In 1916 some members of the First Baptist Church of Lexington began to meet to form a new church that would become Ashland Avenue Baptist Church. The newly-formed church began to meet in a small school house. 
In that same year the tiny church of less than 30 people called Clarence Walker to be its pastor. The church budget that year was $2,000. The people had far more faith than they had money or resources and they simply pressed forward serving Christ and preaching the gospel. Just 6 years later they were meeting in a new building on Ashland Avenue that had been constructed by God’s grace through their tears, prayers and incredible sacrifice. 50 years later Clarence Walker was still the pastor of Ashland Avenue (1916-1966) and God had transformed that tiny band of believers meeting in a schoolhouse to a mighty congregation that was reaching the world with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Clarence Walker urged the church to “not just provide for our own need, but to invest in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, both now and for those who will come after us” (November 6, 1955). His words speak powerfully to us in these days as we move forward with the same vision as we build this Great Commission Center.
