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West Pines Baptist Church
History
West Pines Baptist Church was established in 1995. West Pines was "planted" by the church-planting ministry of Bethesda Baptist Church of Brownsburg, Indiana.
Bethesda used demographic data to help them determine where in the Indianapolis area a new church might find fertile ground in which to grow. Their selection was the west side, between Avon and the city proper.
Our founding pastor, Thomas Graef, came to the Indianapolis area in August of 1995 from Berea Ohio, where he was the youth pastor for Berea Baptist Church. John Neuhart (also from Berea) had been invited as well, to participate in the planting as Associate Pastor.
West Pines' first services were held in Westlake Elementary School located near I-465 and Rockville Rd (US 36). Our first public worship service was on 3/17/95, and we began growing tremendously. It was so exciting! We had visitors and salvation decisions from the first week. God was at work among us.
Looking to the future, the church had an earnest desire for our own building. Pastor Graef and Pastor Neuhart remained watchful for the opportunity to purchase a site for us. They found an excellent opportunity, and the church decided to purchase a 15-acre property in the Avon area. The property is located Northwest of the intersection of 900E and 100N in Hendricks county. God has blessed us with this property!
At the time of the property purchase, we had been at Westlake Elementary School for quite awhile, and now they were beginning a major remodeling/expansion project, so West Pines began meeting at Encore Moviez on Rockville Rd. The theater worked well for holding services and provided for much greater public exposure.
On June 2nd, 2002, we broke ground for our own building on the 15 acres we own in Avon. This was a joyous event with great fellowship and fun!
Easter Sunday, 2003 was our first Sunday service in our new building - what a wonderful blessing the Lord has given us! We will be faithful stewards of God's house, and will work diligently to do His work in it, and to preach the Gospel from it to grow His Kingdom here on Earth.
In 2005, we took on our first regularly supported missionary. It was Pastor Tom Graef and his family! Yielding to God's call, he and his family look forward to moving to Romania to help train church planters and assist in mobilizing a missions movement.
In October of 2006, we called our current pastor, Marc Dowler. Pastor Dowler is a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and had five years of experience as senior pastor at a previous ministry. He and his wife, Tricia, were married in 1993 and have two children, Savannah and Zachary.
In the spring of 2008, Pastor Neuhart accepted the call to return to West Pines as Associate Pastor and overseer of our daycare ministry. We are happy to have Pastor John, Sarah and their family back in our flock!
Today we stand before the Lord thankful for the great things He has done and excited about what He has in store!
West Pines Baptist Church was established in 1995. West Pines was "planted" by the church-planting ministry of Bethesda Baptist Church of Brownsburg, Indiana.
Bethesda used demographic data to help them determine where in the Indianapolis area a new church might find fertile ground in which to grow. Their selection was the west side, between Avon and the city proper.
Our founding pastor, Thomas Graef, came to the Indianapolis area in August of 1995 from Berea Ohio, where he was the youth pastor for Berea Baptist Church. John Neuhart (also from Berea) had been invited as well, to participate in the planting as Associate Pastor.
West Pines' first services were held in Westlake Elementary School located near I-465 and Rockville Rd (US 36). Our first public worship service was on 3/17/95, and we began growing tremendously. It was so exciting! We had visitors and salvation decisions from the first week. God was at work among us.
Looking to the future, the church had an earnest desire for our own building. Pastor Graef and Pastor Neuhart remained watchful for the opportunity to purchase a site for us. They found an excellent opportunity, and the church decided to purchase a 15-acre property in the Avon area. The property is located Northwest of the intersection of 900E and 100N in Hendricks county. God has blessed us with this property!
At the time of the property purchase, we had been at Westlake Elementary School for quite awhile, and now they were beginning a major remodeling/expansion project, so West Pines began meeting at Encore Moviez on Rockville Rd. The theater worked well for holding services and provided for much greater public exposure.
On June 2nd, 2002, we broke ground for our own building on the 15 acres we own in Avon. This was a joyous event with great fellowship and fun!
Easter Sunday, 2003 was our first Sunday service in our new building - what a wonderful blessing the Lord has given us! We will be faithful stewards of God's house, and will work diligently to do His work in it, and to preach the Gospel from it to grow His Kingdom here on Earth.
In 2005, we took on our first regularly supported missionary. It was Pastor Tom Graef and his family! Yielding to God's call, he and his family look forward to moving to Romania to help train church planters and assist in mobilizing a missions movement.
In October of 2006, we called our current pastor, Marc Dowler. Pastor Dowler is a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and had five years of experience as senior pastor at a previous ministry. He and his wife, Tricia, were married in 1993 and have two children, Savannah and Zachary.
In the spring of 2008, Pastor Neuhart accepted the call to return to West Pines as Associate Pastor and overseer of our daycare ministry. We are happy to have Pastor John, Sarah and their family back in our flock!
Today we stand before the Lord thankful for the great things He has done and excited about what He has in store!