Our History

In 1975, Charles and Aprile Clark were saved through the ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in Kirkwood, New Jersey. Throughout the late 1970’s, they were active church members of Calvary Baptist Church. Pastor became a deacon, a bus captain, the junior church preacher, the youth director, and principal of the christian school. Mrs. Clark worked as church and school secretary. God began working in Pastor Clark’s heart about starting a church somewhere in Camden County, New Jersey.

In 1980, Br. Wiley Cameron from Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises and People’s Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas called Pastor Clark and asked him to come to Texas and work for Br. Lester Roloff. Believing this was God’s will, the Clark family packed their belongings and left for Texas. While thoroughly enjoying his ministry in Texas and the opportunities there, still pastor knew God was calling him to start a work in New Jersey. He hung a map of New Jersey in his office, circled the Camden County area, and began to fast and pray about it. God mightily used the time in Texas to prepare Pastor and his family for their future ministry.

When the time was right, the Clarks moved back to New Jersey and looked for a location to start Solid Rock Baptist Church. After a few months of praying and searching for the right place to meet, the Lord led Pastor Clark and Br. Jim Petruzzi to the Wesley Methodist Church building in West Berlin. Our first service was held October 25,1981 with sixty-three people in attendance. Solid Rock Christian School was established with five students and one teacher, Mrs. Lois Brewin. The church met in the West Berlin location for six years. A building fund was started. Every inch of the West Berlin building was being used six days a week., when Mr. John Heppe offered the church land for a new church building. The congregation raised the money needed, and pitched in to build Solid Rock Baptist Church in Atco, New Jersey.

Many lives were changed and souls were saved as Solid Rock continued to grow, and soon the Atco building was filled twice in the morning. In l994, Pastor Clark began to also pastor the Calvary Baptist Church in Kirkwood. Solid Rock Christian School moved to the Kirkwood facility, an early morning service, Sunday School, and junior church was added there. Our Spanish ministry met at Kirkwood also, and it began to grow. The need for more space for the church to go forward became obvious. Pastor prayed and searched for land for a few years.

Finally, a total of 23 acres on the White Horse Pike, Berlin, New Jersey miraculously became available to the church and it was purchased in cash to be the site of a new 58,000 sq. ft. facility. The “Build the House” fund was started, and the church began to pray, sacrifice, and give. For the next several years, the church prayed, planned, and gave sacrificially. Again, Mr. John Heppe was a tremendous help to our congregation and pastor. To the glory of God, the brand new sanctuary, school, and gymnasium was ready to become the active site of Solid Rock Baptist Church, and the first service was held there on July 22, 2007! The word of God continues to be preached, souls continue to be saved; lives continue to be changed. God has been very good to Solid Rock Baptist Church, and we thank and praise Him for all He has done for us!