Church History

Plack Road Baptist Church

In l966 a young man was saved at the Rodgers Baptist church in Garland Texas. On September 21, 1971 this man, Brother Gary Hampton, surrendered to preach at the Rodgers Baptist Church. That same year an Independent Baptist missionary from Fairbanks, Alaska, Brother Gene Seay, came down to visit the church in Texas, his sponsoring church. Bro. Hampton provided him with transportation while he was in Texas, and so talked with him quite a bit, questioning him about Alaska.

Through that, the Lord began to speak to Bro. Hampton about going to Alaska. Soon after, he shared his burden with his church, and they decided to send him and his family to Alaska to look around. They stayed at that time for eight months before going back to Texas, and to school at Independent Baptist College where he received schooling. He also was trained in God’s word at the Rodgers Baptist Church.

As the Lord continued to speak to Bro. Hampton, he started on deputation. Beginning in 1977, he went to many independent Baptist churches in the United States sharing his burden to come to Alaska to start a work. For two years he did this, gaining the support of many mission-minded churches, thus allowing him to be full time in the ministry.

In February 1979 the Rodgers Baptist Church ordained Bro. Hampton, and sent him to Alaska. He arrived in Fairbanks with his family on March 26, 1979. In the Spring they began to look for land. The Lord led them to North Pole, and down Plack Road, to the land where he should build. Bro. Hampton had peace about it, and so buying of the land was discussed with the home church, they provided him the financial backing to borrow money to purchase the land and build a house on it. By winter services were being held in the house.

Things were trying for the Hampton’s the first several years, as they watched many people come to the services, and never come back. But Bro. Hampton trusted in the Lord and continued to preach God’s word and make visits, and the Lord proved himself. People began to come, be saved, baptized and join the mission. The work there continued to grow year by year until the house became too crowded.

In winter 1982 plans of building a church were discussed with the new members of the mission, and that Spring work began on a church building nearby. The Lord provided the money and work continued on the building until March 1984 the first services were held there.

In February of 1984, Bro. Hampton had contacted a missionary he knew to come and preach a week-long revival service in March, so this man, Brother Gene Humphrey, went to Alaska with his family and preached the revival. He had been there for three or four days, when Bro. Hampton shared with Bro. Humphrey that he felt the Lord was leading him away to establish other works. And that he and the church wanted Bro. Humphrey to pray about becoming pastor of this work. So Bro. Humphrey, who at that time was doing mission work in Vancouver, Washington, prayed and sought the Lord’s, will. And on the last night of the revival he told the church he felt led of the Lord to accept the call to come as Pastor.

Brother Humphrey went back to Washington, to finish the business he had there, and prepare to move to Alaska, while the mission at Plack Road, was preparing to organize into an Independent Baptist Church.

On June 8, 1984 a special organization service was held at Plack Road Baptist Mission. Brother Charles Thomas, pastor of the Rodgers Baptist church, which sponsored the mission work on Plack Road, was moderator of the service. The business necessary to organize the mission into a local New Testament church was conducted by Bro. Thomas for Rodgers Baptist Church. And from that night on they were an independent Baptist Church, no longer did they receive support from other churches, or were under the authority of Rodgers Baptist Church.

That night Bro. Gene Humphrey was officially accepted as the church’s pastor. The mission pastor Bro. Gary Hampton and his family followed the Lord to another work in North Carolina.

Since that time the church has grown to dearly love their pastor, as he has stood and preached God’s word. Over the past 28 years the Lord has greatly blessed the church with salvation of souls and numerous ministries.

  • Bro. Dan Chace served as Plack Road Baptist Church missionary for 15 years in Brazil.
  • Bro. Ron Lambert faithfully ministered as our church’s missionary in Ninilchik, Alaska since 2001. On May 11th 2012 this missionary work was organized into Ninilchik Lighthouse Independent Baptist Church.
  • Bro. Noah George serves through Plack Road Baptist Church as a missionary to the Arabic speaking people.
  • Bro. Jim Gerth and Tobias Humphrey preach weekly in the Fairbanks Correctional Center.
  • Bro. Chris Ledgett and Bro. Jim Gerth as well as others minister the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month in the Fairbanks Pioneer Home
  • The church operates the Plack Road Baptist Bible Institute which can receive credits for classes through the Great Plains Baptist College.

Each year the church holds a Mission’s Conference with several missionaries and Pastors preaching throughout the week.

In all that has happened at Plack Road Baptist Church, God must receive the glory, truly great things he has done. Some have planted, some have watered, but God gave the increase.(2 Cor.3:6) It is the desire of the church that in the years ahead God would continue to receive glory through them as a church. (Eph.3:21)

If you are not now regularly worshiping in a church that’s meeting your spiritual needs, why not consider making Plack Road Baptist Church your house of worship.

Updated 6/2012

Construction of new Church building Summer 2000