A Church Founded on Pumpkin Center
Powell Baptist Church sits in the small community of Pumpkin Center, just outside Harlem, Georgia. Its address on Old Appling Harlem Highway has been home to a Baptist presence for more than 130 years. The church's tagline, "Holding forth the word of life," captures a steady commitment that has outlasted generations of pastors, buildings, and baptistery renovations.
The congregation traces its beginnings to January 13, 1893, when an ecclesiastical council met at the Agriculture Club House in Columbia County. A group of members from Old Union Baptist Church believed the area needed its own church "to serve our Master and do good to others." They organized a new body and named it in honor of Frank H. Powell. Twenty-one charter members signed the rolls, including several ordained pastors of the Powell family. The original sanctuary was dedicated on Sunday, July 30, 1899, and a Sunday school was organized that same year on April 26, with A.C. Milford as superintendent.
The campus grew alongside the church. An Educational Building went up in 1964, and the present sanctuary was completed on October 5, 1975. The old sanctuary was torn down in 1986, and a new Educational Fellowship Hall was dedicated on July 15, 1990, later named in honor of "Papa" John Boyce Milford. Membership climbed from the early records of 78 in 1915 and 105 in 1964 to 404 by June 1996.
Sunday Mornings in the Sanctuary
Worship at Powell is built around three Sunday gatherings. Sunday School begins at 9:15 AM, with classes for every age, from nursery through senior adults, designed to systematically study God's Word and encourage members to share the Gospel.
Morning worship follows at 10:30 AM. Pastor Dr. Nick Bates and music minister Nancy Chance lead the congregation in a time of music, prayer, preaching, and worship. The service is described as traditional in character, "often with a flair of contemporary music," centered on preaching and worship of God.
At 6:00 PM on Sunday evenings, the church holds adult evening worship along with Royal Ambassadors for boys and Girls in Action for girls in 1st through 6th grade. A professionally staffed nursery is available for all three Sunday services for children from newborns through age three.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting
Midweek, the church gathers for an Adult Prayer Meeting at 7:00 PM. It is a focused hour for the adult congregation to pray together, supporting the rhythm of Sunday worship with a smaller, more intimate time of intercession during the week.
Student Ministry from Pre-K Through Graduation
Powell invests heavily in its students. The student ministry covers children from Pre-K through 12th grade. Sunday school classes at 9:15 AM group students by grade, and on Sunday evenings, the RA and GA programs give boys and girls a chance to learn about missionaries, different cultures, and ways to serve others.
Students regularly minister to their church family and community. They raise funds for missionaries in North America, and the ministry has organized events such as a Pinewood Derby, an RA Fishing Challenge, pool parties, and campouts. The girls participate alongside the women's ministry in baking parties and service projects. A student ministry Sunday each year highlights the work of the next generation.
Laborers for Christ: The Women's Ministry
The women's ministry at Powell goes by the name Laborers for Christ, with the slogan "women on mission." The group uses the WMU watchword for 2022-2024, "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12-13), and emphasizes "hope in Christ." Members work to share with those in need and to practice hospitality.
The L4C meets monthly on a Sunday afternoon at 3:30 at the church. During meetings, members tell a mission story from the Mosaic Mission magazine, present the prayer calendar for missionaries with birthdays that day, sign cards to mail to the sick and shut-in, and plan mission projects locally, statewide, nationwide, and internationally. Special ladies' events add times of worship, fellowship, and fun, and service projects have included making blankets and filling backpacks with supplies.
The Brotherhood: Men's Ministry
The men's ministry is known as the Brotherhood. The group takes part in associational events, including the Man-to-Man Conference hosted by Warren Baptist Church, and supports the church's outreach and missions efforts alongside other ministries.
Outreach Beyond the Building
Connecting with the community and sharing the Gospel is central to Powell's identity. The Brotherhood and Laborers for Christ carry much of that work, and students learn about outreach and missions through the RA and GA classes. Other activities include Vacation Bible School, the Burn Center ministry (preparing meals for burn patients and their families), and the Operation Christmas Child packing party, where the congregation fills shoeboxes with gifts for children around the world.
What Powell Believes
Powell's statement of faith centers on the Bible as the inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient Word of God. The church teaches that every person is a sinner, that sin brings separation from God and death, and that Jesus Christ - fully God and fully man - died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day to pay the sin debt of those who trust in Him. Salvation comes through repentance and faith, and those who receive Christ are called to confess Him publicly, follow His example in baptism, unite with a body of believers, read Scripture daily, pray, and share their faith.
The church affirms a verbal witness for every member and provides mission opportunities locally, in the United States, and abroad. Members are encouraged to grow spiritually, theologically, and practically through educational classes, seminars, worship services, and fellowship.
Affiliations and Associations
Powell is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, and its regional Baptist association. The church has been part of the Kilpatrick Association since October 28, 1914, when delegates from Powell joined 24 other Baptist churches to form it. Powell's pastor at the time, J.M. Atkinson, was elected as the first Moderator.
More Than a Century of Pastors
The church's pastoral history stretches back to founding pastor W.J. Rogers (1893-1899). Twenty-two pastors and two interim pastors have served Powell, including long-tenured pastors such as Louie Creech (1951-1968), Larry Williams (1984-1993), and Randall Whitaker (1994-2017). Dr. Nick Bates became pastor in September 2018 and continues to serve as the current shepherd of the congregation.