1970-71 found Bob & Vickie Riley's 3rd South home the permanent meeting place for a Bible study that had been meeting in various homes. It wasn't until 1972 that this Bible study began to grow.
Soon afterwards, Brother Paul & Edith Chappell began driving from the Cortez, Colorado area on a regular basis to lead this Bible study. Ken & Barbara Stocks had introduced the Chappell's to the Riley's in the Spring of 1968. Due to "bean season" being busy in southwestern Colorado in the summer, the "Bible study season" was busy from fall to spring in southeastern Utah!
When Dr. Larry Chappell returned from serving as a missionary in South Korea in 1980, he led at one of the Bible study evenings for his dad, Paul. Dr. Chappell planted the seed in the minds of the people to organize into a church body. Through the leadership of Brother Paul Chappell, the Bible study did just that - organized into a church. Sunday, May 18, 1980 was the first official church service of Moab Baptist Church. The first pastor, Paul E. Butler, Jr. (Ed), and his wife Joyce, came on May 19, 1980, with their first Sunday being May 25, 1980 (the Butlers, now retired, were long-time missionaries in the Philippines, serving with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. They have one son, Luke.). The first services were held in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church building on 100 North (currently Seekhaven, a battered women's shelter). The monthly rental fee was $50, and then in the winter it doubled to $100 per month.
Moab Baptist Church called Brother Chappell as their pastor on May 1, 1981. The October 18, 1981 business meeting minutes record:
"Payment of pastor's salary and utilities was discussed. It was decided the pastor is to be paid $300 per month housing allowance plus utilities. All deacons were in agreement."
Sunday evening, January 10, 1982 was a moment of decision as the business meeting minutes state:
"Pastor called for a vote of the membership as to whether to buy the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (bulding) for the asking price of $150,000. The vote was unanimous not to purchase."
By April, an active search for property ensued with a bid (between $30,000 and $35,000) on two pieces of property owned by John McDonald across from the Episcopal Church, or to bid on another piece of property behind the Ricks home. Some of the men approached Mr. Ray Klepzig, upon the recommendation of Mrs. Alex Leech, about the need for property. Mr. Klepzig didn't have anything, but knew of someone who might. It wasn't much long when Mr. Dick Allen approached Pastor Chappell with the desire to donate 1.78 acres on Kane Creek Boulevard adjacent to the Episcopal Church. The church business meeting minutes record:
"Pastor received the agreement of Dick Allen to donate approximately 2 acres of property adjacent to, and to the north of the Episcopal Chruch. The church is pay to have it appraised by two appraisers and surveyed for a property description, and upon receipt of our letter of appreciation, Mr. Allen will give Moab Baptist Church the deed. Praise the Lord."
Later is was realized that this was the same property the Adventists were looking to purchase!
June 6, 1982, Jay Jemison trusted Christ as his personal Saviour. Two days later, Pastor Chappell and Darrell Dalton approached this newly saved general contractor about building a church building. Plans for the church building were drawn up and construction was soon underway with the church folks, young and old, taking part and helping out however and whenever. Ground breaking took place on Sunday, August 22, 1982. The dedication of the new building was August 15, 1983 with Dr. Larry Chappell, Dr. Jack Trieber, and Dr. George Golden as the guest speakers.
Pastor Paul Chappel passed away at the age of 90 at his home in Cortez, Colorado on October 27, 2005. Mrs. Edith Chappell passed away at her home in Cortez on June 19, 2019 - she had just turned 100 years old!
Pastor John Crater came from the Phoenix, Arizona area to become the third pastor of Moab Baptist around November 1984, serving until January 1985.
Dr. David Halcomb, and his wife Shirley, came from Indiana to pastor the church in late 1987. The Halcomb's stayed almost ten years, when he was called to pastor First Baptist Church of Laurel, Delaware in November 1987. In 2006, he became the Vice President of Heritage Baptist College in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Pastor Roy O'Quinn served for a short time as pastor in the Spring of 1998 while he was attending Bible college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He and his family traveled to and from Moab on the weekends.
Pastor Cole Howe has served as the pastor of Moab Baptist since November 1998. Born and raised in Wyoming, the Howe's moved from Thermopolis, Wyoming where he served as Assistant and Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church. Pastor and his wife, Cindy, have three children who're graduates of Moab's Grand County High School - Caitlyn, Catrina, & Caleb.
Caitlyn is married to Pastor Bob Oswald, and they live in Delta, Utah, where Bob pastors Grace Baptist Church.
Catrina is married to Stefan Christensen, and they live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Trina & Stefan faithfully serve the Lord in various capacities in their local church.
Caleb is married to Makinna (Higgins), and they live in Thermopolis, Wyoming, where Caleb has Pastor Howe's "old job" as the Assistant and Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church.
The Howe's have four granddaughters and one grandson.
Pastor Howe is the sixth pastor, but the first pastor to be fully supported financially by this church. By faith, the Howe's came to this church with less than 20 active church people. On their first Sunday - November 8, 1998 - with their young family of 5, the attendance for the morning service was 23. The church was unable to offer a full-time salary, but they did have a godly spirit and a willingness to follow pastoral leadership. By faith, the church family was faithful to the Lord in their giving, and from the very first month provided the Howe's a full-time salary.
Soon after the Howe's arrival, the church began to sense the Lord's leading in providing a parsonage on the property (housing prices in Moab were really starting to climb!). April 1999, the City of Moab was approached with the prospect of subdividing the church property. When the surveying was completed, the Grand County Surveyor, Tim Keogh, had named the two-lot subdivision "The Baptist Subdivision". The Howe's moved into this home on July 15, 1999.
Much work and many long hours have gone into the upkeep and upgrading of our facilities and ministries. The Lord allowed a 640-square-foot addition to be added to the parsonage on December 2007-January 2008. This addition was name "The Baptist Inn" and includes a bedroom, living room, full bath, and kitchenette (with laundry capabilities). It is used by the pastor's family and church guests. The funds for The Baptist Inn were generously donated by out-of-state friends of Moab Baptist Church, Dr. Richard & Rosemary Lord (both now in Heaven) and their family.
With the help of a sizeable monetary donation from the estate of a deceased church member, Moab Baptist was blessed to make the final payment on our church's existing loan at Zions Bank on June 17, 2010. This marked the first time since 1983 that Moab Baptist was debt-free (and, by the goodness and grace of God, we continue to operate this way)!
Our church was able to enhance its various ministries with the addition of a 15-passenger van, which was purchased (with cash) in February 2011.
The Summer Ministry Intern Program (a Bible college student is mentored and trained for the pastoral or missionary ministry) received a major "boost" with the March 2011 addition of The Baptist Bunkhouse (32' 2006 Springdale travel trailer). The funds for this purchase were once again generously donated by Dr. & Mrs. Lord. Due to age and the wear from the intense Moab heat, this was sold in June 2020. For the past several years, our Ministry Interns have been young men from our church body who believe the Lord is calling them into full-time ministry.
The Baptist Back Lot Recreation Park was dedicated on September 30, 2012. The completion of The Back Lot enbales our church to more fully utilize our property. The Back Lot includes a lot of open space, walkways, seatting, and picnic areas.
Major remodeling projects (new windows & exterior painting) were completed in 2015 & 2017. The parsonage kitchen was remodeled, as well as new flooring installed in the bathrooms and laundry room in 2016. The ladies restroom in the church had a complete makeover in December 2016. The nursery was remodeled in January-February 2018. The parsonage was re-roofed with metal in the late winter and early spring of 2019-2020. New carpet was installed in the auditorium and foyer in October 2020. The men's restroom had a redo in May 2021. Seventy-five padded chairs were purchased in May 2021. Three classrooms were painted in May 2021, with new carpet coming really soon. We've been BUSY, but always grateful for the upkeep of thes properties and facilities.
October 23, 2019, Moab Baptist Church voted to be the home of Baptist Church Planting WEST, and the custodian for the archived files of this ministry. BCPW was founded in 1983 by Dr. & Mrs. Harvey Seidel. Pastor Howe was the last missionary of BCPW while it was under the direction of Pastor Seidel. We're excited for future prospects and valuable resources of this important ministry.
The influence of Moab Baptist is worldwide. This church supports home and foreign missionaries, where the total yearly support of these is in the thousands of dollars.
Over the years the recorded visitors in the various services numbered well-over a thousand. Hundreds of souls have been led to Christ. Numerous Christians have been baptized. An innumerable amount of contacts have been made. Lives have truly been changed. All these because of the clear gospel message and the grace of God.
Today, visitors are still attending, souls are still being led to Christ, new believers are still being baptized, contacts are still being made, and lives are still being changed.
God is so good all the time, especially in Moab, Utah! We look forward to other blessings and miracles where we can give all the glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Psalm 118:23, "This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes."
Updated May 2021
