History of Finley Baptist Church

The (most current) History of Finley Baptist Church, Finley, Pushmataha County, Oklahoma.
        (Shared by James Teresa Young!)
“I am documenting this remarkable milestone of our Pastor Bear Johnson and his family, the longest we ever had in the history of this church. On June 1, 2024, Pastor Bear was here for 10 years. God blessed our little church, outgrown it, build new church sitting up on the hill in Finley Community. So I surely want to give a big Shout-Out, rejoicing with thanksgiving, with much L.O.V.E., appreciation and gratitude for Bro. Bear, his family, Kristen, Keeley, Kooper and Kage. Thank You, Father in Heaven, for blessing our church.

The 1955 Association Annual lists the Finley Baptist Church being organized in 1907 while others list 1917. In 1918, there were 25 members and six people had been baptized. In 1919, 50 people had been baptized and the church had 81 members. In 1927, the pastor was J. O. Akins with an annual salary of $300. There were 114 members with 36 baptisms.
Continuous records are available since 1945. There have been great revivals in the church. The members were revived, people are saved, and there were those who surrendered for special services. The church has served as a training experience for fledging preachers and pastors. The encouragement, love, help, understanding and prodding by the church has brought strength to the ministers. The church can be proud of her part in the lives of their ministers.

(Information from Finley Baptist Church Minutes in January 5, 1958 and personal testimony as written by BENNETT HARGRAVES in the year of 1948) “As to the history of our Finley Baptist Church, Finley Baptist Church was organized about the year of 1907-1908. Worship was held in the school house which was on the prairie north of the cemetery. This continued to the be the home of the church until about 1912 or 1913 when a church house was built on the hill just north of where the Church of Christ now is located. Sometime after this the church became inactive and there was no regular service, until 1919 or 1920. When the Reverend V.E. Thompson came. Then the state missionary held a revival. When the church was reorganized and reactivated and continued to worship at this place a few years.

(Due to flooding, the initial) the church building was torn down and moved to a location down the highway east of Finley, near Salt Creek. This continued to be home of the church until the year of 1947. when again the building was torn down and moved to the present location in Finley on Lots 6, 7, 8 in Block 7."

Those who have served as pastors are: George A. Pool, 1918 - 1919; J. O. Akins, 1927; J. D. Brannon, 1931; Bro. McCary, April 1931; Bro. Colston, 1932; I. E. Owen, April 1934; E. R. Beucher, 1938; Fred Jewel, 1941; Charles Hughes, 1944; Reverend Williams, 1946; Jewel Cunningham, 1947; Homer Rogers, 1948; Kenneth Everett, 1949 to 1950; I. N. Burnett, 1953-1955; Fred Swan, 1956; Charles T. Kirby, 1958; J. B. Rose, 1959; Jewel Barrett, 1960; L. A. Farrell, 1961-1962; P. C. Rowland, 1963-1967; Theo Bradshaw, 1967-1968; M. C. Ollar, 1969-1970; Tommy Hulett, 1971; Billy Bob Childers, 1972-1975; Wallace Broyles, 1976; Clinton Thurman, 1977-1978; Phillip Savage, August 1979 to February 1982; Kenneth Pool, September 1982 to April 1984; Jim Douglas Miller, August 1984 to May 1985; Phillip Holt, 1985 to 1986; Rick Rickardson, 1986 to 1987; James Carpenter, March 1988 to November 1990; Billy Bob Childers, October 1990 to September 1992; Bob Luttrell, December 1994 to December 1998; Joe Howard, March 2000 to August 4, 2002; Dean Young, January 2005 to June 2008; Eddie Lane, Interim Pastor, December 7, 2008 to December 2010; Brad O’Dell, January 24, 2010 to April 8, 2012; Thom Chappelle, September 30, 2012 to February 23, 2014; Leslie ‘Bear’ Johnson, June 1, 2014 to active.”