Back Creek History
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. .... To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 3, 24-25
before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 3, 24-25
Near the close of the 18th century, the Great Awakening swept the United States and a revival fire was lit in the hearts of many Thyatira Presbyterians. A certain number of these souls were faced with opposition and were forced to withdraw to form a new congregation of "Shouting Presbyterians." So, on September 5, 1805, Concord Presbytery entered the name "Back Creek" on its roll, and thus officially our church was born.
We first met in a large barn until Presbytery granted permission to build a house of worship, provided it was at least five miles distant from the mother church; the distance was duly measured by Dr. Hall of Iredell in his famous sulky. Back Creek secured the services of her first pastor, Rev. Kilpatrick in 1807, and in 1811 a "comfortable little log house" was erected. This humble structure served until the present sanctuary was complete and dedicated in 1857. The Civil War and its aftermath saw Back Creek suffer the loss of her black membership, nearly half the congregation, in 1869, and the entire region suffered an economic depression. Many of the church's fine members packed up their families and headed West to make a new start. The road to recovery was long and hard, but the Lord in His gracious providence has sustained and nourished the church through the ministries of able and committed men and women of God.
Over the years, Back Creek has belonged to five Presbyterian denominations; in 1991 we joined the Presbyterian Church of America. The Presbyterian Church in America was formed in 1973 in response to increasingly unbiblical positions taken by our then denomination, the larger Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). The PCUS which later merged with the northern Presbyterian Church which was called the PCUSA. The PCA holds the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of the Living God and is our only rule for faith and Christian Life. We do not believe that the Bible should be interpreted through the 'lens' of modern politically-correct ideas. We believe all that the Bible says is God's will for His people today. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life and that there is NO OTHER access to God and heaven but through a genuine, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe that marriage is to be only between one man and one woman. We believe that the unborn are human beings and to take their life through abortion is against God's Word. We believe all other things taught in the Bible but set these out because of the confusion created by other denominations on these critical issues of Biblical truth. That being said, we do not claim to understand all that the Bible teaches. God's Word comes to us through the infinite wisdom of God and we know that our finite minds cannot fully understand the mind of God.
In 1952 our Religious Education building was added and the current manse was built in 1968. In 1978 a much needed restoration was completed on the sanctuary. In 1993 we added a couple of extra Sunday School classrooms, a choir room and greatly expanded our kitchen. In 2006 we converted our garage into a Youth Building.
Back Creek Church and Cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Guests from around the country visit our church and cemetery on a regular basis to research family history.
In 2005 we celebrated our 200th anniversary with a special events and speakers. Though we cherish our history, our daily prayer is for new vigor and courage to face the challenges of today with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ever changing, ever growing, we look to the future with hope. To God be the glory!
We first met in a large barn until Presbytery granted permission to build a house of worship, provided it was at least five miles distant from the mother church; the distance was duly measured by Dr. Hall of Iredell in his famous sulky. Back Creek secured the services of her first pastor, Rev. Kilpatrick in 1807, and in 1811 a "comfortable little log house" was erected. This humble structure served until the present sanctuary was complete and dedicated in 1857. The Civil War and its aftermath saw Back Creek suffer the loss of her black membership, nearly half the congregation, in 1869, and the entire region suffered an economic depression. Many of the church's fine members packed up their families and headed West to make a new start. The road to recovery was long and hard, but the Lord in His gracious providence has sustained and nourished the church through the ministries of able and committed men and women of God.
Over the years, Back Creek has belonged to five Presbyterian denominations; in 1991 we joined the Presbyterian Church of America. The Presbyterian Church in America was formed in 1973 in response to increasingly unbiblical positions taken by our then denomination, the larger Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). The PCUS which later merged with the northern Presbyterian Church which was called the PCUSA. The PCA holds the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of the Living God and is our only rule for faith and Christian Life. We do not believe that the Bible should be interpreted through the 'lens' of modern politically-correct ideas. We believe all that the Bible says is God's will for His people today. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life and that there is NO OTHER access to God and heaven but through a genuine, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe that marriage is to be only between one man and one woman. We believe that the unborn are human beings and to take their life through abortion is against God's Word. We believe all other things taught in the Bible but set these out because of the confusion created by other denominations on these critical issues of Biblical truth. That being said, we do not claim to understand all that the Bible teaches. God's Word comes to us through the infinite wisdom of God and we know that our finite minds cannot fully understand the mind of God.
In 1952 our Religious Education building was added and the current manse was built in 1968. In 1978 a much needed restoration was completed on the sanctuary. In 1993 we added a couple of extra Sunday School classrooms, a choir room and greatly expanded our kitchen. In 2006 we converted our garage into a Youth Building.
Back Creek Church and Cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Guests from around the country visit our church and cemetery on a regular basis to research family history.
In 2005 we celebrated our 200th anniversary with a special events and speakers. Though we cherish our history, our daily prayer is for new vigor and courage to face the challenges of today with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ever changing, ever growing, we look to the future with hope. To God be the glory!