Thank you and God bless you for visiting our web page. Please take some time and browse through our pages and links to get to know us and our ministries. I would suggest that after reading this page, if you are trying to get to know us and who we are and what we believe, that you click on the Doctrinal Statement link, here.
Hickory Hammock Baptist Church is an innovative, doctrinally sound, Jesus loving, friendly, and outreaching Southern Baptist Church. We have been an area leader in growth, baptisms, and outreach for years. I have been the Pastor of the church since 1987. You can see that consistency in leadership, preaching, outreach, and discipleship is an important factor in our ministry effectiveness.
Our church ministry incorporates a powerful Music Ministry (ensembles, dramatic presentations, instruments, praise teams, children's choirs, youth choirs, adult choirs, solos, vocal lessons, music instruction, etc.). We continually provide a full range of musical outreach to the community in the way of Cantatas, Drama Presentations, Concerts and more! Our worship services offer a unique and much renowned blend and balance of traditional and contemporary worship in music. Be sure and visit our Music Ministry page for more details and information on our Music Minister, Rev. Jim Rinehart
We also have a very active and first class Drama Ministry. They minister in our worship services quite frequently as well as in other churches for revivals and other special emphasis events. We have a Children's Ministry, College and Career Ministry and a dynamic Youth Ministry for Jr. and Sr. High youth. We also have a very large and active Senior Adult Ministry (50+)
We are one of the largest Southern Baptist churches in Santa Rosa county. People of all races and cultures are WELCOME to worship and join with us service to Jesus. We have quite an outreach to the large military community around us. So, you can see that we are attempting to hold out the love of Jesus as faithfully and dynamically as possible. If you are new in the area or are looking for a Jesus centered, Bible believing church, then please come and worship with us. We would love to get to know you, and if the Lord leads you, welcome YOU to become a part of the loving and growing Hickory Hammock Family!
Hickory Hammock Baptist church was founded in the early 1920's. Approximately eight people began gathering in homes for worship services, led by Brother C.L.Perry. Gradually their number increased and they decided to erect a church. W.P. Lunsford, Sr., donated the land and the members tore down an old Bagdad Florida school for the lumber, which they used for their building in 1924.
They had to float the lumber across the bay in boats because there was no bay bridge at that time. Because of the hammock of hickory trees running behind the building and because the community was known as the "Hickory Hammock Community", the church was given the name...HICKORY HAMMOCK BAPTIST CHURCH.
That first sanctuary served the small congregation until 1951, when worship services were begun in a second, larger building. The first building was converted into classrooms and used until 1963.
Prior to that and even after that, some Sunday School classes were held under the oak trees around the old building and in and around teacher's cars in the parking area. In 1963 the old building was torn down and classrooms were added to the newer building.
As the community and county grew the church required an even larger sanctuary and additional classroom space. The third sanctuary was completed and services were held in it in May of 1972.
In March of 1987, Hickory Hammock Baptist Church called Wm. Carl Gallups, Jr. to be its Pastor. He and his wife, Pam and their 9-year-old son, Brandon began a long and prosperous ministry at Hickory Hammock. The church facilities consisted of the 1972 Sanctuary, a two story metal frame Sunday School Building and an addition of a small fellowship hall. There were about 100 people in attendance in worship services when Bro. Carl came.
Today, 2005,(The time of this writing) Hickory Hammock Baptist Church has 5 buildings. The three previously mentioned ones as well as a new 700-seat sanctuary and large Preschool - Choir Suite facility. All of the buildings have undergone a major renovation throughout and completely modernized with the latest flooring, audio, visual and computer technology. Hickory Hammock has also purchased the 40 acres of land directly across the street and in front of the church.
The Church has a dedicated Youth Center with between 80-100 youth in attendance every Weds. Evening for their own worship service. The church is running between 500 and 600 in two morning worship services. People are driving from a three county area to attend Hickory Hammock Baptist Church.
In 2003, Hickory Hammock Baptist Church took its FIRST EVER foreign mission trip with 30 people from the church. They took a preaching team, medical team and children's ministry team to the Jack Goldfarb Christian School in Comas, Lima Peru. The church has taken several missions trips since and is thoroughly immersed in missions endeavors.
Hickory Hammock Baptist Church is now known and loved throughout the world as they have sent Brother Carl out to preach all over the United States and Canada, Peru and in Israel. For 10 years Bro. Carl represented Hickory Hammock and the Southern Baptist Convention as a national and international Youth evangelist.
Hickory Hammock Baptist church is known and loved in Santa Rosa County as well as it has been heavily involved in community missions, ministry, youth outreach and hurricane relief efforts. Little Hickory Hammock Baptist Church had humble, prayerful beginnings. Today it is a thriving, growing, Spirit filled, and mission minded Church where Jesus and the Word of God are exalted from the pew to the WORLD!
Known History of Various Pastor's Service at Hickory Hammock Baptist Church
1920's - Pastor C.L. Perry
1942 - Pastor Earl Merritt
1943-45- Pastor C.L. Perry
1945-1947 - Pastor John Smith
1948-1950 - Pastor David Strickland
1951-1952 - Pastor W.F. Howell
1952 - Pastor Joe Seacrest
1952-1953 - Pastor Earl Merritt
1962 - 1967 - Pastor Lewis D. Hughen
1967 - Pastor Jerry Gibson
1967 - 1969 - Pastor Dixon Free
1970 - 1972 - Pastor Ronald Davis
1973 - 1986 - Pastor Clifton Black (13 years)
1986 - Present - Pastor William Carl Gallups, Jr.
With: Sr. Associate Pastor - Greg Robards
Associate Pastor - Jim Rinehart
Associate Pastor -Jack Goldfarb
Student Ministries Director - Pam Gallups
Associate Student Ministries Director - Olon Hyde
Hickory Hammock is a cooperating Southern Baptist Church. We are members of the Florida Baptist Convention and The Santa Rosa Baptist Association. We give to the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. We also have budgeted benevolence funds for local needs, and we support our local Pregnancy Resource Center (an abortion alternative clinic and ministry). We also support a local inner city work called Shepherd's House Ministry that reaches into the local Government Housing Projects with the Gospel, food, and clothing. HHBC has also established an ongoing scholarship annuity fund with the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in order that future pastors, teachers, and missionaries may be equipped for the ministry! We have had missionary groups and/or individuals go out from here to Montana, Hungary, Belize, Russia, Canada and most recently PERU as well as other places of specific missionary ministry. You can see that we are a missions-minded church with a heart for the world as well as our local community!