Faith Baptist Church sits on Greenwood Road in Laurens, South Carolina, where it has built its identity around three distinctives: a King James Version-only Bible, old-fashioned hymn singing, and a Friday-night addictions outreach called Victory in Jesus. Under Pastor William M. Cole, the Independent Baptist congregation keeps a steady weekly schedule of Bible-centered services and welcomes visitors looking for traditional, doctrinal preaching.
An Independent Baptist Church in Laurens
Faith Baptist Church identifies itself as an Independent Baptist Church in Laurens, SC. Its stated purpose is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Savior of the world, and the Head of this local church. The congregation holds that the key to happiness in life is obedience to the Word of God, and it organizes preaching, music, and fellowship around that conviction.
Because the church considers itself independent, it operates free of any external denominational authority. Christ alone is regarded as the head of the local assembly, and members have voluntarily joined together to carry out what the congregation understands as the Great Commission. The community prizes personal Bible study, family attendance, and accountability among believers.
Bible-Inspired Preaching from the King James Bible
Worship at Faith Baptist is built on preaching from the King James Bible. The church's statement of faith describes the King James Version as the only English translation it accepts and uses, accepting the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Received Text (Textus Receptus) for the New Testament as the underlying originals. The Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice.
That conviction shapes the pulpit. Services are characterized by Bible-inspired preaching. Pastor Cole and the congregation make no apology for what they call strong preaching and sound doctrine, and the church invites visitors who want to hear verse-by-verse exposition from the KJV.
Old-Fashioned Hymns and Christ-Centered Fellowship
Music at Faith Baptist is intentionally traditional. The congregation praises the Lord through what the church describes as old fashioned hymns, accompanied by Spirit-filled singing that the leadership considers part of Christ-centered fellowship. There is no contemporary worship band or praise team; the songs are the doctrinal hymns long associated with independent Baptist churches.
The atmosphere at the church is meant to be friendly and warm, and visitors are promised a community that emphasizes personal relationships among believers rather than entertainment-driven services.
The Victory in Jesus Addictions Program
One of the most distinctive ministries at Faith Baptist is the Victory in Jesus Addictions Program, which meets every Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The program is designed for men and women working through addictions who want a Bible-centered setting for accountability, encouragement, and recovery. It stands alongside the regular Sunday and Wednesday services as a core outreach of the church.
The program is framed as an addictions ministry of the local church rather than as a 12-step meeting. Pastor Cole and other members are involved in welcoming participants, and the program is open to anyone in the Laurens area who is seeking help, regardless of church background. The Friday-night meeting gives the congregation a front door for those who might not otherwise attend a traditional Baptist service.
60-Second Sermons and the Bible Trumpet Newsletter
Faith Baptist operates a long-running audio ministry called 60-Second Sermons. Each installment is a brief devotional thought from Pastor Cole, and the archives run into the hundreds, with numbered entries going beyond 1,000. The format is intended to provide a daily bite of Bible teaching that listeners can return to throughout the week. Listeners can sample Pastor Cole's teaching in just a minute at a time, making the ministry a useful introduction for newcomers curious about the church's doctrinal commitments.
The church also publishes a regular print newsletter called the Bible Trumpet, with recent issues available in PDF form. Members and regular attenders can read recent editions, and the newsletter serves as another way the congregation communicates beyond Sunday services. There is also a link to a Christian Radio resource through the church's online presence.
A Week of Services at 1607 Greenwood Road
Faith Baptist keeps a clear weekly schedule for visitors and members alike:
- Sunday School at 10:00 a.m.
- Worship Service at 11:00 a.m.
- Sunday Evening Service at 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday Night Service at 7:00 p.m.
- Victory in Jesus Addictions Program on Friday nights at 7:00 p.m.
The Sunday morning service is the main gathering, with Sunday School preceding it and an evening service following the same day. Wednesday nights provide a midweek Bible study and prayer time, and Friday nights are reserved for the addictions ministry. The Sunday School hour, the midweek service, and the Friday addictions program together form a week-round rhythm of Bible teaching and ministry.
What Faith Baptist Believes
Faith Baptist has published an extensive doctrinal statement covering the Scriptures, the Godhead, the Person and Work of Christ, the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of man, the way of salvation, the church, the ordinances, biblical separation, the return of Christ, and the eternal state.
The church believes in one Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished redemption through His finished work on the cross, with justification made sure by His literal, physical resurrection. Salvation is described as by grace plus nothing minus nothing, and the redeemed are kept by God's power and secure in Christ forever. The ordinances recognized are baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, both practiced as testimony for local churches in this age.
The church teaches that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural agent in regeneration, indwelling all believers and sealing them unto the day of redemption, while the sign gifts of the Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, are regarded as temporary. The statement of faith also takes a clear position on biblical separation, calling believers to live so as not to bring reproach on the Lord and to separate from religious apostasy and worldly practices.
Eschatologically, the church holds to a premillennial, pretribulational view of the Lord's return, believing the saved will be caught up to be with the Lord prior to a seven-year tribulation, after which Christ will return with His saints to establish a thousand-year reign on the earth. The church also teaches a bodily resurrection of all people - to eternal life for the saved and to everlasting punishment for the unsaved.
Visiting Faith Baptist
Faith Baptist Church is located at 1607 Greenwood Road, Laurens, SC 29360. Visitors are welcomed to Sunday School, the morning worship service, the Sunday evening service, the Wednesday night service, and the Friday addictions program. Parking is available on site at the church building.
The church can be reached by phone at (864) 984-4277. Pastor William M. Cole leads the church, and his brief audio devotionals are featured in the 60-Second Sermons ministry for those who want to sample his teaching before attending.