Our Church history

Godfrey Brown, founder, and architect of Middle Run Baptist Church was born to slave parents in 1768 and died at age 75 on January 3, 1843. The Brown family was owned by a rich family of agriculturists and tobacco planters in Brunswick County in the state of Virginia. After the death of Godfrey's parents, the slave master, John T. Bowdoin, offered Godfrey the opportunity to purchase his and his family's freedom for a certain amount. Godfrey and his family worked, prayed, dreamed, and saved and by the Spring of 1820, they had accumulated the $5,650 that was required to buy their release from bondage. Godfrey and his wife Chaney, and only their four eldest children were emancipated. They left the Virginia plantation as "free people". The remaining eight children were guaranteed freedom when they became 21 years of age.

After Godfrey and his family reached Ohio, he bought 254 acres of land from Edward and Sarah Dromogoole for $1,000. The land was located in Caesar Creek Township and soon became known as the "Brown Settlement." In the fall of 1822 after the houses were built for his family, Godfrey and his sons chose a section of ground between two branches of a stream, to lay the foundation of a church where they could better serve and praise God and raise their family. Because of the unique location of the church between two streams, the church was named “Middle Run Baptist Church.” It was prayerfully and gloriously dedicated to the future service of God.

Rev. Godfrey Brown’s oldest son: Samuel Sr. was also called to preach. Father and son went to every “new” settlement - whether white or black, preaching the gospel, and became well known. Godfrey’s book learning was limited; however, he could read parts of the Bible. They often preached in Xenia’s first Courthouse to the settlers. The first clerk of the infant church was a white man, for there were a number of white men opposed to slavery that worshipped at Middle Run for a number of years. For over fifty years, after the church was organized, its members were called together by the blast from a ram's horn. The first bell was purchased around 1877, and it is still in the possession of Middle Run Baptist Church, which is one of the oldest Black Baptist Churches in the state of Ohio. Middle Run also took an active part in the "UNDERGROUND RAILROAD."

Many men were inspired to spiritual living after being called by God to the ministry and they were also licensed and ordained. Rev. Samuel Brown reared three homeless boys along with his family. They were: Rev. Peter Everett, Rev. Samuel Thomas, and Rev. Alexander Woodley. Rev. Woodley later became one of Middle Run’s Pastors. The membership dwindled when the Negro people began to leave the settlement. The church building was taken down in sections and moved to Xenia in 1889 where most of the members had resettled. The name Middle Run was retained because the majority of the members were originally members of Middle Run. The rebuilding of M.R.B.C. was not easy; however, it was rebuilt in 1895. The money had to be raised and, as near as we can figure from some scattered records, the cost of the brick was approximately $900.00; windows, $110.00; sand and lime, approximately $10.00. Some of the brick was made on the southeast corner across from the front of the church. Mr. J.W. Robinson helped

make the bricks and later became a member of Middle Run. In 1905 the first choir was organized, and the first organ was purchased.

All ministers ordained by Middle Run are not known, Nevertheless, in addition to those men previously named there are 17 other known names: Rev. Samuel Brown Jr.; Rev. M.B. Lewis; Rev. Richard Meredith; Rev. F.M. Liggins, Rev. Earl Foster; Rev. Samuel Blade; Rev. Strawder Liggins; Rev. Harry C. Scott Sr.; Rev. Leroy Stills, Rev. James Nooks; Rev. Timothy LaCour; Rev. Ronald LaCour; Rev. Ricky Ely; Rev. Steve Green; Rev. James L. Smith, Rev. Brian Woodson and Rev. Timothy E. Branch. Middle Run has had 25 Pastors during her existence. Among them are: Rev. Godfrey Brown, who served 21 years; Rev. Samuel Brown, Sr., served 27 years; Rev. N.V. Pettiford; Rev. Bert Green; Rev. A.W. Woodley; Rev. Joseph Thomas, Rev. W. M. Rickman; Rev. J. R. Rickman; Rev. I. N. Thornton; Rev. George Cobble; Rev. B. W. Clark; Rev. W. C. Allen; Rev. M. B. Lewis; Rev. Joseph Carrol; Rev. Martin; Rev. F. M. Liggins; Rev. A.A. Mays; Rev. L.C. Collins (1934-1939); Rev. R.L. Gates (1939-1979), Rev. W.E. Wilson (1980-1983), Rev. Leroy J. Stills (1985-2010), Rev. LeRoy H. Anthony (September 30, 2013- May 30, 2021) and Rev. Chance A. Clark as he preached his first sermon as Interim Pastor on August 4, 2024 and was unanimously elected to serve as the 25th Pastor of Middle Run Baptist Church in November 2024.

On Sunday, July 15, 2001, founder, Godfrey Brown’s family dedicated a beautiful monument to Middle Run Baptist Church which is located on the west side of the facility. In addition, on Sunday, September 4, 2005, on behalf of the Brown descendants, Catherine Burch, presented the church with a “Human Yoke” to be added to our archives. As we celebrate the Omnipotence of God, who has been our guide, our strength, and our hope for generations, we also celebrate and anticipate what great future he holds for us. Often, we hear some testify within the confounds of the church saying, “I Don’t Believe He Brought Me This Far To Leave Me!” This is our song today as we celebrate 202 years of God’s Faithfulness to us. We believe that God is not finished with us yet, and we continue to declare that we are not finished with God.

We celebrate what God has allowed us to do with Him thus far, we commit ourselves to doing what he calls us to do as His church. We have decided to walk with God, and to do it with Him as our Shepherd. To us this means making God’s Work our work. We are committed to making what God values, our values, and we plan to do it with Joy and Gladness. Ephesians 5:1-2 teaches that we are to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor”. We at Middle Run believe that God has been with us all our days, just so that he can teach us, equip us, and use us to provide a fresh aroma to our community, our nation, and our world, and today we say that God has always been our guide, and we joyfully declare that “We’ve Come This Far By Faith” and we’re still leaning and depending on God.