Too Soon to Tell
A number of years ago, I saw this old photo of an 18 year- old teenager getting ready to board a train that would take him to Indianapolis, IN.
The year was 1952. History tells us that the duffle bag at the boy’s feet held two changes of clothes, and that the young man had less than $5.00 in his pocket. There was no fanfare as this teenager left his hometown of Mobile, Alabama for Indianapolis. He was headed to play baseball with the Indianapolis Clowns.
The Indianapolis Clowns played baseball in the then Negro American League. What the Harlem Globetrotters were to basketball, the Indianapolis Clowns were to baseball, with their on- the-field antics. They put on quite a show.
This picture was way before my time. But as a boy growing up, I owned and treasured more than one of this player’s later baseball cards.
I even remember the night, April 8, 1974, when during a nationally broadcast baseball game by NBC, he hit his 715th homerun - he had surpassed Babe Ruth’s all-time homerun record.
From leaving his hometown to Indianapolis to eventually the Atlanta Braves, Hank Aaron continued going forward as he became a champion. In that train station 22 years before, no one would have ever guessed the part young Hank Aaron would play in the history of baseball.
Training college students now for 40 years in Indianapolis, I have seen many young men come to this city to attend Bible College. As I’ve seen their young faces, I have wondered how God would use them. Equipping them with the right training at Heritage, it has been a blessing to see how God has used so many of our young preachers to forward the work of the Lord.
Fifteenth Year to Begin at Hopewell
After a wonderful summer, we are looking forward to the fifteenth year on our beautiful campus. Teachers and students are excited to get back to school after the break.
The opening day chapel service for Heritage Baptist College will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The service will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the college chapel, and it will be followed by a wonderful lunch.
Dr. Dave Martin, from Cincinnati, will be the special preacher for the morning service. Dr. Martin is a talented friend, and he has taught at Heritage in past years.
Make plans to come and receive a blessing from the Lord!
2025 Fall Class Schedule
The Fall 2025 Class Schedule is available. Various Bible or Christian Education courses are being offered this semester, including Baptist History, Bible Doctrines, Prophecy, New Testament Survey, Hebrew History, Revival and other classes.
For times and tuition costs please view the Fall 2025 Class Schedule. You may get a copy by mail, e-mail, or by going to our website: www.hbcindiana.com
Baptist Churches Starting Churches
I have in my library a reprint of the book, A Concise History of the Ketocton Baptist Association that was first printed in 1808. The book is a history of one of the many Baptist associations that sprang up in the late 1700’s during the early evangelism of America. This association of Baptist churches was located in what are now, Virginia’s outlying areas of Washington D.C. The Ketocton Association was formed in 1766 with four churches and a total membership of 142. By 1770, five more churches had been started, and the membership was 624. Three more years later at their annual meeting they recorded eight more churches and now showed a total membership of 1050.
Several of these churches were founded through the efforts of one or more preachers, but all of them came into existence before the Revolutionary War. During that time there was strong persecution against the Baptists in Virginia. Cross-referencing these churches and their pastors, I found most of their names listed in L.P Little’s Imprisoned Preachers and Religious Liberty in Virginia (© 1938).
These Baptist preachers obeyed Christ’s Great Commission and suffered physical persecution, court trials, and often jail time. Yet hundreds of souls were saved, the Baptist churches exploded, and upcoming patriotic leaders like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison took notice!
Heritage Baptist Bible Fellowship Fall Meeting
You are invited to attend the Fall meeting of the Heritage Baptist Bible Fellowship which will be held in southern Ohio near the Ohio River. Pastor Denny Hankins will host the meeting on October 6-8, 2025 at Franklin Furnace Independent Baptist Church in Franklin Furnace, OH.
Please be in prayer for the meeting and join us for some wonderful preaching and fellowship.