On Washington Road in Martinez, Georgia, Abilene Baptist Church has been shaping the lives of Columbia County families for generations. The congregation describes itself as "a church for the whole family," a community of believers who love Jesus and want to help others connect with Him. Today Abilene worships from two locations, the main campus on Washington Road and a West Campus that meets at Harlem Middle School, with ministries that stretch from birth through senior adulthood and mission work that reaches from Augusta to the ends of the earth.
One Church, Two Campuses
Abilene's identity as a two-campus church defines much of its rhythm. The Martinez Campus at 3917 Washington Road is the historic home of the church and houses the worship center, children's wing, music suite, and the Christian Life Center next door at 3917 Roberts Road. The West Campus at Harlem Middle School (424 Hawes Branch Parkway, Harlem) extends the same preaching and the same children's programs to families on the west side of Columbia County. In March 2024, the church voted to purchase eighty-seven acres on Appling Harlem Road near Harlem High School as the permanent home for the West Campus, signaling a long-term commitment to that part of the community.
Both campuses follow the same essential Sunday schedule. At the Martinez Campus, morning worship is offered at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School classes meeting at 9:45 AM in between and an evening worship service at 6:30 PM. The West Campus offers a single morning worship service at 9:45 AM, with Sunday School at 11:00 AM. Nursery, Preschool Worship, and Kidz Worship for kindergarten through third grade are provided during every worship service at both locations.
What to Expect on a First Visit
Greeters meet families as they walk in and help them find their way around. Guest parking is clearly marked at the entrances, and visitors are encouraged to arrive fifteen minutes early so they have time to park, check in their children, and find a seat before the music begins. Services run about an hour.
"At Abilene, you'll see people of all ages wearing suits to shorts, and dresses to denim," the church says. "While we believe that an important part of worship is giving our best to God, we also believe that 'man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" The worship services themselves are described as "multi-generational," drawing on a variety of songs and styles with active participation from the congregation, paired with preaching that is described as "dynamic, practical, Biblical." Music is led by choir and orchestra at the Martinez Campus and by a worship team at the West Campus.
Anyone who wants a head start can fill out the online visit form to let the church know they are coming. From the first time a guest steps on campus, volunteers aim to make it feel like coming home.
Children and Students
Family discipleship is at the heart of why Abilene does what it does. The Kidz Ministry serves children from birth through fifth grade with the stated mission of "engaging the hearts of birth - 5th grade children so that they may grow to know Jesus and, once they know Him, continue to grow in Him." Safety is taken seriously: every family uses a photo-ID check-in system, all staff and volunteers pass background checks, and preschool and elementary classrooms are monitored by security cameras. Visitors fill out a card at the check-in desk, receive a name tag and small gift for their child, and are given a security code that only they can use to pick up their child after the service. If a child needs a parent during the service, the parent receives a text.
Preschool classes use the Gospel Light curriculum, with Bible lessons reinforced through songs, motions, instrument play, verse memory, and games. Elementary Kidz Worship, for kindergarten through third grade, uses the GO! Curriculum and offers high-energy worship songs, skits, Bible lessons, videos, and games during the same hour as adult worship. A Bridge Ministry serves fourth and fifth graders, meeting on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, and serving as a bridge between Kidz Ministry and Student Ministry. Special needs individuals, preschool age and up, are welcomed in the Joy Club, with three classes at the Martinez Campus during the 9:45 AM Sunday School hour and care during the 11:00 AM service for preschool through elementary children on the first, fourth, and fifth Sundays of the month.
On Wednesday nights during the school year, children in K3 through third grade attend Missions and Memory, where they learn to share Jesus and hide Scripture in their hearts. Fourth and fifth graders meet at The Bridge for worship and Bible study. The Martinez Campus gathers at 6:15 PM, the West Campus at 6:30 PM.
Student Ministry is built around three goals: leading students into salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, developing them into disciple-making disciples, and cultivating a unified community of Christians who can impact the world. Students meet by grade in Sunday School at 9:45 AM in the Christian Life Center (Martinez) and in middle and high school groups at 11:00 AM at the West Campus. Wednesday nights add games, worship, and Bible study at 6:15 PM at Martinez and 6:30 PM at the West Campus. Student choirs for grades six through twelve meet at 5:30 PM in the Music Suite Rehearsal Room and lead worship several times a year.
What Abilene Believes
Abilene is a Southern Baptist church that affirms The Baptist Faith and Message, the statement of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention. Its doctrinal statements describe God as Creator and Ruler of the universe, existing eternally in three co-equal persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Jesus Christ is the Son of God, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as the sacrifice for sin, rose bodily on the third day, ascended to glory, and will return as King of Kings. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and Son, lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, and gives each believer a spiritual gift.
The Bible is described as "the inerrant, infallible Word of God," written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit and the supreme source of truth for Christian belief and living. People are made in the image of God but marred by an attitude of disobedience called sin, which separates people from God. Salvation is a free gift, received by turning from self-rule and trusting in Jesus Christ; eternal life begins the moment one receives Him by faith. Those who are genuinely saved are kept secure by the grace and power of God. People are created to exist forever, either eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
Meet the Pastor
Dr. Brad Whitt serves as Senior Pastor. A Fort Worth native, he accepted Christ at fifteen in Milan, Tennessee, where he was baptized at First Baptist Church. He and his wife Kim, his high school sweetheart and a former math teacher, have four children: Laura Kate, Jack, Benjamin, and Jonathan. The family lives in Harlem, Georgia.
Pastor Brad surrendered to the call of ministry during his third year of pre-law studies at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, where he earned a B.A. in Religion, History, and Political Science in 1996. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001, a Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008, and a Ph.D. in Preaching from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2022. He has pastored churches in Tennessee, Ohio, and South Carolina and has served on numerous associational, state, and SBC committees, including a year as President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference in 2010. He is the author of "40 Days of Refreshment: Quiet Times for Hectic Hearts" and "Rooted: Deepening Your Relationship with Jesus," and has preached in revivals and conferences across the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The pastoral team around him includes Executive Pastor Dr. Josh Lancaster, Associate Pastor Alfred Burgess, Communications Pastor Ryan Beckworth, Discipleship and Family Pastor Dr. John Sansom, Associate Discipleship and Pastoral Care Pastor John Stevens, and Minister of Pastoral Care Allen Yarbrough.
Adults: Bible Studies, Small Groups, and Suppers
Small groups at Abilene are called Sunday School classes. "These classes are one of the best ways to connect and experience community with those who are in the same stage of life as you," the church says. The Martinez Campus offers classes at 9:45 AM; the West Campus at 11:00 AM. A class finder is available online.
On Wednesday evenings during the school year, the whole church gathers around the table. Wednesday Supper is served at the Martinez Campus, with weekly menus such as meatloaf, hash brown casserole, green beans, and rolls, plus kidz options. The West Campus serves a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich meal. Adults are charged seven dollars, kidz four dollars, with a twenty-four-dollar household maximum, and reservations are required by noon on Tuesday. After supper, adults gather for Bible studies at 6:15 PM (Martinez) or 6:30 PM (West), with studies such as "From Garden to Glory" and "Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today's Culture" offered in rotation.
The Men's Ministry gathers for breakfasts, Bible study on Tuesday mornings at 6:15 AM in the Christian Life Center, and fellowship events such as steak dinners and a fall golf tournament at Pointe South. A Tuesday morning Daniel Study meets at 6:15 AM in the CLC Cafe, while Wednesday night options include The Pursuit Study and the Be Disciples Study. The Women's Enrichment Ministry envisions "stimulating women's hunger and thirst for God, deepening their relationship and their commitment to Jesus Christ." In addition to fall Bible studies like "Twelve Women of the Bible" at the West Campus on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM and "Proverbs: The Way of Wisdom" at Martinez on Tuesdays at 9:45 AM, women meet for First Thursday Prayer at 10:00 AM in room A103 at the Martinez Campus, gather monthly for Motherhood meetings in the Social Hall, and enjoy seasonal events such as the Sips of Grace Spring Tea.
Adults 55 and over, called Celebrators, gather monthly for great food and fellowship, travel together to places like Asheville, North Carolina, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and even set sail on group cruises with Celebrators at Sea. Regular events include a Health Fair and Luncheon, Breakfast and Bingo, the Spring Banquet, the Luncheon and Hymn Sing, and a supper at Old McDonald Fish Camp.
College and Young Adult ministry serves eighteen to twenty-five-year-olds, whether in college, working, or somewhere in between. College Worship meets every other Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:30 PM in the College Building next to where the buses are parked, with a small group Bible study, Chick-fil-A gatherings, and mission trips rounding out the calendar. Pizza with the Pastor is a regular favorite.
The Christian Life Center and Champions
Behind the main building at the Martinez Campus sits the Christian Life Center at 3917 Roberts Road. The CLC houses commercial-grade exercise equipment, a walking track, a basketball court, locker rooms, and a craft room with a kiln. It is home to the Student Ministry, various exercise classes, and the Champions recreational leagues. Hours run 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM on Wednesday, 7:30 AM to noon on Friday, and 9:00 AM to noon on Saturday. A low-impact exercise class meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM in room E201.
Champions is the official recreational ministry of Abilene. Open to boys and girls in third through eighth grade, basketball leagues help young athletes develop skills while building character in a fun, Christ-centered environment. Teams practice one night a week beginning in early January, with games on Friday nights and Saturdays.
Missions: From the CSRA to the Nations
"Missions is not a one-time event - it's a way of life," the church says. "We are called to take the hope of the Gospel to our neighbors and the nations, and we do this through intentional partnerships, hands-on service, and faithful giving." Local partners include Broad Street Ministry Center, iCare, Lighthouse Church, Augusta Rescue Mission, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Augusta Pregnancy Center, supported through Sunday School classes and members serving in the community. Nationally, Abilene supports ministries such as Alliance Defending Freedom, the Danbury Institute, Covenant Care Adoptions, Avenue Church in Needham, Massachusetts, and Engage Church in Hilo, Hawaii. Globally, the church has sent teams in recent years to Panama, Guatemala, Poland, and Mexico, and supports the International Mission Board, Friends of Nazareth, and a church plant in Turkey financially. A Guatemala trip is scheduled for August 1 through 8, partnering with UNUM International on facility construction and literacy and nutrition programs for children.
Abilene Weekday Preschool
For more than two decades, Abilene Weekday Preschool has provided care, education, and development for children in the community. "Our curriculum includes academic instruction, creative art, Bible time, music, and free play," the program says. "Our daily schedule involves a balance of play, group activities, and classroom learning." Parents can request a brochure, registration form, and tuition schedule online or call (706) 860-4812 for a tour. Director Deborah Steele and Assistant Director Pam Swann lead the program.
Getting Connected, Giving, and Watching from Anywhere
For those curious about taking the next step, Discover Abilene classes are offered at both campuses, covering beliefs, values, church structure, what membership means, and opportunities to connect. Membership itself comes through one of four ways: public confession of faith followed by baptism by immersion, transfer of letter from a like-minded Southern Baptist church, a public statement of faith and testimony of prior baptism by immersion, or baptism by immersion for those who already accepted Christ but were not yet immersed.
Online giving is available through a one-time gift or recurring gift through the Abilene app or the TouchPoint online portal, and giving by text is as simple as texting the word "Give" to 70694. The church also practices tithing as the Biblical standard of giving.
Worship services are livestreamed online, and the sermon library goes back many years. A television ministry called Strength for Today airs every Sunday morning at 5:30 AM on WJBF6 and 10:30 AM on WFXG-FOX54, extending Abilene's reach beyond the Columbia County line. Whether you arrive in person at either campus or join from a screen, you will find a community that says, with arms open, "We are glad you're here."