ABOUT US

Grounded and founded by the Word of God (particularly the great commission of Christ in Matthew 28:19-20), Ferntree Gully Independent Baptist Church held its first services on April 6, 1975, in the Girl Guide Hall, Underwood Road, FTG. Pastor Harold Davies and his wife Barbara had been sent out from Croydon Baptist Church to start a branch work in Ferntree Gully. They were both still in Bible College and had two teenage sons, Nigel and Chris. They also had Barbara’s 74-year-old mother living with them and no permanent income, but nevertheless they were obedient to God’s call.

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Services were held on Sunday mornings and evenings, as well as an all-aged Sunday School, and a mid-week meeting for prayer and bible study. Approximately 15 children were transported on Friday nights to AWANA club at Croydon. The intention was to “start as you mean to carry on”. As the first few weeks went by, the congregation settled down to an average of thirty regulars, including children. The church constituted as a totally Independent Baptist Church on December 5, 1976. The charter of membership was signed by 21 adults.​​​​​

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In April 1977, Pastor Davies accepted the call to pastor the parent church in Croydon, and Ernie Music assumed the oversight of FTGIBC until Pastor Burt Kinsey was appointed as pastor in April 1978. In May 1980 the church moved from the Guide Hall in Underwood Road to the Mountain Gate Primary School. In December 1978 Pastor Harold Davies and family were again elected into membership at FTGIBC and soon commissioned to start a branch work in Warragul. The Warragul outreach officially organised as an independent Baptist Church in June 1979 with Harold Davies as pastor.

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In 1980 Pastor Burt Kinsey returned to America. Pastor Harold Davies was approached to return to Ferntree Gully and pastor the church again. After much prayer, he and Mrs Davies accepted the call, and he was commissioned on the first Sunday in October, 1981. After some turbulent years, 1985 started wonderfully well with 17 people trusting Christ as their Saviour during the Glen Weeks meetings held at the church. The church began to grow in numbers again and eventually moved into the larger premises of the Knoxbrooke Centre.

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At the beginning of the 1990s, Pastor Davies’ desire to start a Bible College came to fruition. FTG Baptist Bible Institute began holding classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings with 5 full-time students and several part-time students. The first graduate from the college was David Zooeff. The church ordained Pastor Charlie Williams to the gospel ministry and commissioned him to start Oasis Baptist Church in Chelsea, Victoria, in 1991. He is still to this day faithfully pastoring that church. FTGIBC ordained Kevin Currell to the ministry of Children’s and Young People’s Evangelism in 1998.

 

On December 11, 1999, God’s faithful servant Pastor Harold Davies stepped out of this world and into the arms of the Saviour whom he loved so deeply. His faithfulness, commitment and love for Christ, for His people and for the lost still inspires us at FTGIBC. He was a man who influenced so many lives for Christ, and stood firm and immovable on the Word of God. We praise God continually for him and his memory.

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In July, 2000, David Zooeff was appointed as interim pastor of FTGIBC. His appointment was unanimously confirmed in December 2000 and he was commissioned as the full-time pastor of the church. He continues to this day in this role and, like his predecessor, he stands firm on the Word of God, leads by example, and is a faithful and powerful preacher and expositor of the Scriptures.

 

In 2020, FTGIBC started meeting at the Knox Gardens Community Hall. As a church, we look forward to the future in which, by God’s grace, we will continue to shine as a light for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.​