SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH was incorporated on September 12, 1916. The first Pastor, Rev. Sturevant, began the ministry with his first members in a barn located in a section of Port Norris.

In 1923, a strong Deacon Board and a Mother Board were established. It was expressed by the late Rev. O.L. Stanley, Mrs. Jamison and Mr. Noah Collins that a place of worship was desired in the sparsely settled community, and the first building was erected in 1920 with the help and generous contributions of Josiah and Daniel Newcomb.

Since Shiloh’s existence, there have been many great Pastors with Visions. They are Rev. Sturevant, Rev. Williams, Rev. Moore, Rev. Harris, Rev. Holly, Rev. J. Donaldson, Rev. S. Donaldson, Rev. Johnson, Rev. Whitfield, and our present Pastor, Rev. Dr. James A. Dunkins.

Under the leadership of Rev. Donaldson, the church (old edifice) enlarged to its present size, adding a dining room and installing pews as well as carpeting. Rev. Spurgeon B. Donaldson was installed on September 16, 1955 and there was a strong, fully functioning Deacon Board at the church consisting of some of the leading citizens of Commercial Township at that time. They were: Dea. Thomas Smith, Sr., Chairman, Dea. Pete Evans, Dea. Noah Collins, Dea. Hezekiah Fauntleroy, Dea. John Watson, Dea. Manford Stubbs, Dea. Thomas Jamison and Dea. Fred Roane, all deceased.

In 1975, Rev. T.B. Whitfield of Atlantic City, New Jersey, was installed as the Pastor. Under his leadership, a parsonage was purchased. There was also a Deaconess Board established and many other administrative and organizational structures reinforced.

In 1985, our present Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. James A. Dunkins, was installed. Under his leadership, the church grew tremendously. In 1993, through the hard work of the membership, a 500-seat edifice was erected on the land that the church owned. With the building of the new edifice, Shiloh Baptist Church went to three full Morning Worship Services: 8:30 a.m. Early Worship & 11:00 a.m. Worship in Port Norris and 9:30 a.m. Worship in Vineland, and overall numerical growth with the following accomplishments: a Christian Education program that offers weekly Bible Study classes for adults and age-appropriate youth classes; a New Members Orientation Program (Pastors New Members Class & Discipleship); a recording Mass Choir; an Usher Ministry that consists of four separate committees; a Tape & Video Ministry. From 1993 to 2005, Shiloh’s Day of Deliverance Television Broadcast aired on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.

In 1999, Shiloh Baptist Church became “One Church in Two Locations” when we planted a church at the Ramada Inn in Vineland, NJ. This was a very successful endeavor. We moved the church nine different times over a fourteen year period, and in December 2013, we purchased a permanent home for our church in Vineland. God has shown favor to our vision. Both of our locations are doing well.

In 2014, we were able to launch the Beyond the Walls Community Development Corporation which is the outreach arm of Shiloh. Beyond the Walls Inc., is a 501(c)3, faith-based organization designed to reach beyond the walls of the church to serve the community in which we live. Cumberland County has many underserved neighborhoods that are economically & socially underdeveloped and our residents experience multi-generational poverty. The sole purpose of Beyond the Walls is to develop and implement programs to foster economic development, affordable housing, job training, child care, educational support, recreational services, growth and stability in the community. Present programs: Family Strengthening Network, Celebrate Recovery, Code Blue, Food Pantry, Summer Youth Enrichment Program and we have implemented, operated, participated in programs & developed strategic partnerships with Century Bank, Cornerstone Women Resource Center, Family Success Center, Rutgers Reading Program, USDA Summer Food Program, Americorp, Community Food Bank of New Jersey and Easterseals.

A lot of new programs have been developed at the church and Shiloh continues to be a force in the South Jersey area. We are very excited about our newly developed Multicultural Worship Service and we are expanding our youth ministry entitled Shiloh’s Youth Zone.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE!!