Heritage History

Heritage Baptist Church was founded by  Pastor Jack Riffe on March 4, 1975. At the time, he was serving as a home missionary with Baptist International Missions Inc. (BIMI).  He named the church Victory Independent Baptist Church and they met in his living room on Whispering Pines Circle in Arcadia, FL. The first service was attended by Pastor and Mrs. Riffe, their two daughters, a lady in the community and her two daughters.  In just a few months they had outgrown the living room and decided to rent out the Garden Club. They stayed there until Pastor Rife resigned in 1978.

The church called Jackie Wray who changed the name of the church to Morningside Baptist Church and moved the location to a house on Route 17 north of town. A year or so later Brother Wray resigned and the church called Bob Marshall as pastor. Under his leadership, the church changed its name to Heritage Baptist Church.  In 1980 the small church purchased their present building (the old First Baptist Church) from the city of Arcadia for $50,000.

When Bob Marshall left, Evangelist J.D. Grush from Sarasota, Fl. filled the pulpit. Then David Greenwood became pastor and served for approximately seven years. When Brother Greenwood left, Bill Delaney filled the pulpit for almost a year before the church called Bud Gibbs, who pastored for one year. After Pastor Gibbs resigned Evangelist J.D.Grush again came to the aid of the needy congregation, filling the pulpit for a number of months.

Pastor Thomas Knickerbocker was called as pastor in January of 1994 and  continued as pastor until the summer of 2011 when he answered the Lord's call to be a part of H.E.L.P. Ministries in Florida.

The church then called on the assistant pastor, Dr. David Bedell, to fill the pulpit as pastor at Heritage Baptist Church, where he continues to serve at this time.