Who We Are
OUR HISTORY
The fellowship of believers that eventually became what is today known as Amherst Baptist Church started as a modest Bible study of transplanted Southern Baptists in the fall of 1957.
They became “Amherst Baptist Church” in 1961 and built the first Southern Baptist building in the Northeast in 1963, which still serves as our nursery wing. A two-story educational building was added in 1969 and the “Miracle Sanctuary” was completed in 1981.
Over these years, ABC assisted in founding several other churches throughout the region and is currently planting a church in the Sheridan Parkside neighborhood of Tonawanda.
We share our facility with a Russian-language congregation, Blagodat – The Church of Blessing, who have met here since the early 2000s. Over the years, we have also been a temporary home to other church plants and other language groups, most recently hosting a small Tamil-language church from Sri Lanka.
Pastors Scott Gillette and Eric Napoli have been serving our congregation as Co-Pastors since 2015; this is a somewhat unique arrangement that allows them to share the preaching responsibilities while dividing other responsibilities and activities as best aligned with their gifts and callings.
Though encouraged by our history and its impact on “who we are,” we are much more encouraged by what God is doing and will do to bring glory to Himself!
2015-Present
Pastor Eric Napoli
Eric Napoli has been a part of Amherst Baptist Youth Ministry since 1982 when he was an elementary student in the Town of Tonawanda. From ten years old he grew up at Amherst Baptist Church, which at times was as much a home to him as any other place. In 1989, as a high school student, Eric felt the call to ministry and he began to work with the youth of Amherst in the Spring of 1991.
Eric was licensed to the Gospel Ministry on July 6th, 1997, and ordained November 19, 2000. He finished his Master of Divinity degree at Liberty University in 2012 and is presently in the midst of studies in a Doctor of Education curriculum at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He is husband to the lovely Kathryn and enjoys being father to eight wonderful God-seeking children between the ages of 21 and 8: Olivia, Anna Rose, Nicoletta, Samuel, Abigail, David, and his two twin girls, Charlotte and Elizabeth.
Presently, Eric serves as Co-Pastor (January 2015) alongside Scott and has become a church planter with the Sheridan Parkside Community Church. There he and his wife serve at Sheridan Parkside Life Center, a resource for the low-income community.
2015-Present
Pastor Scott Gillette
While reading "Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance" and completing the "Experiencing God" Bible study, Scott became aware and convinced that there was nothing "eternally significant" about his work in the automotive industry and that God had something more meaningful for him to do.
After 17 years, Scott left his automotive industry career in 2001 because he believed God was calling him into ministry, though not sure where or in which capacity. During the transition and searching time, Scott volunteered here at Amherst Baptist, bringing his skills and training to bear on the daily needs of the ministry of the church. As this experience deepened, God made it clear that this was, in fact, the place for Scott to serve Him - as our Church Administrator (as of June 2005), and now as Co-Pastor (January 2015) – evidence that he follows the advice he often gives: “Ask God what He would have you do… then do that.”
Scott's wife, Laura (of 40 years) joins him in ministry and desires to see God receive glory in all that they do. They have one son, Jon (31 years old), recently married to Nicole, now living in Medina, NY.