Graceville lost another leader of the community last month with the passing of past Baptist College of Florida (now Baptist University of Florida) President Thomas Kinchen. It’s been stated that a true leader builds bridges and that was the epitome of who Dr. Kinchen was. Coming to the Graceville community more than three decades ago, Dr. Kinchen spent his tenure building bridges between Graceville and the college; students and the ministry; and most importantly lost souls to a Heavenly Father.
Growing up in Georgia, Dr. Kinchen began his career serving in the Georgia Army National Guard before being called into the ministry. He received his degrees in both Divinity (Masters) and Education (Doctorate) from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and would go on to serve as Vice President. He would then serve in West Virginia when he was sought after by the Baptist Theological College in Graceville with the mission to either turn the college around in 18-months or shut it down. With God leading his path, Dr. Kinchen would take on that challenge creating a wonderful 30-year legacy of growing and building not only the Baptist College of Florida (now BUF) but bridges from the college throughout the changing world, using the Unchanging Word.
Dr. Kinchen would go on to be the longest serving president in the college’s history not only becoming a mainstay at the local institute but a true patriarch of the Graceville Christian community. In Dr. Kinchen’s tenure at the college tremendous growth was seen to the local education institute as well as the City of Graceville. The college would obtain over 100 acres of property holdings, a home for missionaries on the campus, numerous new facilities, and two of Kinchen’s biggest and most appreciated ventures: the creation of Heritage Village and Shepherd’s Cottages.
Often called the “brainchild” of Dr. Kinchen, construction of Heritage Village was a collection of the turn of the 20th century homes, churches, community center, and schoolhouse that represent the rich history that Dr. Kinchen believed was worth preserving. A treasure to the Graceville community, the small village holds some of the town’s oldest and most historic homes and buildings dating over 100 years old.
While the college also grew exponentially in degrees, campuses, employees and students, Dr. Kinchen’s heart always remained to serving the Lord as seen in one of his most notable projects the creation of Shepherd’s Cottages. The cottages on the campus next to Heritage Village were designed “to serve as an affordable retirement homes for retired ministers” according to an article published in 2005. That same article Dr. Kinchen showed his true passion for serving God when he was quoted, “The Lord told me I had no real business training another generation of ministers if I were willing to sit back and let the generation before me have members thrown away.”
His love for God, the college and Graceville was evident for all who knew him. Baptist College alumnus Deanna Wells Wagner wrote, “Dr. Kinchen loved and prayed for every student from BCF. I personally felt this during my time as a student. If he were on campus, I could always expect a hug and quick check-in of ‘how’s everything going?’. He was quick to offer help when we needed it too. He was so funny and reminded us not to take life too seriously. He was the perfect example of how to live a godly life and exemplified how to share the gospel with those you love. I am better because I knew Dr. Kinchen.”
Damascus Baptist Church pastor, Brian Taylor, shared perfectly the amazing person Dr. Kinchen was when he wrote, “Dr. Kinchen was a gifted leader in so many ways. God used him to impact men and women throughout our state, across the country, and even around the world. Perhaps though, one of the most meaningful contributions he made to the Kingdom was his faithfulness to teach his Sunday School Class at Damascus Baptist Church. He loved his church, and he loved his community. He will be greatly missed.” Dr. Kinchen retired from the college in December 2022 but a true pillar of the community, he continued to live his final year in the town that had grew and built bridges because of him.
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