FOUNDED 1866
OUR HISTORY
Ripley Second Baptist was founded in 1866 and, it was decided that the church should be called the Ripley Colored First Baptist Church. Twenty-five members were enrolled in the church, but there were only 14 active members. Early ministers were called by the Lord to "preach the gospel"; others were asked by the church. Th following were some of the early pastors. Reverend Thomas pastored the church from 1880 to 1889, Rev. Johnny Johnson 1889 -1894, Rev. DJ Vernon 1885-1889, Rev. Thomas Bruce 1889-1900, Rev. Ayers 1900- 1902, Rev. L.F. Cotton 1902-1910, Rev.D.j. Vernon 1911-1927, and Rev .Johnathan Simmons 1927-1934. The years that Rev. Johnathan Simmons pastored were the most prosperous years of the church. Hundreds of people joined the church and during this time its membership reached five hundred. Rev. Simmons were the most flexible and progressive minister the church ever had.
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Ministers to serve after Rev. Simmons were Rev. Dovie 1935-1937, Rev. Morrow 1938-1940, Rev. L. F.Cotton 1940-1947, Rev. J.A Simmons 1947-1951, Rev. Merret Rutherford 1951 -1952, and Rev. D.H. Moore 1952 tO 1972. Under Rev. Moore administration Gilroy Bails, Henry Bails, Joe Cotton and John Carter were ordained as deacons. Coming from Watson Grove, new Albany, Ms, Rev. Chester Cobb took up the mantra & became pastor in 1972, with Rev. Lee Russell Howell serving as assistant pastor and minister of music from 1980 to 1994. Under Reverend Chester Cobbs tenure as Pastor, the church went from part time to full time service four Sundays a month including night & 5th Sunday services. Under his administration, Wilson Cox, Paul Ratliff, Gilroy Bails Jr, Paul Jr. Ratliff, Larry Vernon, Daryl Rogers, James Storey, and Tony Rogers answered the churches call to serve as deacons. Deacon Paul Rogers came to serve from the Antioch Missionary Church. In 1994 the church voted in as their new pastor a one Rev. Ray Charles Green from Houston, Ms. Under Pastor Green's leadership, the church purchased its first church bus. Under Pastor Greens leadership, one deacon, Bro. Tommy Robinson was ordained to serve. Pastor Green's health begin to decline and in 2006 he resigned from his duties as pastor.
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Shortly thereafter, the church went in corporate prayer for a pastor and the Lord sent to Ripley Second Baptist in 2006 from the Prentiss county area, a pastor by the name of Jeffery Ruffin. Pastor Ruffin was as some would put it was a people's person and under his leadership the already close church family became even closer. Pastor Ruffin's tenure was short and sweet pastoring from 2006-2008, but he still stays in contact with members often via social media & fellowships with the church as possible. Under his administration, one deacon, Bro. Lee Turner was ordained to serve. Pastor Ruffin's resigned his duties as pastor primarily due to professional opportunities offered to family members back in his home state.
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Once again without a pastor, the church went into corporate prayer, seeking & asking for the Lord to send a shepard for the flock. Serving as Associate Pastor to Dr. Henry Calvert at Piney Grove church in Chalybeate, Ms was a young minister by the name of Willie M. Paine. The Pulpit Committee including deacons and other lay leaders called for this young minster to come for a trial sermon. After his trial delivery the church voted Rev. Willie Mack Paine to become the 19th pastor of the Ripley Second Church which now is In its 153 of serving the Lord and kingdom building.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
I
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We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God; and the only rule of faith and practice.
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II
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We believe that the Scriptures teach that there is but one living and true God; and there are three persons in this one God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and this Triune God is the only object of religious worship and adoration, and that all worship paid anything less in the name of God is idolatry and abomination in His sight.
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III
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We believe that God created man good and happy; that he sinned and fell from that condition; that by the fall he lost his original righteousness and became sinful and depraved; and as a natural consequence, that his posterity by ordinary generations are involved in all the consequences of his fall.
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IV
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We believe that man, by nature, has no power to recover himself from his lost and ruined condition and, unless God Himself had provided a way of Salvation, would have been ruined and miserable forever, because all have sinned.
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V
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We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace, through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, honored law by His personal obedience and made atonement for our sins by His Death; being risen from the dead, is now enthroned in heaven, and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with Divine perfection, in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.
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VI
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We believe that fallen man has nothing, and can do nothing, of himself, to recommend him to the favorable notice of the Divine Being, and that all his hopes of pardon, justification, redemption, and sanctification are derived alone from the merits of Christ.
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VII
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We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the only Mediator between God and man; that He first became our surety and in the fullness of time our sacrifice, and that the efficacious plea He makes before the throne in our behalf is built upon His own all-adorning sacrifice.
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VIII
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We believe the Holy Spirit - the third person in the Trinity - is the great agent in convincing man of his lost and condemned condition, and in making the Gospel plain and acceptable.
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IX
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We believe that all who are sanctified by the Spirit are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ, which comes to all that believe.
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X
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We believe that all who are called to be saints through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth shall never finally be lost.
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XI
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We believe that Christian churches are to be formed of believers in Christ who give evidence of a change of heart, and have been properly baptized.
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XII
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We believe that the government of the church is not left in the hands of any one man, or number of men, distinct from the body, but that it is left with the whole church.
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XIII
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We believe that the first day of the week, called the Lord's Day, is sanctified or set apart for the public worship of God, and that it is the duty of Christians to abstain from all unnecessary visiting, trifling conversation, and labor, except so much as is devoted to works of necessity and mercy.
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XIV
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We believe that God has appointed the preaching of the Gospel for the edification of His church and the advancement of His kingdom; that it is the duty of church members to contribute to the support of the ministry as God in His providence may give them ability.
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XV
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We believe that God calls men, by His Spirit, to preach the Gospel, and that it is the duty of the individual thus called to study to show himself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
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XVI
We believe that Jesus Christ has appointed two positive institutions or ordinances to be observed in His church - baptism and the Lord's Supper; that baptism is immersion in water, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and believers only are capable of rightfully receiving the ordinances, that baptism precedes the Lord's Supper and none but ordained ministers have any right to administer them.
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XVII
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We believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust; that the just will rise to everlasting life and the unjust to everlasting shame and contempt.
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XVIII
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We believe that the Gospel with all its obligations, privileges, and blessings, has been committed to the church of whom it is especially enjoined to make known to every creature, while a risen and ascended Savior pledges His presence to the end of the world.