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 David Penegar BA Dip Couns | 1987 - present |
| 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 | |