How it all started...
Bethany Baptist Church was organized in 1874 by a group of community residents who wanted to band together and form a congregation near their homes.
Sampson Brewer Barfield gave a corner of his property at the crossroads of, what was then, the Franklinville – Troupeville Road and Valdosta Road for the church site. He requested that the church be named for his mother, Bethenia Brewer Barfield.
Those members erected a building which still stands and is now being used as a multi-purpose facility. The beams were hand-hewn and a pot-bellied stove was the only source of heat. There were doors on each side of the building, which served as separate entrances for the men and then women.
The church was constituted in 1877 by J.C. McMillan. J.C. was the church clerk at the time. They total membership was 70 and the property was valued at $1,500.
In the beginning, baptismal services were held at a small, spring-fed pond, then known as Barfield Pond. Later these events took place at the river.
Sampson Brewer Barfield gave a corner of his property at the crossroads of, what was then, the Franklinville – Troupeville Road and Valdosta Road for the church site. He requested that the church be named for his mother, Bethenia Brewer Barfield.
Those members erected a building which still stands and is now being used as a multi-purpose facility. The beams were hand-hewn and a pot-bellied stove was the only source of heat. There were doors on each side of the building, which served as separate entrances for the men and then women.
The church was constituted in 1877 by J.C. McMillan. J.C. was the church clerk at the time. They total membership was 70 and the property was valued at $1,500.
In the beginning, baptismal services were held at a small, spring-fed pond, then known as Barfield Pond. Later these events took place at the river.
Expanding the vision...
In 1958, Tally Lawson donated additional land. The site grew to its present size when Waldo Stith added to the tract in 1969.
In May of 1999, the church dedicated a new sanctuary that would seat 400 people to accommodate the growing church.
In 2007, the church completed construction on a new Family Life Center, originally name "The Bridge." It featured new offices, a commercial kitchen, new upstairs classrooms, and a full-size basketball court. The restrooms are furnished with showers and lockers so the building can--and has been--used to temporarily house large groups and serve as an emergency shelter.
Where we are headed...
CONNECT WITH GOD:
GROW WITH OTHERS:
REACH THE WORLD:
We connect with God through prayer, worship, and Bible study. These actions help us develop a close and personal relationship with HIM that continually strengthens and helps us in our daily life.
GROW WITH OTHERS:
We grow with others by joining with other Christians in small groups and fellowship inside and outside of the church campus. We do life with these people by helping, lifting up, challenging, keeping accountability, and loving one another.
REACH THE WORLD:
We reach the world by doing works and spreading His Word, starting in our own community and ultimately reaching across the nations. Our goal is to become disciples for Him, saving the unsaved and teaching the unknowing.
