First Baptist Church of Griffin sits on West Taylor Street in downtown Griffin, Georgia, between North Hill Street and Eighth Street, a few blocks from the Spalding County courthouse. For more than a century, the congregation has been a steady neighbor in a small city roughly forty miles south of Atlanta. The church calls itself a "community of grace," a way of life shaped by what members describe as the costly grace of God revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The church describes itself as a moderate Baptist congregation, finding its identity within the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global, while maintaining historic ties to the Southern Baptist Convention, the Flint River Baptist Association, and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Two Sunday worship services, an active Wednesday night program, a preschool and kindergarten, a library of more than 13,000 items, a community garden, a Scout troop that has met on the campus since 1927, and partnerships that stretch from Griffin to Uganda all live under one roof on Taylor Street.
Two Sunday Mornings, Two Worship Styles
On any given Sunday, First Baptist offers two services tailored to different styles and rhythms of life.
Celebration Worship begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The service uses a traditional framework, with a robed Sanctuary Choir, an organ, a piano, and an Instrumental Ensemble leading the congregation in familiar hymns and newer settings. Communion is observed in both services on the first Sunday of each month, and the same sermon is preached at both hours. Celebration is also broadcast on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on Comcast Channel 26 and on WKEU 88.9 FM. Orders of worship are posted each week as downloadable PDFs.
Connexion Worship begins at 11:15 a.m. in Morgan Hall, located inside the Family Life Center. The room is set up for a relaxed atmosphere with a Praise Band and vocal ensemble leading contemporary songs, often blended with classic hymns. Contemporary lighting and a smaller, café-style feel are the hallmarks of this service. Connexion can be reached through the Eighth Street entrance or by walking through the church from the Hill Street entrance. From time to time the two services combine into a single "One Church" worship experience; those Sundays are noted on the church calendar.
Both services are streamed live online, and recent services are available on demand through an extensive Vimeo archive organized by year and month, going back to 2016.
Sunday School at 10:15
Between the two Sunday services, from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m., the church hosts Sunday school for all ages. Children's classes for birth through kindergarten meet on the preschool hallway, most easily entered through the circle drive off Poplar Street. First through fifth graders gather on the second floor of the Cheatham Education Building, where they study a lectionary passage using the Feasting on the Word curriculum that often aligns with the morning's sermon text. Students in sixth through twelfth grades meet in the Student Center in the basement beneath the Sanctuary.
Adults have a wide choice of classes across the campus. Three men's classes meet in the Education Building: the Bolton Class (led by Alvin Alexander in Room 305), the Brothers Class (led by Dave Lamb in Room 301), and the Russell Class (led by Sam Stacy in Room 107). Other adult classes welcome mixed groups of men and women. A printed list of current classes is available from the Information Desk near the elevator and coffee station, and a Welcome Host will gladly escort a visitor to the right room.
For newcomers, the Journey in Grace class meets once a month at 10:15 a.m. in the Heritage Room, led by one of the ministers. Light refreshments are served, and the class is a safe place to ask questions about the church, about Jesus, or about the Christian faith.
Wednesday Nights with FBC Family
Wednesday evenings at First Baptist are built around a shared meal and a spread of small groups, rehearsals, and recovery meetings that fill the building from late afternoon until well into the night.
The Wednesday Supper is served from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Morgan Hall. The menu changes weekly and includes an entrée, sides, dessert, and a drink. Pricing is $8 for adults, $4 for children, $4 for staff members, and $25 for a family, and reservations are requested so that enough food is prepared. Online payment is available, and reservations can be made in advance through the church's online forms.
At 6:00 p.m., adult small groups begin meeting across the campus. Topics change by term, and groups are arranged around shared interests. Recent offerings have included the Pastor's Bible Study, led by Senior Pastor Steven Norris and focused on the feasts of the Bible; Man to Man, a men's group working through the book of James; a women's group reading Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund; a parents' group facilitated by Michelle Norris and Scott Welborn; and a topical study on generosity. GriefShare, a thirteen-week grief recovery program, meets from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Education Building Room 301 during its seasonal runs, and a ReCreation exercise group meets at the same time in the Weight Room.
Children join KIDMIN Music and Missions at 6:00 p.m. Preschoolers (K4 and K5) gather on the Weekday Education hallway, while first through fifth graders start in the gym and then move to the second floor of the Education Building, finishing by 7:00 p.m. The focus each evening is on missionaries around the world, paired with music from the region being studied. Nursery care is available for children from birth through three years old.
Students in sixth through twelfth grades meet from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. under the name FBC YTH, beginning with games in the gym or the Student Center, then a time of worship led by volunteers and the Student Minister, then a Gospel message and small groups in the basement. Snacks and a wacky game or two are part of the routine.
Throughout the evening, music ensembles rehearse: the Handbell Ensemble at 4:30 p.m., the Instrumental Ensemble (Orchestra) at 6:00 p.m., the Praise Band vocalists at 6:30 p.m., the Praise Band at 7:00 p.m., and the Sanctuary Choir from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m.
A Music Ministry Across Styles and Generations
Music is woven through every part of First Baptist. The music ministry is co-led by Minister of Music Erin Clarke and Minister of Worship Arts Ellee Hilley, and the church supports an unusually broad range of ensembles that rehearse on Wednesdays and perform throughout the year.
The Sanctuary Choir is open to volunteer singers of college age and up. It rehearses each Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. in the Choir Room on the second floor, sings weekly for the 9:00 a.m. Celebration service, and presents two major works each year, one during Advent and Christmas and another during Lent and Easter. No audition is required; singers join by attending Wednesday rehearsals.
The Instrumental Ensemble, or FBC Orchestra, is composed of volunteer woodwind, brass, percussion, piano, and string players from youth (eighth grade and up) through senior adults. The group rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. in the Instrumental Room, accompanies hymn singing at Celebration, and adds prelude and offertory music throughout the year. Players should have at least two years of experience and know how to read music.
The Handbell Ensemble rehearses Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. in the Handbell Room and performs primarily during the morning Celebration. Handbells offer a friendly entry point for musicians who do not yet read music fluently, and the ensemble performs several times each year.
The Ukulele Ensemble "Strum and Sing" rehearses on Thursdays from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Instrumental Ensemble Room, with both beginners and experienced players. The group plays Christian and secular favorites and travels around Griffin to perform at community venues. A Beginning Ukulele Class is offered on Tuesdays from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m. for those who have never played an instrument before.
The Connexion Praise Band and Vocal Ensemble rehearse on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings and lead the music at the 11:15 a.m. contemporary service. The instrumentation includes guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums, with other instruments welcomed. Reading music is not required; the band is led by Ellee Hilley and the vocalists are trained by vocal coach Orietta Russom. Members can play or sing as often as their schedule allows on a rotation.
Special music events include Friday Night Coffeehouse concerts featuring local artists, an annual Hanging of the Green service on the first Sunday of Advent, Lent and Easter choir presentations, a Piano Ensemble concert, and a Children's Sunday presentation by the children's choir.
Children's Ministry
First Baptist Griffin Kids serves families with children from birth through fifth grade, partnering with parents as the primary faith teachers in a child's life. The ministry is led by Minister to Children and Families Lori Welborn.
On Sunday mornings, children join age-specific Sunday school classes at 10:15 a.m. as described above. Children four years old through fifth grade begin the 11:15 a.m. worship hour with their families in either service and may be dismissed after the children's sermon to Children's Worship in the Education Building. During Children's Worship, children read scripture, lead prayers, and engage in active songs and Bible lessons. Children's Worship meets every Sunday except Communion Sundays and One Church services.
Worship Care is available for children from birth through age three during both morning services. Worship carts with Bibles and quiet activities are available at the doors of both worship services.
Music and Missions for children meets on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. from August through May, using a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship curriculum that walks children through the ministry of missionaries around the world, paired with music from the regions being studied.
Throughout the year, the children's ministry hosts intergenerational activities, summer trips to the waterpark, and a Vacation Bible School in July. Recent extras have included indoor snowball fights, a glow-in-the-dark dodgeball battle, PJs and Pancakes nights, baking cookies for first responders, and writing encouraging notes to those who are ill or grieving.
Student Ministry
The Student Ministry at First Baptist Griffin serves students in sixth through twelfth grade and gathers around three words: Encounter, Love, Share. The ministry's aim is to help students encounter the love of Christ, grow in the love of Christ, and share the love of Christ.
Students meet on Sunday mornings at 10:15 a.m. in the Student Center in the basement beneath the Sanctuary, dividing into Sunday school classes with their group leaders after an initial gathering. Wednesdays run from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., starting with games in the gym or the Student Center, then a time of worship led by volunteers and the Student Minister, then a Gospel message and small groups.
The student ministry also travels. Basecamp, a week of discipleship held in July at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Georgia, draws students from around the state. An annual ski trip in February takes students to Winter Haven, West Virginia. Summer camp, service projects, and intergenerational events round out the year.
Adult Faith Formation
Beyond Sunday morning classes, adults can join one of several small groups that meet at various times during the week. These groups vary in composition and structure but share the same purposes: studying God's Word, caring for one another, serving together, and growing together in fellowship. Small groups meet on Wednesday nights as described above, and many participants come early to enjoy the Wednesday meal in Morgan Hall. Additional groups meet at other times during the week.
The Adult Faith Journey, as outlined by the church, runs in three movements: Knowing Christ (beginning as a spiritual seeker, committing to Christ, being baptized, joining the church); Growing in Christ (participating in Bible study and worship, daily prayer and scripture, stewardship, using spiritual gifts, ethical living); and Showing Christ to Others (lifestyle evangelism, intergenerational friendships, mentoring, leadership development).
Senior Adults: Xtra Years of Zest
First Baptist has a long-running senior adult ministry called X'tra Years of Zest, or XYZ. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. in Morgan Hall of the Family Life Center, with a short informative program followed by lunch at noon. Lunch reservations are $8 and are requested by noon on the Friday before the meeting. The ministry also plans day trips and occasional multi-day bus tours and cruises. All adults age 50 and older are welcome.
Women on Mission meets the second Tuesday of each month at approximately 1:00 p.m., following the XYZ luncheon, in the Hardee Hospitality Room. The group welcomes speakers, promotes mission offerings such as Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Offering for Global Missions, state mission offerings, and the church mission offering, and runs the Teacup Ministry, which welcomes new women members with a small gift. A separate evening meeting of Women on Mission is held on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Cheatham Room.
Men's Ministry
The Men's Ministry was reconstituted at First Baptist in 2024 and now gathers for meals, outings, and service projects. Recent events have included watching the final round of the Masters Tournament on a large screen at Chappell Mill Tree Farm with barbecue and corn hole, a trip to a baseball game, and helping with projects around the church including the installation of the nativity set on the front lawn. Men also serve throughout the church as Deacons, Sunday school and small group leaders, members of the Levite Ministry and the Worship Tech team, in Security and Properties, on the Benevolence Ministry, and in many other capacities.
Women's Ministry
The Women's Ministry exists to foster friendships among women that will encourage them in their walk with Christ. Activities include Bible studies, a monthly Women's Retreat held each October at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, special events, and service projects. The Markownik passage Jesus used in the home of Simon the Leper, when a woman poured out very expensive perfume, anchors the women's work: the ministry's aim is to let their lives be a fragrant and lovely offering to the Lord.
Missions: Local and Global
Missions are at the heart of First Baptist's identity. The congregation takes the Acts 1:8 mandate seriously, with partnerships in Griffin, throughout Georgia, across the country, and around the globe. The Mission Council provides coordination across many of these efforts.
Locally, First Baptist supports the Abundant Life Soup Kitchen, which serves lunch on the property of Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church at 132 West Cherry Street from noon to about 12:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday and offers to-go lunches on Fridays. The church also staffs the Five Loaves and Two Fish Food Pantry at 118 North Eighth Street on the first Saturday of each month, serving fifty to sixty families in a two-hour window. The food pantry, founded in 1989, serves between 1,000 and 1,200 clients each month and distributed more than 50,000 pounds of food in the most recent year, ranking it among the largest in the state.
The Caregivers Clothes Closet, operated out of the Ministry Center at 116 West Poplar Street, supplies clothing and linens to those in need through the Benevolence Caregiver Team, which accepts applications each Monday morning from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. and offers food vouchers, gasoline vouchers for medical trips, and limited prescription assistance.
The Benevolence Caregiver Team also partners with Spalding Samaritans, a collaborative of many churches that provides emergency help with utilities at 409 West Solomon Street on the first and third Tuesdays of each month between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m.
LifeSong Ministries, a Christian Women's Job Corps certified program, has met at First Baptist since 2021. Founded in 2007 by Nancy Anderson Morris, LifeSong uses the Jobs for Life curriculum to teach job readiness, life skills, computer skills, financial management, and Bible study to women who want to change their lives. Two sixteen-week cycles are offered each year, beginning in February and September, with graduation ceremonies that mean a great deal to the women who complete the program. Jenny Flowers chairs the ministry and is a certified Jobs for Life teacher.
The Dorcas Ministry dates to the late 1860s, when women gathered to make clothing for the needy. Today the group knits and sews baby items, cancer caps, and prayer shawls that are delivered to people in need during pastoral care visits.
The Christmas Toy Shop is a long-running December tradition. Working poor families sign up through the Benevolence Ministry in November and shop in early December, choosing two dollar-priced toys per child, with stocking stuffers, books, stuffed toys, and Bibles provided free of charge. Volunteers stock the shop, sign up clients, take inventory, set up and tear down, and pray with each family as they leave.
The Levite Home Helpers Ministry provides small household repair and building projects, including wheelchair ramps, for members of the church and community. Grace 127 ministers to foster and adoptive families, providing "gotcha bags" for children removed from their homes through DFCS and offering social opportunities for foster and adoptive families. The Emergency Response team prepares for and responds to local disasters and has also provided supplies to affected communities in other parts of the country.
Nationally and internationally, First Baptist supports Francis and Missy Ward-Angalla, who serve in Kampala, Uganda, with Amani Sasa; Anna and LaCount Anderson, who minister in eastern North Carolina; and members of the church who serve overseas with Willing to Go. Adult and student mission trips have gone to Kentucky, South Dakota, rural Georgia, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Haiti, with medical clinics, educational resources, and construction assistance provided through financial gifts and partnership trips.
The Picket-Fence Garden Across the Street
The First Baptist Community Garden has been growing fresh vegetables and flowers since March of 2017. The garden sits on the church campus across the street from the Family Life Center, behind a picket fence that is visible from the parking lot. Each season, volunteers plant tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, okra, eggplant, beans, peas, and watermelons in spring and summer, and cabbage, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts in fall. The harvest is delivered to Five Loaves and Two Fish Food Pantry and the Abundant Life Soup Kitchen. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome; no green thumb is required. The garden is led by Patrick Shepherd and funded through the Church Mission Offering.
Scouting Since 1927
The Boy Scouts of America have been present in Griffin and Spalding County since the BSA's national founding in 1910. First Baptist has sponsored Troop 2 continuously since 1927, with Pack 2 meeting alongside it in the Scout Lodge on the church campus. The Scout Lodge was constructed in 2001 thanks to a donation from Bob Harris in memory of his father, who had served as scoutmaster of Troop 2 for many years. About one third of current troop leadership are active church members.
The troop welcomes scout leadership in worship on Scout Sunday, held the first Sunday in February, and the church contributes to the teaching of various faith-related patches. More than 55 young men have earned the rank of Eagle Scout since 1998. The troop hosts an annual Chicken Q fundraiser and runs the annual Scouting for Food drive that delivers hundreds of pounds of canned goods and other items to the food pantry.
The Church Library
The First Baptist Church Library holds more than 13,000 items for every age and reading level, including books, periodicals, audio books, DVDs, CDs, and an extensive historical collection that can be used in the library but not checked out. The library is open on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Members of the First Baptist family and the Spalding County community may check out material, and the collection can be searched through the Librista app. The library also hosts a Coffee and Conversation series that invites local authors to chat with attendees.
Weekday Education
First Baptist runs a Weekday Education Program for children from one year old through kindergarten, focused on the spiritual, social, emotional, academic, and physical growth of each child. The program is led by Weekday Director Diane Lamb and Assistant Director Tami Craig, with a teaching staff of more than twenty caring, dedicated Christians, all members of the Georgia Preschool Association.
Classes meet half-day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. One-year-olds attend Tuesdays and Thursdays. Two-year-olds and three-year-olds have three-day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and five-day options. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes meet five days a week. Tuition is prorated over ten monthly payments from August through May, and a 10% sibling discount is available. The registration fee is $150 for the first child and $75 for each additional child.
The program uses the Weekday Early Education and Phonemic Awareness curriculums for the younger classes, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Big Day for Pre-K, and Saxon Math and Saxon Phonics for Kindergarten. Daily activities include centers, group time, story time, academics, art, music, Bible stories, chapel, library, special events, and field trips. A Weekday Summer Camp is also offered.
GriefShare and Pastoral Care
GriefShare, a thirteen-week grief recovery program, meets on Wednesday evenings during seasonal runs, currently from mid-August through mid-November, with materials available for a $10 fee. The group is facilitated by Jackie Lee, Cindi Leedy, and Hope Wood in Education Building Room 301. A special Surviving the Holidays event is held each November for those navigating the first holiday season after a loss.
Minister of Pastoral Care Ron Murray coordinates caring ministries throughout the church, including Hospital Visitation, Homebound Visitation, Assisted Living Visitation, Nursing Home Visitation, Bereavement Meals, and Card Writing, so that every member feels valued and supported as part of the body of Christ.
Membership and the Journey in Grace
First Baptist welcomes everyone to worship, Bible study, Wednesday activities, and weekday programs. Persons may join the church in three ways: by becoming a believer in Jesus Christ and following Christ in believer's baptism by immersion; by transferring membership from another Baptist church; or by coming from another Christian tradition in which they were already baptized and requesting that their previous church be informed of the move. The Journey in Grace class is the place to begin for those who want to learn more.
Leadership
Senior Pastor Steven Norris has served First Baptist since May of 2020, having previously joined the church as Associate Pastor in May 2018. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, the North Carolina School of the Arts, and Gardner-Webb University, with degrees in music and theology, Norris has served churches and schools as Music Minister, Pastor, adjunct college professor, and middle and high school theology teacher. He and his wife, Michelle, have been married since 2002 and have two sons. Norris writes a weekly column called Grace Notes, distributed through the church.
Seth Brown, Minister of Students and Community Engagement, joined the staff in March 2018 from First Presbyterian Church of Griffin. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Georgia College and State University and began his call to ministry working with children in children's homes in North Carolina and Georgia. He and his wife, Emily, have two sons, Xander and Sheppard.
Erin Clarke joined the staff as Minister of Music in April 2019. A graduate of Mercer University with a degree in Music Education and a Master's in Choral Conducting, she has served as a middle school chorus teacher, children's theater director, camp counselor, arts council board member, and interim music minister.
Ellee Hilley, Minister of Worship Arts, has been a member of the church her whole life and has served in many musical roles before stepping into her current position. She holds a Bachelor of Business from Georgia State University, an MBA from Mercer, and a Master of Worship Studies from the Institute for Worship Studies. She directs the Handbell, Instrumental, Ukulele, and Piano Ensembles and serves as Organist.
Ron Murray, Minister of Pastoral Care, began his ministry at the church in March 2022. A Kentucky native and Baylor University graduate, he served as pastor of churches in North Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee before retiring with his wife, Freddie, to Sun City Peachtree, five miles from Griffin.
Lori Welborn, Minister to Children and Families, was born and raised in southeast Georgia and is a graduate of Brewton Parker College with a Bachelor of Ministry and a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies. She taught preschool for twelve years in Raleigh and served as Associate Minister to Children and Community Engagement at another church before joining First Baptist.
The Rev. Dr. Bruce Morgan, who served as Senior Pastor for more than 33 years, is honored as Pastor Emeritus. Dr. Morgan died on November 21, 2024, and his sermons are being digitized and made available through a Spotify archive.
The Building, the Endowment, and the Wider Church
First Baptist occupies a multi-building campus in downtown Griffin. The Sanctuary, where Celebration Worship takes place, is the historic heart of the church. Morgan Hall, inside the Family Life Center, hosts Connexion Worship, the Wednesday meal, and many other church-wide gatherings. The Cheatham Education Building houses classrooms on multiple floors. The Bramblett Chapel, the Hardee Hospitality Room, and the Heritage Room are used for smaller gatherings, meetings, and memorials. The Scout Lodge sits on the campus for Troop 2 and Pack 2. Parking is available in several lots, with a printable map available from the church.
The First Baptist Church Endowment Foundation, Inc., was incorporated on May 25, 2007, following a vote by the church. The Foundation operates separately from the church in its best interests, holding funds for the long-term benefit of First Baptist, its families, its facilities, and its future. Foundation directors are elected by the congregation to five-year terms.
First Baptist also maintains a number of named scholarship funds for students attending Baptist colleges and universities and for those pursuing graduate study in ministry or related fields: the Blanche Tyus Smith Memorial Scholarship, the Jones Seminary Scholarship, the Wynne Patterson Scholarship, the Joiner-Bates Scholarship, and the Otis D. Blake Jr. Memorial Scholarship.
Visitors on a Sunday Morning
Visitors to First Baptist will find a wide variety of dress styles on Sunday mornings, from suits and dresses to jeans and shorts, and are encouraged to come as they are. Parking is available in several lots across the campus, and a parking map helps newcomers pick the closest space for their destination. Childcare is available for infants and children through age three during both Sunday services. Worship carts with Bibles and quiet activities are available at the doors. Both Sunday services are livestreamed online for those who cannot attend in person, and a Welcome Host at the welcome desk can answer questions, point visitors to a Sunday school class, or escort them to the Journey in Grace class.