Shiloh Baptist
Church will be a premier model of ministry which esteems individual and
corporate spiritual growth, and whereby that growth has an impact on the
local, national and international
community
Mission Statement
The Mission of Shiloh Baptist Church shall be:
*
To
preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, {Proclamation}
*
To nurture Spiritual growth and Discipleship, {Discipleship}
*
To spread the Christian Faith at home and abroad, {Evangelism}
*
To serve God and improve the community
{Service}
Core Values
Shiloh is a place where every word preached is centered on the authentic
love and worship of God, based upon the Word of God. Discipleship,
empowerment and spiritual growth are at the core of how we nurture our
members and remain an instrument to bring people to Christ. We implement
sound and in-depth Christian education and training for all persons. We
use biblical stewardship to effectively use everyone's time, talent,
spiritual gifts and treasures to advance the Kingdom of God. We strive
to be a place where authentic fellowship ("koinonia") is displayed and
practiced and where there is a warm, welcoming, and inclusive
environment that embraces, encourages and supports all those who enter.
Shiloh is dedicated to actively engaging in substantive ways, through
Outreach and Missions, to display care, concern and responsibility for
the community and the world.
Having been, as we trust, brought by divine grace to
embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, and to give ourselves wholly to HIM, we
do now solemnly and joyfully covenant with each other to walk together
in HIM, with brotherly love, to HIS glory, as our common Lord. We do,
therefore, in HIS strength engage:
*That we will exercise a Christian care and watchfulness over each
other, and faithfully warn, exhort, and admonish each other as occasion
may require: (Lev.19:18/Matt. 22:39/Rom 13:8-14)
*That we will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but will
uphold the public worship of GOD and the ordinances of HIS House: (Heb.
10:24-25)
*That we will
not omit closet or family religion at home, nor neglect the great duty
of religiously training our children, and those under our care, for the
service of Christ and the enjoyment of Heaven: (Matt. 6:5-15/Prov. 22:6)
*That as we are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth, we
will seek divine aid to enable us to deny ungodliness and every worldly
lust, and to walk circumspectly in the world, that we may win the souls
of men and women. (Matt. 5:13-16/Rom.6:6/Col. 3:9/Rom. 13:13-14)
*That we will cheerfully contribute of our property, according as GOD
has prospered us, for the maintenance of faithful and evangelical
ministry among us, for the support of the poor and to spread the gospel
over the earth through the work of missions: (Pro. 3:9/19:17/Ps.
84:11/Acts 1:8/Mal. 3:8-10
*That we will in all conditions even till death, strive to live to the
glory of HIM who hath called us out of darkness into HIS marvelous
light: (1Ptr. 2:9/Eph. 5:8/Rom. 13:12)
“And may the GOD of
Peace, who brought again from the dead our LORD JESUS, the great
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make us perfect in every work to do HIS will, working in us that which
is pleasing in HIS sight through JESUS CHRIST to whom we glory, forever
and ever. Amen.”
The recorded
history of Shiloh predates the year 1888, during which time it was known
as the First Colored Baptist Church of Trenton. In 1888, under the
pastorate of Reverend C.A. Berry, it was renamed the Berean Baptist
Church and was located at 118 Perry Street in Trenton. The congregation
was very mobile in those days and the church occupied several buildings.
At one point they met in a hall on South Broad Street, and were
permitted at another point, to meet in the old City Hall located on the
corner of Broad Street. They moved from there to the old Arca Hall,
then located on Hanover Street, and later they met in the old firehouse
on New Willow Street.
Following Reverend
Berry, the church records reveal that seven different ministers served
the congregation. They were: Reverend James Jackson, Reverend Henry
Bacon, Reverend J.C. Johnson, Reverend Gaines, Reverend Smith, Reverend
Kemp and Reverend A.T. Johnson.
In 1893, under the
leadership of the Reverend J.B. Randolph, the church was reorganized and
according to the records in the County Court House on October 16, 1897.
The membership was incorporated under the name of the Shiloh Baptist
Church. Following Reverend J.B. Randloph, came Reverend R. Kane, and
then Reverend Walker, respectively, as pastors. Under Reverend Walker's
pastorate, the church purchased property located at 106 Belvidere
Street.
When Reverend
Walker resigned as pastor, the church called Reverend A. R. Satterfield
under whose administration the old Shiloh Church located on Belvidere
Street was built. In 1904, the late Dr. John White assumed the
spiritual leadership of the church. Under his visionary ministry, land
was purchased on Belvidere and on Calhoun Streets and in 1915 or 1916,
construction began on a new church building which was dedicated for
service in the spring of 1918. Reverend Charles Leonard and Reverend
David Bray served as Associate Ministers to Reverend Dr. White.
Reverend Dr. White served loyally and faithfully for 42 years and
resigned only when the officers and the membership of the church agreed
to his recommendation that theReverend S. Howard
Woodson, Jr.
be called. When Reverend Woodson assumed leadership of the church, our
congregation numbered approximately 218. In the years since, under
Reverend Woodson's leadership, it has numbered more than 1,000.
The increasing
membership and the mounting demands for enlarged worship and community
services challenged us to undertake our largest venture in faith. Upon
the recommendation of the pastor and officers, we began a church
building program. As the work progressed, so our thoughts enlarged.
Our original church building budget was $495,000.00 and further
increased with the addition of more floors in the building, a 3-story
elevator and other improvements to a total of $890,000.00. The new
church was constructed with: a memorial chapel and a main sanctuary, a
full size gymnasium, a first-aid room, a deaconess room, a rehearsal and
dressing room for the choirs. Individual offices were included for the
pastor, associate ministers, chairman of the Trustee Board and Deacon
Board, Superintendent of Church School. The official boardroom was
designed to also be used as an auxiliary balcony located over the chapel
and overlooking the main sanctuary. Eight closed-in classrooms, and six
open ended classrooms. the structure was also equipped with the most up
to date multi-media audiovisual equipment which included, a closed
circuit TV, a sound system that is integrated for radio broadcasting, 3
organs, one to be located in the main sanctuary, the second in the
memorial chapel and the third in the choir rehearsal room. In addition,
there is an outside memorial chapel located in the base of the glass
tower. It has been estimated that upon completion, the church was
valued at more than 1.2 million dollars.
In January of
2000, Reverend Darrell L. Armstrong was elected by a 95% majority vote,
as the third Pastor in approximately 100 years, to lead Shiloh's
congregation into the 21st century.