As the congregation of Hampton Park Baptist Church reflects upon God’s goodness, we can truly say we have had the joy of finding Him faithful. Hampton Park Baptist Church actually began as Hampton Avenue Baptist Church in February 1940. With Reverend C. L. Norman as founding pastor, more than 40 charter members became Greenville’s first fundamental, independent Baptist church. Meeting initially in the J. Harold Smith Tabernacle on Hampton Avenue, the small congregation purchased a lot several blocks west on which to construct its own building.

The congregation’s first meeting place in their new building was merely a basement with a 12- foot by 12-foot concrete slab, and the remainder of the floor was covered with sawdust. A woodburning stove provided the heat. Humble it was, but God was there, and with His blessings, a building constructed of 325 tons of Georgia granite was finally completed in 1944. Pastor Norman faithfully nurtured the growing flock until he retired in 1963.

David D. Yearick began as interim pastor in August 1963 and was called to be the full-time pastor in January 1964. Throughout the 1960’s God’s blessings were apparent, and the Hampton Avenue structure became inadequate to accommodate the congregation that had grown to about 300 members. In 1968 the congregation purchased 27 acres of sloping, wooded land on State Park Road at the foot of Paris Mountain, and in 1970 the first phase of construction of the new church began. The first building, later named the P. E. Collins Building in honor of a church trustee who had been so faithful over the years, was readied to house the beginning of the new Christian school, which the congregation had earlier approved. The school opened in September with 90 students. On October 4, 1970, the congregation held its first services in the new facilities, and a congregation of 675 witnessed the dedication. This move necessitated a change in name, and the church became Hampton Park Baptist Church (Hampton from the old location and Park from the new). A thirty-anniversary celebration of God’s faithfulness was held at the Harvey’s Restaurant on White Horse Road.

In 1976 a few men in the congregation met with Pastor Yearick to discuss a growing burden of his heart – getting men more actively involved in missions. The outcome of this meeting was Men for Missions, a laymen’s missionary group, which sponsors numerous short-term mission teams, operates a packing and crating service for missionaries, and helps other fundamental churches start similar groups. That same year the Miller Activities Center and O. E. Brown Classroom Building were completed. The present 1,400 seat auditorium was built in 1978, and a classroom wing was added in 1983. Four additional classrooms were later added to the south wing of the auditorium.

In 1995 the congregation observed its 55th anniversary and an expansive extension of the east wing was begun. The school ministry celebrated its 25th anniversary year and began with a record enrollment of 700 students. The completed wing, housing a new, larger school library, labs for home economics, science and computer, as well as administrative offices for church and school ministries, was completed in early 1996. In 1998 the church sanctuary was renovated, continuing the church’s master development plan.

In 2000 Pastor Yearick saw the need to begin the search for the man God would have eventually succeed him. A search committee was formed and, after much prayer, Drew Conley was called to be associate pastor in the fall of 2000. He served in that capacity until January 1, 2003, when the congregation called him to be the pastor.

Since the congregation adopted a “pay-as-we-go” policy many years ago, the Lord has honored that decision by making all operations, ministries, and construction possible without incurring any indebtedness. The congregation recently completed a 28,000 square-foot gymnasium and fellowship center, the Yearick Center, honoring Pastor and Mrs. Yearick for their 39 years of faithful ministry.

The spreading of the gospel through missions has become one of the focuses of Hampton Park. In the 2003-2004 fiscal year the missions giving was $940,000, drawing closer to the goal of $1,000,000 a year. More than 100 missionary families and organizations now receive monthly support from Hampton Park. The handful of believers that had a vision to honor God by starting the church in 1940 has grown to more than 1,500 active members with a Christian day school of 750 students.

Under Pastor Conley’s leadership, Hampton Park continues as a church seeking to bring God glory by reaching others in our community and far beyond with the gospel of Jesus Christ