“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. Matt. 16:18

Springdale Baptist Church has been present in the Midtown north community since 1928. A small group of people led by a Reverend Townsend organized the Springdale Baptist Church by demolishing the partition of a small duplex house at 2245 Hunter Avenue in the Springdale community of North Memphis in 1928. Reverend Townsend became the first pastor of this congregation. Services were held only during the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Reverend Townsend passed that same year and Reverend S.L Thompson was called to pastor the church.

The spiritual heritage of any church is one that should be recognized and honored in the spirit of African American experience. As Christians, we cannot afford overlook our Christian moorings that enable us to understand our identity, which gives us a sense of God’s calling. The following persons have been called to serve as pastors during Springdale’s presence in the community:

Reverend Townsend, 1928
Reverend S. L. Thompson, 1928 – 1937
Reverend Holmes 1937 (Interim)
Reverend E. H. Price, 1937-1939
Reverend L. W. Childress, 1940-1946
Reverend W.T. Grafton, 1946-1978
Reverend Dr. Lee R. Brown, 1979-2003
Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. 2003-2005 (Interim)
Reverend Dr. Derrick J. Hughes, 2005-2010
Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. 2010-2012 (Interim)
Reverend Dr. Reginald D. Terry, 2012-2014
Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. 2014-2016 (Interim)
Reverend Dr. Kevin B. Taylor, 2016-Present

Reverend W.T. Grafton was the church’s fifth pastor. Rev. Grafton orchestrated the church’s decision to tear down the renovated duplex house and rebuild a new church during the summer of 1952. It was during this time that a split occurred. The two sides met in their respective homes for worship services and meetings. The Hill Chapel Baptist Church and the Galloway Kindergarten School also shared space with them for meetings. The Springdale Baptist Church moved to 1193 Springdale Street in 1959. The other side of the split remained on Hunter Avenue, at the same location, and became the Hunter Avenue Baptist Church. Rev. Grafton and Springdale sold the Hunter Avenue property to the newly organized Hunter Avenue Church. Reverend Grafton passed April 16, 1979.

Springdale elected her sixth pastor, Reverend Lee R. Brown, on September 23, 1979. Reverend Brown was ordained at Keel Avenue Baptist Church in Memphis, by the late Pastor Perdy Moody on October 7, 1979. Prior to his calling to Springdale, he served as Interim Minister at East Trigg Baptist Church under the tutelage of the late Reverend Doctor William Herbert Brewster Sr., 1970 and 1971. He later served as Assistant Pastor to the Late Reverend Jesse E. Clark at Oak Grove Baptist Church from 1974 to 1979.

The membership increased to over 450 members during Pastor Brown’s tenure. As well, the budget increased to nearly a half million dollars a year. A fellowship hall with 12 classrooms, administrative offices and spacious restrooms were constructed and the total cost of $250,000 was paid in cash in 1984. In 1987 the sanctuary was enlarged and completely redesigned. The church’s third construction project costing over one million dollars was completed in 1997 with a new two-story sanctuary, multi-purpose assembly/sports area, office/classroom space, and other facilities. Additionally, a vision statement was shared, a church in Africa was established, and property surrounding the church was purchased. Pastor Brown passed on August 3, 2003. Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. served as interim pastor until Dr. Derek J. Hughes was called to pastor in June 2005.

Reverend Dr. Derrick J. Hughes was elected as the seventh pastor of Springdale Baptist Church on June 12, 2005. He was raised in Chicago, Illinois, and called to preach in 1985. Dr. Hughes instituted the Living Church Model designed to illuminate the life of Jesus through seven phases of growth in the church. Partnership, Precept, Participation, Purpose, Protection, Progress and Praise became the foundation of continued growth for Springdale. However, in July 2010, Dr. Hughes announced God calling him to First Baptist Church Piney Grove in Florida completing his assignment at Springdale. Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. again agreed to serve as interim pastor.

Reverend Dr. Reginald D. Terry was called in August 2011 as the eighth pastor of Springdale Baptist Church. Dr. Terry served as pastor until December 2013 where again the interim pastor mantel was taken up by Reverend Monroe Blocker, Jr. He steadied the church as ministry in the church and community continued until Reverend Dr. Kevin B. Taylor was called to Springdale Baptist Congregation in 2016.

Springdale Baptist Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit called Reverend Dr. Kevin B. Taylor as the ninth pastor on March 6, 2016. Dr. Taylor preached his first sermon at Springdale on March 27, 2016, Easter Sunday. Dr. Taylor, a native Floridian, came from Dallas, Texas with a focus on missions. He communicated the Mission of Springdale as “Saving Souls and Maturing Saints” to be the rallying call to discipleship in the church and community at large. Moreover, Dr. Taylor, in his short tenure, has made contacts and engaged community organizations, area churches, and city officials in reaching out to Springdale/Hollywood/Klondike area in North Memphis pooling resources for the betterment of the immediate community and community at large.

The church has undergone major renovations in the sanctuary such as adding high-definition cameras and screens, state of the art digital audio system, theatrical lights, and new flooring to name a few. Additionally, the church has a local and global presence via streaming worships services, bible studies, conferences, and trainings.

The Springdale Baptist Church praise God for his commitment and leadership looking forward to a prosperous relationship not only within the church, but more importantly, allowing the light of God to extend throughout the Memphis area.