---A Fellowship of Love

 FRIENDLY COMMUNITY
It is no secret that life can be tough. Here at FBC we have a community of people who have bonded together by walking together in valleys and high points in life. We are a family, and as a family, we love and care for each other. 
 WE LEARN TOGETHER
The mission of our church is to love God and share His love in our homes and communities by developing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. This requires us to learn as much as we can about God. The more we learn about Him, the more we grow to love Him. 
 
 
 
 
 

What We Believe

First Baptist Church of Barnesville is a church that believes in “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). A church that neglects “truth” is permissive and ultimately harms the people it pretends to help. A church that neglects “love” is cold and too callous to help people.
 
When it comes to truth claims, the Bible is our final authority for answering all of the important questions of faith and life. We believe that “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) is sufficient for all of our needs today. Our theology centers around those fundamental beliefs that all Christians have in common:
  • The Virgin Conception of Christ (Matthew 1:18-25) 
  • The Sinless Life of Christ (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15) 
  • The Atoning Death of Christ (Romans 5:8) 
  • The Bodily Resurrection of Christ (Matthew 28:1-6) 
  • The Visible Second-Coming of Christ (Acts 1:11)
 
The risen Christ left His church marching orders: to take the Good News of His salvation to people everywhere (Matthew 28:19-20). Knowing that all people have failed and are hurting because of sin, love compels us to seek to reach hurting humanity with the only permanent solution – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Once a person comes to Christ in saving faith, then the great goal of the Christian life is to grow in Christ-likeness.
 

 

God’s Plan of Salvation

God Loves You – God loves you and wants you to have eternal life.  

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV

 

But you are a sinner – Because God is also just and righteous, our sin stands in the way of receiving the eternal life God wants us to have.  

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23 ESV

 

You can be right with God – God has made a way for you to be forgiven.  If you will receive Jesus Christ, He will forgive your sin and open the door to life that is full and meaningful.  

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:31 ESV

 

YOUR RESPONSE MUST BE:

Repent of your sin– This is turning away from your sin and turning toward God.  Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19 ESV

Place your faith in Jesus– Faith is trusting in Jesus.  

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 ESV

Surrender to Jesus as Lord– This is actually giving Jesus control of your life.

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10 ESV

Grow in Christ – You need to identify with Christ and grow in your relationship with Him.  The New Testament way of identifying with Christ is through baptism and church membership.  Here you will find Christian friends who will help you to grow in your new life in Christ.

 

To speak to someone further about this decision or if you have any questions, call 770-358-2353.

 

 

History of First Baptist

In 1812, the founding pastor of First Baptist Church in Barnesville, John Milner, was baptized by Jesse Mercer at the Sardis Baptist Church in Wilkes County, Georgia. Milner came to “Barnes Store” as a result of the Land Lottery of 1821 and founded the Sardis Baptist Church in Barnesville, naming it after the church in which he was baptized. Records of the Flint River Baptist Association demonstrate that Sardis Baptist Church was admitted to membership in that association in 1825 with a total church membership of 21.


 By 1828, Sardis Baptist Church reported to the Flint River Baptist Association a membership of 100 members with most coming by baptism, a remarkable growth in only three years. Through our history, First Baptist has continued to grow. Today, membership stands at almost 1,400 with nearly 500 attending Bible Study ministries each week. First Baptist has been an unusually unified church. We have had thirty-four pastors without a single termination. What’s more, our church has started two other congregations in our community, but has never had a split throughout our long history. 

 

As our church has had three different names – Sardis BC, Barnesville BC, and First Baptist Church – so our church has also occupied 3 different sanctuaries. Our present worship center was built in 1883, and we have three worship services and two Sunday Schools each Sunday morning. First Baptist has always been ready to build when space constraints limited the growth of the congregation. A Sunday School Annex (now a chapel with Sunday School space) was built in 1912. An educational building was built in 1951. Our Christian Family Life Center, complete with gymnasium, kitchen and classrooms, was built in 1984. In 2007, we completed and dedicated our new 2-story preschool/children’s wing that consists of state-of-the-art preschool space downstairs, children’s space upstairs, an elevator to access all of our second floor space, a two-story lobby connector and a renovated kitchen. But properties are never an end in themselves, only a means to fulfilling our purpose of reaching people and helping them grow in their relationship with Christ. We welcome you to come join us as we grow together!