A MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTOR

The Purpose of the First Baptist Church of Hardeeville may be summed up in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

Jesus Christ gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, where He said:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus affirmed the Great Commandment when He said:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Our goal is that First Baptist Church will:

• Fulfill its mission of reaching individuals with the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
• Minister unselfishly to persons in the community and the world in Jesus' name.
• Worship in a manner that enables the members to experience an awareness of God, recognize His person, and respond in obedience to His leadership.
• Disciple the members of the congregation so they will experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers. 
• Seek to be a church whose purpose is to be Christlike in our daily lives by emphasizing total commitment of life, personality, and possessions to the Lordship of Christ.
• Support missions both at home and around the world.

We invite you to be a part of this fellowship of believers and share in our desire to obey the Great Commission as we follow the Great Commandment.

        History of the First Baptist Church of Hardeeville

Tradition tells us that around 1850 Mrs. Margaret Jones donated a tract of land to be used as the location of the Hardeeville Baptist Church.  It is believed that the first church building was destroyed during the Civil War.  In January of 1865 Union troops under General Sherman reached Hardeeville.  Because of the cold, wet winter weather, they tore the church down and used it for firewood.  In 1915 the Federal government paid the church $1500 as compensation for the damage to their building during the war. 

The first recorded minutes of Hardeeville Baptist Church are dated January 1876.   Some 41 men and women wrote and recorded the Church Charter.  It reads as follows: "On the 3rd Lord’s Day of January, 1876, a small company of Believers were organized as a church by the Brethren A. W. Lamar, C. A. Baynard and W. G. Rollins.  Few in number, yet trusting in Jesus the Great Head of the Church, and the support of each humble follower, they gladly cast in their lot together, pledging themselves by this uniting in one body to strive together for the Master’s Glory, to bear one another’s burdens and to adhere faithfully to the covenant which is herein transcribed."

In that year a new church building was constructed, and it was used until 1951.  The Rev. A. W. Rollins was called as pastor. In a short time he resigned to attend Theological Seminary, and the church experienced its first test, an extended period without the services of a minister.  Records indicate that "prayer meetings and Sabbath School were faithfully continued, and an occasional visit from a ministerial brother afforded the proper opportunities for the worship of the Lord."

There were more periods between pastors when the members continued worship through the help and guidance of supply pastors. In 1914, Dr. W. J. Langston helped the church develop plans for future growth.  The committee working with Dr. Langston on these plans consisted of R. J. Boyd, A. B. Coburn and C. M. McTeer.   In 1915, during the service of Rev. C. L. Stoney, the church began to renovate their facilities.  Using the money paid by the Federal gvernment along with additional donations the church building was remodeled, a baptistry was added, and construction of a parsonage was begun.  After 1931, five years passed before the church received a resident pastor. Rev. Walter Black, of Ruffin, came to the aid of the members when he was called upon. Some 24 ministers extended their time and services.  Rev. J. M. Lane served as Pastor from 1936 to 1941.

In September 1950, a meeting for the annual election of church officers was held.  It was at this time that it was decided to build a new church.  The building was 74 years old and badly in need of repairs.  Attendance had dropped.  The membership voted to undertake the task of building a new church as "part of their work for the advancement of His Holy Work."  Named on a building committee were Mrs. C. M. McTeer, G. O. Rentz and A. E. Dupuis.  Groundbreaking for a new sanctuary was held on March 18, 1951.  In 1952, the board of deacons authorized the signing of a mortgage on the church property for the sum of $7000.  This sum was to be used for immediate completion of the church auditorium. The pastor, Rev. H. A. Phillips, conducted the first worship service in the new auditorium in November of 1952.

Rev. H. A. Phillips served as Pastor from 1952 to 1954, followed by Rev. J. W. Haskell from 1955 to 1976 and Rev. John L. Beck from 1976 to 1979.  In 1958, a new addition to the church structure was completed. It consisted of a pastor’s study, kitchen facilities and an assembly area in the upstairs portion, along with ten classrooms, a nursery, and two storage rooms in the downstairs area.  New pews and furniture, heating units, and driveway paving were also provided.

The continued growth of the church required additional facilities, and in January of 1981 construction was begun on a new building to house the church offices and library along with a new social hall and kitchen.  The dedication service for this new facility was held in October of 1983.

Rev. Robert Dukes served as Pastor from 1980 to 1983 and Rev. Nathan Gilstrap served from 1983 to 1990.  Burl Womack served as Music Director from 1980 to 2000.  The church purchased a van in 1980, and a van ministry was begun in 1982.  This ministry was expanded with the purchase of a church bus in 1991.  A new church van was purchased in 1993.  A Children’s Church program was begun in 1983. 

In 1989 the church began the renovation and enlargement of the sanctuary.  This project included extending the sanctuary by twenty feet, enlarging the choir area, purchasing a sound system, and the installation of fifteen beautiful stained glass windows.  The renovation was completed and dedicated in 1990.

In 1994 the church voted to purchase the Lin-Del Motel and surrounding grounds for future growth.  The motel’s main living quarters were renovated to be used as the parsonage.  Rev. J. Darnell Barner served as Pastor of the church from 1991 to 1999.  Rev. J. Roger Dail served as Pastor from 1999 to 2002, and his wife, Julie Dail, served as Music Director from 2000 to 2002.  Perry Lee Sapp served as Music Director from 2002 to 2006.  Jacquie Durkin assumed the position of Music Director on October 1, 2006. The current Pastor, Rev. Jay Coder, came in 2003. 

The history of a church is more than a record of names and dates.  It is the testimony of what God has done in the lives of His people.  As the words of the hymn remind us:

‘Tis grace hath brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home.

Picture of the Hardeeville Baptist Church building constructed in 1876.