Every story has a beginning, and the story of Ardmore Baptist Church, which was called Tabernacle Baptist Church until 1938, actually began in the Southwest section of Winston-Salem in October, 1927. (At that time the area was referred to as the West End. Today a different section of the city is called by that name.) The area was devoid of any Baptist church. The section was called Ardmore, the name apparently applied by a planning consultant in 1916 from Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

The main road in the new development, which was originally conceived as a twelve square block area, was Ardmore Road, now known by a more familiar name, Hawthorne Road. Services were held in area homes while a site committee searched for a suitable and affordable location for the church. Three lots, #16, 17, and 18, of the G. W. Hinshaw property located on the corner of Irving Street and Rosewood Avenue were subsequently bought for a sum of $7500.

Was there a genuine need for a Baptist church in the West End section, or was there another reason for establishing a church in the Ardmore area? The answer to both parts of the question seems to be a resounding "yes." By 1923 Baptist Hospital had opened, and Ardmore was a growing community. Many of Winston-Salem’s most prominent citizens lived in the area. In 1928, twenty-three doctors lived near the hospital. Homes were being built at the rate of five per month. It seemed a "long way" to go downtown to First Baptist or Brown Memorial. A census committee had already been at work in the area and reported that over one hundred people had in fact signed cards indicating a desire to join a neighborhood Baptist church.

Many of those who wanted to establish a church in the West End were at one time members of Brown Memorial Church. A schism developed at Brown Memorial which led to the withdrawal of many members and eventually brought about the resignation of the assistant minister, P. C. James, who was serving at the time as the senior minister. He was then called by the newly formed Tabernacle Baptist Church to serve as its minister.

Due to personal conflicts between the minister and the Baptist Council of Winston-Salem (P. C. James had not been ordained into the Southern Baptist ministry), the latter would not recognize Tabernacle Baptist Church as a duly constituted Baptist church; neither would the Pilot Mountain Association accept the church as a member. For over two years this disharmony persisted, and ultimately the pastor resigned. Quickly the church moved to align itself with the Baptist Council of Winston-Salem. On February 13, 1930, with Dr. J. R. Jester, president of the Council, presiding, Tabernacle Baptist Church was officially constituted as a member of the Winston-Salem Council. Thirty-six members rose to their feet to adopt the constituting resolution as follows:

That guided as we believe by the Holy Spirit, and relying on the blessing of God, we do, here and now, by this act, constitute ourselves a church of Jesus Christ, to perform His service and to be governed by His will as revealed in the New Testament. And to this end we do hereby adopt and agree to the Covenant and Articles of Faith as published in the minutes of the Pilot Mountain Association in 1929.

• Rev. C.F. Rogers (1930-1934)
• Rev. Ned Taylor (1935-1939)
• Dr. Marshall Mott (1940-1946)
• Rev. William Pettit (1947-1958)
• Rev. Henry Crouch (1959-1969)
• Rev. Harold Shirley (1970-1977)
• Dr. J. L. Wilson (1978-1996)
• Dr. Bill Ireland (1999 - present)