First Baptist Church of Forsyth: Who We Are
We Are Baptist.
We believe that our Baptist heritage revolves around four fragile freedoms.
- Soul Freedom - We believe in the priesthood of all believers. Every person has equal access to God and equal responsibility to God. We believe that God has endowed each individual with different gifts and brings us together as a church body to express these gifts for His name’s sake.
- Bible Freedom - We believe in the authority of the Holy Scripture. The Bible is the place where we turn for all matters of faith and practice.
- Church Freedom - We believe in the autonomy of the local church. The authoritative body of this church is made up of all members. We believe that no church body should be ruled by or dictated to by any outside organization or agency.
- Religious Freedom - We believe in the separation of church and state. God has established the state to ensure the domestic and international security of her citizens. The church is God’s arm of redemption to the lost and hurting.
We support Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and The Southern Baptist Convention. In these volatile times, FBC Forsyth seeks to be a calming presence that does not polarize people due to their religious, social, or political beliefs.
We are a church that wants to be known by our love. Jesus said “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 NLT. We are a church that embraces females in leadership. Both men and women can serve as deacons and be ordained ministers of the gospel fulfilling their calling and purpose for Christ.
Our History
First Baptist Church of Forsyth was originally formed in 1838 as Harmony Baptist Church. The founding members' focus was on missions. The original building was completed in 1840 in the same location as the present facility. In 1841, Harmony Baptist Church became First Baptist Church.
Then, sometime between 1913 and 1917, the name was changed to First Baptist Church of Forsyth. The last service was held in the original building on October 29, 1921. The present sanctuary building was dedicated on April 21, 1923.
During the construction, services were held at the Bank Stephens Institute and baptisms were held in the Bessie Tift College swimming pool. There is a long standing history between FBC Forsyth and Bessie Tift College since many of the students of Tift College were known to attend worship services at FBC Forsyth each Sunday.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Hardin Building and the Education Building were added to the original structure. Over the years, there have been renovations to the facilities and there will certainly be more to come.