1969 - 1982
Rev W.J.C.White 1966 - 1968
Rev W.V. Welch 1959 - 1965
Rev Philip Austen 1953 - 1958
Rev Morgan Derham 1949 - 1953
Rev Lelie Beckingham 1946 - 1949
Rev Walter Derwent 1940 - 1946
Rev Murdo Forbes 1938 - 1940
Rev Hugh Rodger 1934 - 1937
Percy Crunden (Student Pastor) 1929 - 1930
Rev Alfred Curwood 1924 - 1928
Rev David Lewis 1917 - 1923
1883 to 1916 Student Pastors and Lay Preachers including Frank Boreham (Student Pastor) 1893-1894