A New Albany Congregation with a 125-Year Story
Culbertson Baptist Church has offered worship, prayer, community service, and age-appropriate programs to southern Indiana for more than 125 years. The congregation is affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA and operates within the American Baptist Churches IN/KY region. From its current home at 4007 Grant Line Road on the north side of New Albany, the church serves as both a neighborhood church and a hub for ministry partnerships that reach across Floyd County and around the world.
The community of faith describes itself this way: a group committed to living as followers of Jesus Christ, opening their lives to the presence of God, and becoming an avenue of that presence throughout the world. Members seek to grow through the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and they extend a wide welcome to anyone who walks through the doors.
From Ekin Avenue to Grant Line Road
Culbertson Baptist was established in 1889, beginning as a mission on Ekin Avenue. The first members were a small group of women who met only for Sunday School. Years later, the group bought property on Culbertson Avenue and took the name Culbertson Avenue Baptist Church. In 1979, a relocation committee began studying the need to move, and the congregation eventually settled at its present Grant Line Road location, dropping "Avenue" from the name along the way.
The long pastoral history reads like a family record of the region. Pastors have included Rev. C.D. Strother (1921 to 1963), Rev. Merris Dice (1963 to 1967), Rev. Dan Mattox (1968 to 1977), Rev. Danny Morris (the late 1970s), Rev. Charles Shields (1980 to 1992), Dr. Ken Nicola (1993 to 1999), and Dr. Darrell James (2000 to 2017). Dr. Danny Russell became pastor in September 2019.
Sunday Morning Worship
The Sunday morning gathering begins with Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., followed by a coffee hour, and moves into worship at 10:15 a.m. A typical service lasts about an hour and includes music, prayer, scripture readings, responsive readings or litanies, and a thoughtful, prepared sermon from the Bible. A projection screen displays the words to songs and the scripture passage for the sermon.
The worship is led by the Minister of Worship and Music alongside the praise band and sanctuary choir. Music is blended, with contemporary songs and traditional hymns sung on most Sundays. Visitors are welcome to come as they are. Some will be in a suit or dress; the majority will be in more casual clothes. There is a weekly offering available for those who call Culbertson Baptist home, but no one is expected to give. Participation in any element of the service is welcome.
Sunday School for Every Age
The Sunday School hour at 9:00 a.m. runs a full slate of classes for children, youth, and adults, all meeting across the church's upper and lower levels.
- Nursery (newborn through age 2): taught by Susan Smith using the FaithWeaver Friends curriculum by Group, meeting in the nursery section on the upper level.
- Preschool (ages 3 to 5): taught by Tami Johanningsmeier using My First Hands-On Bible by Tyndale, meeting on the lower level.
- Early Elementary (kindergarten through 2nd grade): taught by Tammy Russell using FaithWeaver Now by Group Publishing, meeting on the lower level.
- Upper Elementary (2nd through 5th grades): taught by Diane Reid and Tami Johanningsmeier using FaithWeaver Now, meeting on the lower level.
- Youth (middle school and high school): taught by Jordan Harvey and James Wendler using The Story of Jesus Teen Curriculum by Zondervan, meeting on the lower level.
- Adult Sunday School: taught by Eddie Pyrdum and Ben Smith using the Formations series by Next Sunday, meeting on the upper level.
- Koinonia Class: guided by Ben Shiner with shared teaching, using the Formations series. When meeting in person, it gathers on the upper level; online, it meets through Zoom on Tuesday nights.
The Women's Bible Study, taught by Diane Reid and Susan Smith, meets in the small fellowship hall on Sunday evenings (4:00 to 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.). The class has worked through books such as Lysa TerKeurst's 40 Days through the Bible and follows a discussion-based format.
Children's Ministry
The children's ministry serves children from birth through 6th grade, organizing its work around Bible study, worship, and missions education. Sunday School classes are organized by nursery, preschool, early elementary, and upper elementary.
Wednesday evenings offer Hands to Hearts, the church's children's programming. Children learn about God's work in the world and discover how they join that work through faith in Christ, often through hands-on projects. One week they may write encouraging notes to elderly members of the church and community; another week they may craft something that reflects the night's biblical lesson.
During the Sunday morning worship service, a Children's Sermon connects the message to the younger congregation. Children ages 3 through 2nd grade may then leave for Children's Worship, taught by volunteers on the lower level using the Dig In curriculum by Group Publishing. A nursery is provided for newborns through preschool, and parents are welcome to keep children of any age with them in the sanctuary.
Family traditions weave through the year. The church holds a cookout to kick off the school year, a Spring Fling on the Saturday before Easter, Vacation Bible School in July, an ice cream social, and an Annual Trunk or Treat on the Wednesday before Halloween as a safe alternative for families in the neighborhood.
Youth Ministry
Culbertson Baptist's youth ministry serves students in 7th through 12th grade. Because the church does not currently have a youth minister, the pastor partners with the Christian Education committee to oversee the program.
The ministry describes itself with two phrases. The first is "God's work is hands on." Youth volunteer at the Saturday Cafe at St. Mark's United Church of Christ, help assemble Thanksgiving Meal boxes each November, and bake and deliver cookies to residents of local nursing homes. The second phrase is "Striving to walk like Christ in everything we do." Sunday School and additional youth meetings center on applying God's word to daily life. The group has worked through the Experiencing Christ Together series by Doug Fields and Brett Eastman, studying titles such as Beginning in Jesus, Connecting in Jesus, Growing in Jesus, Serving Like Jesus, Sharing Jesus, and Surrendering to Jesus.
Annual youth events fill the calendar: a January movie and game night, a February Super Bowl party, a March spring weekend camp retreat, a Spring Fling and Thunder Breakfast in April, a Parent Night Out in May, summer camp in June, Vacation Bible School and an ice cream social in July, a pool party and back-to-school party in August, a fall movie and game night, Trunk or Treat and a food drive in October, Thanksgiving Meal Baskets in November, and Christmas card and cookie delivery in December. Ski trips, fall retreats, white-water rafting trips, annual mission trips, lock-ins, and help with Vacation Bible School round out the fellowship and community side of the program.
Music Ministry
Music at Culbertson Baptist is a blended ministry, with the sanctuary choir, worship band, and handbell choir each playing regular roles.
The worship band was formed in 2005 and today includes six musicians: a keyboardist and flutist, an electric guitarist, a pianist, a bass guitarist, a drummer on bongos and congos, and a drummer on an electric set. On most Sundays the band and sanctuary choir together lead worship and provide the special music before the sermon.
The sanctuary choir has been part of the church's life throughout its history. In addition to weekly leadership, the choir presents special programs during the year, with the Christmas Cantata and Easter music being highlights.
Since 2015, Dave Hottel has directed the handbell choir. The 11-member group plays roughly every two months, sharing their music between the Friday Night Mass at St. Paul II Catholic Church and the Sunday morning service at Culbertson Baptist. The choir currently rings on 3 octaves and is always open to new ringers.
Prayer Ministry
Prayer shapes the worship services at Culbertson Baptist. Each Sunday service opens with a scripture reading and an invocation and closes with a benediction that carries worshippers out into the world.
During the week, a group of intercessors covers the church and community in prayer. For one hour every day, someone in the congregation prays for God's will to be done through the church. Some pray at home; others gather in the Fireside room on the upper level of the education wing. The church office can connect anyone interested in joining this quiet rhythm of daily prayer.
Bible and Discipleship Teaching
Bible study runs throughout the week at Culbertson Baptist. The cornerstone is the Wednesday Night Adult Study, which meets at 6:30 p.m. and is led by different members of the congregation in turn. Recent studies have included a three-week discussion of Leslie Weatherhead's The Will of God, a Lenten series led by Interim Pastor Rev. Shellie Riggs Jordan, lessons on the books of Galatians, James, Philemon, and Romans, the Nooma video series by Rob Bell, and a study of Leonard Sweet's Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who's Already There.
On Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m., the women of the church and community gather for a weekly Bible study led by Nancy Shiner. The group has used a variety of resources across the seasons, including Adam Hamilton's The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem during Advent and Bishop Michael Curry's "Love is the Way" sermon from the Royal Wedding.
The Koinonia Class, led by Ben Shiner, gathers online through Zoom on Tuesday nights and in person on Sunday mornings, working through the Formations series and centering on a particular scripture passage each week.
Wednesday Night Meals
On a Wednesday evening each month (the 1st, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday), the congregation meets in the Family Life Center at the rear of the church property for a shared meal at 5:30 p.m. The meal is cooked by Terry Jones along with church volunteers and is offered by donation. A typical menu has included turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, dressing, green beans, orange glazed carrots, cranberry sauce, hot rolls, tossed salad, drinks, and desserts. Registration for Wednesday Night Meals is available online.
Community Service Across New Albany and Floyd County
Culbertson Baptist's outreach ministry reaches across the wider community through several standing programs.
Bags of Blessings provides nonperishable food to children in the New Albany area. Each year, donations are delivered to students at Hazelwood Middle School for their fall, winter, and spring breaks. The contact for the ministry is Nancy Shiner.
Saturday Cafe is a quarterly partnership with St. Mark's United Church of Christ. Culbertson Baptist helps staff the meal, which is prepared from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and served at noon, followed by cleanup. Bridget Redmon coordinates the church's involvement.
Red Cross Blood Drives are hosted in the Family Life Center every other month on the third Monday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Lisa Johanningsmeier coordinates the drives.
White Flag Shelter is a winter emergency shelter run by the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana. Since 2023, Culbertson Baptist has hosted the shelter in its gym each winter (November 15 through April 15). The shelter opens when temperatures drop below 35 degrees, running from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. for at least four hours at a stretch. The church also provides office space for the coalition year-round.
Spirit of the Season partners with HOPE Southern Indiana to bring Christmas gifts and Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets to families in the community. The church aims to reach ten families each year. Linda Reynolds coordinates the church's participation.
The Penny Project offers a simple way to support local agencies. Pennies, change, and dollars are collected in containers in the Fellowship Hall and at the lower level entry table, then distributed to ministries such as HOPE Southern Indiana, the Salvation Army, the Youth Shelter, the IUS Food Pantry, Centenary Christ Kitchen, and the Center for Women and Families.
Global Mission Partnerships
Beyond Floyd County, the church partners with missionaries serving through International Ministries of ABC USA. Four annual offerings carry these partnerships through the year.
In February, the church supports Anita and Rick Gutierrez, family doctors serving in South Africa. They train and equip local missionaries, called "health builders," to address lifestyle-related diseases such as HIV/AIDS, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and malaria, while also leading Bible study groups in homes, schools, places of worship, and marketplaces.
In March, the church supports Dilia Zelaya, an associate missionary in Honduras who supervises the Ministries of Faith and New Life in Azacualpa. The ministry cares for nine children, providing food, education, health care, and spiritual growth. Dilia has also founded the Escuela Cristiana Vida Nueva, a bilingual school with a computer room, a weekday feeding program serving about 50 children, and a community soccer program.
In April, the church supports Carlos Bonilla and Mayra Giovanetti, longtime global servants working in Colombia's Guajira Northern Region through UNIBAUTISTA. They focus on discipleship formation and training in ethnic communities that have historically been underserved.
In July, the church supports Kihomi Ngwemi and Nzunga Mabudiga, who serve as a link between International Ministries and the Haitian Baptist Convention. Nzunga teaches theology at the Christian University of Northern Haiti, manages scholarship, goat, pig, and eye clinic projects, and oversees clean water initiatives. Kihomi works in counseling, women's health, community health evangelism, and economic development, and coordinates the women's association of the convention.
The congregation also takes part in the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering, the America for Christ Offering, the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering (supporting disaster relief), and the World Missions Offering. In addition, the church provides financial classes for women in Myanmar.
Beliefs and Identity
Culbertson Baptist is an American Baptist congregation. American Baptists affirm that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and that the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God serving as the final written authority for the Christian faith. They observe two ordinances: believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper. They hold that individual Christians can approach God directly, take seriously the call to evangelism and missionary work, support religious freedom and respect other expressions of faith, and acknowledge that God's family extends beyond any single local church. They also celebrate the racial, cultural, and theological diversity within their membership and seek to be Christ's witnesses for justice and wholeness in a broken society.
In its own statement of belief, the church confesses that Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of who God is and what it means to be human, fully God and fully human. The church embraces women in all areas of ministry and leadership, has women deacons, and welcomes women to preach from the pulpit. While the current pastor is male, the church affirms God's call to pastoral ministry for both women and men. The congregation practices open communion and accepts believer's baptism regardless of mode.
Members are guided by the Great Commandment to love God with everything they have and to love their neighbor as themselves, and by the Great Commission to make disciples in daily life. The church also points to the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Staff and Leadership
The pastoral team is led by Dr. Danny Russell, who joined Culbertson Baptist in September 2019. A Connersville, Indiana native, Danny came to faith as a ninth grader and pursued his calling through Georgetown College (BA in Philosophy and Religion), the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (Master of Divinity), and Portland Seminary at George Fox University (Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies). Before coming to New Albany, he served as youth minister at Immanuel Baptist Church in Frankfort, Kentucky; Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Sylva, North Carolina; and pastor of Chadbourn Baptist Church in Chadbourn, North Carolina. He is married to Tammy, and they have two sons, Cayden and Colton.
Leslie Gabhart has served as Minister of Music and Worship since 2004. A long-time member of the church, Leslie earned a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in secondary education with a vocal music emphasis from Indiana University. She spent thirty-five years in public school choral music education. Leslie and her husband, Scott, live in New Albany.
Jennifer Johanningsmeier has served as accompanist since 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Bellarmine University and a master's degree in elementary education from Indiana University Southeast, and now teaches fourth grade. During worship she often plays keyboard, flute, or piano.
Mike Reynolds serves as Business Manager (since 2022), and Dana Boren serves as custodian (since 2021). Mike, a Western Kentucky University graduate and Navy veteran, also volunteers with RSVP and HOPE Southern Indiana, mentors in the local schools, and serves as a deacon at Culbertson Baptist.
Advent and the Hanging of the Greens
On the first Sunday of Advent, Culbertson Baptist begins the Christian year with its Hanging of the Greens Service. The service weaves together Advent readings on the meaning of evergreens, wreaths, the Christmas tree, candles, the nativity, and the poinsettia, along with classic carols such as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; O Holy Night; Silent Night; O Come, All Ye Faithful; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Angels We Have Heard on High; and Joy to the World. The benediction sends worshippers out with hope, peace, joy, and love.
Staying Connected
Worship services are recorded and shared through the church's YouTube channel. A monthly e-newsletter keeps the congregation and wider community informed about upcoming events and ministry opportunities. Online giving is available through Elexio Giving. The church office can be reached at 812-944-2738 or culbertsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com.
Whether someone arrives for Sunday School, stays for the blended worship hour, joins a Wednesday evening program, or volunteers for a Saturday Cafe shift, Culbertson Baptist offers a steady rhythm of worship, learning, prayer, and service that has marked its presence on Grant Line Road for more than a century.