At 5901 Hugh Howell Road in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Smoke Rise Baptist Church is a Cooperative Baptist congregation with deep local roots, traditional worship shaped by creative elements, a weekday school, an Academy of Arts, and ministries for every generation. Constituted in 1969 with 157 charter members, the church traces its Baptist lineage in the area to 1862. Smoke Rise is especially known for hospitality across generations, thoughtful biblical learning, a generous spirit of mission, and worship that welcomes people from very different backgrounds and walks of life.
A Heritage Reaching Back to 1862
Smoke Rise grew from a lineage running through Briarlake Baptist Church and Clairmont Hills Baptist Church to First Baptist Church of Decatur. Those congregations had ministered in this part of the metro Atlanta area since 1862. When Smoke Rise was constituted in September 1969, it began with 157 charter members and quickly developed a mix of worship, education, recreation, and community ministries.
The physical growth of the church was substantial. A chapel and educational space opened in 1972, followed by a kindergarten program in 1973. A multipurpose worship center and gym, now known as the fellowship hall, and additional educational space came in 1979. The sanctuary was dedicated in 1986, and a Christian Activities Building followed in 1993. Community sports programs and the Academy of the Arts became important parts of the church's life as well. A major renovation campaign coincided with the church's 40th anniversary in 2009, helping bring the property debt free.
Four senior pastors have served Smoke Rise: the Reverend Frank Johnson from 1969 to 1975, Dr. Truett Gannon from 1976 to 1997, Dr. Robert Browning from 1999 to 2011, and the Reverend Chris George since 2013. Dr. James Westberry, Dr. Rob Nash, and Drs. Rob Nash and Allen Walworth served in interim or shared pulpit ministries. During the 1970s and 1980s, Smoke Rise was a leading Southern Baptist and Georgia Baptist church, and Pastor Gannon served two terms as president of the Georgia Baptist Convention. The congregation also helped establish the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in the early 1990s and remains connected to its ministries. Smoke Rise was a founding church of Mercer's James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology in 1995 and continues to support ministers in training.
Worship, Learn, Care, Serve and Give
Smoke Rise describes itself as an inclusive church in the cooperative Baptist tradition. It seeks to follow the footsteps of Jesus, welcome people regardless of background, race, gender, age, or social status, and focus on lifelong discipleship. Its five values shape both worship and the congregation's everyday life.
- Worship: Thoughtful and creative worship in a traditional style is intended to challenge and inspire the church while extending reverence into daily life.
- Learn: Scripture is studied in its historical setting and considered in relation to the present through teaching, devotion, reflection, and prayer.
- Care: Pastoral ministry, personal touch, and congregational care are central to the church's response to sickness, sorrow, loneliness, and need.
- Serve: Everyone is viewed as called to ministry, and everyday life is treated as a place where people can take part in God's work.
- Give: Members are encouraged to share time, talents, tithes, and offerings so that ministry, mission, and the church's facilities can be sustained.
Sunday School at 9:45, Worship at 11
Smoke Rise's central Sunday rhythm begins with Sunday school at 9:45 a.m., followed by worship in the sanctuary at 11:00 a.m. A weekly order of worship helps visitors follow the service, and a visitor card offers ways to record attendance, express interest in a new church home, request a call from a minister, or join the mailing list. People needing help finding a class can visit the Welcome Desk on the second floor of the sanctuary building or the lower gym level between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m.
The worship livestream begins at 10:30 a.m. and remains available throughout the week. It can be watched through the church's Facebook presence or YouTube channel, while a Boxcast channel also supports viewing on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV Stick. The Smoke Rise worship livestream also includes Sunday school resources for people joining from home. Archives of sermons and worship services extend back to 2017.
Several adult Sunday school classes offer hybrid Zoom participation, including Faith, Berean, Pairs and Spares, Faith and Issues, Seekers, and Discovery. Existing participants receive meeting information from their teacher, while those seeking a class connection register through the church office. Smoke Rise's large campus includes parking areas, including the bus barn lot, that serve both regular congregational needs and large crowds arriving for community concerts and other large gatherings.
Adult Classes for Many Stages of Life
Adult discipleship at Smoke Rise is built around Bible study, conversation, fellowship, and service. The Sunday classes make room for both established friendships and newcomers while addressing the changing questions and experiences of adult life.
- Discovery: An all-ages class for couples and singles that studies the Bible as a guide to contemporary issues through open discussion and social gatherings.
- Faith and Issues: An all-ages discussion group that considers current events from a Christian perspective and welcomes people who want to explore relevant issues.
- Berean: An informal, discussion-based class that asks what biblical texts meant when they were written and how they apply today.
- Joy: A women's class for people in their 80s that combines Bible study, lecture, discussion, and prayer partnerships.
- Friendship: A traditional lecture-based class for ages 75 and older that emphasizes mutual support and mission projects.
- Seekers: A class for ages 70 and older with rotating teachers, occasional guest lessons, social gatherings, and an emphasis on fellowship and mission.
- Pairs and Spares: A coed class for ages 65 and older that offers Bible lessons, free discussion, retreats, socials, and service projects.
- The Journey: A scripture-based class for empty nesters and baby boomers that teaches by rotating instructors and supports people through later-life transitions.
- Crossroads: A class for married and single adults, primarily ages 50 and older, centered on spiritual maturity, relationships, and support through daily challenges.
- Faith: A class for couples ages 50 and older that applies biblical principles to life and builds relationships through shared activities.
- Open Circle: A community for young families in their 30s through 50s that explores life and faith together.
- Young Adult: A class for adults ages 18 through 32.
- College: A class for students ages 18 through 23.
Wednesday Night Journeys continues that learning through the church's spiritual formation ministry and is available by livestream. Racial Reconciliation meets on Zoom every Monday at 7:00 p.m. Faithful Fellowship groups include Act Two for midlife adults in transition, Mosaic for adults ages 18 through 32, The Breakfast Club for empty nesters, a men's prayer group, and Nancy's Heart Stitchers, which meets quarterly to make quilts for babies and homebound members of the church.
Nursery Care, Children and Youth
The Smoke Rise nursery cares for children from birth through age five in what the church describes as a happy, healthy, and secure environment. It is open from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Sundays and from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Wednesdays. Paid workers and parent volunteers provide care for Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, rehearsals, meetings, workshops, banquets, weddings, and funerals, with a fee sometimes required for special functions. Safety measures include beepers, identification bracelets, and tags.
On Sunday evenings, children's choir begins at 5:00 p.m., followed by children's activities at 5:45 p.m. Youth activities also begin at 5:00 p.m., with youth choir at 5:45 p.m. On Wednesday evenings, the family dinner begins at 5:00 p.m., and both children and youth activities begin at 6:00 p.m. Godly Play welcomes children from three years old through second grade to participate during worship on the first, third, and fourth weeks of the month.
Smoke Rise's family ministry also includes Vacation Bible School and Gathered & Rooted, a twice-semester gathering for families with children and youth. Families share a meal, build new connections, and renew old friendships in locations spread across the geographic area where they live. The church also hosts an annual Blessing of the Pets, a celebration open to dogs, cats, snakes, horses, and even stuffed animals.
Learning at the Weekday School
Smoke Rise Baptist Weekday School serves children from one year old through kindergarten readiness within the church's larger facility. The school operates August through May from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Most classes meet Tuesday through Friday, while a Monday enrichment class serves three- and four-year-olds through cooperative play, themed art, and storytelling.
Class placement follows children's ages and developmental needs. Sea Turtles combine one-year-olds with younger two-year-olds, Sea Horses serve older two-year-olds, Star Fish serve younger three-year-olds, Dolphins serve older three-year-olds, and Whales prepare children for kindergarten. Preschool music includes Zoo Phonics, while the kindergarten class also uses Mathematics Their Way alongside pre-reading, beginning math, fine-motor, group-learning, and cooperation activities. The overall approach uses play and activity-centered learning to nurture Christian faith, curiosity, creativity, and the skills children will need in elementary school and beyond.
The school's ministry is intentionally personal. Teachers and families work together in a safe, loving, creative environment, with a strong emphasis on welcoming children and caring for them as individuals. Smoke Rise Baptist Weekday School shares the church's facilities at 5901 Hugh Howell Road and is convenient to families in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.
Academy of Arts: Creative Gifts in Service
Established in 1992, the Smoke Rise Academy of Arts is a non-degree-granting, nonprofit institution offering classes and programs for all ages and skill levels. Its purpose is to provide quality instruction and a means of expression for God-given talents in an environment where Christ is honored. The program combines academic rigor with creative exploration and places students under the guidance of experienced teachers.
Instruction includes drama, choreography, dance, voice, piano, and creative writing. Denise Burcham serves as director, while Greyson Chadwick directs and choreographs theater work. The academy stages full-length musical productions and other performances that give students practical experience in acting, singing, movement, backstage work, and ensemble cooperation. Its production history includes works such as Madagascar, A Musical Adventure, Jr., Shrek the Musical, Jr., Frozen Jr., SIX: Teen Edition, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Students also participate in Junior Theater Festival teams. A 35-student Smoke Rise team received Best in Pod recognition and awards for Excellence in Music and Excellence in Dance, demonstrating the academy's emphasis on discipline, teamwork, and ambitious performance.
Music Across Generations
Minister of Music and Worship Danny Vancil has led Smoke Rise's music ministry since 2006. He creates thoughtful worship that combines traditional and modern musical elements while maintaining historic Baptist values. The music staff includes a pianist, organist, associate organist, academy director, and ministry assistants who support congregational singing, choirs, handbells, instruments, and special services.
Adult musicians gather on Wednesday evenings, with the Sanctuary Handbell Choir rehearsing at 6:00 p.m. and the Sanctuary Choir at 7:00 p.m. Smoke Rise Instrumentalists rehearse at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday and welcome youth and adult instrumentalists. Children in grades 1 through 5 sing in the Children's Choristers at 5:00 p.m., while the youth choir for grades 6 through 12 gathers at 5:45 p.m. Preschool Music Friends meets Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. Faithful Voices, a ministry geared toward older adults, gathers in the chapel at 10:30 a.m. on the first Monday of each month.
Missions at the Center
Smoke Rise calls missions part of its DNA, and the missions program is built around relationships rather than occasional activity. Each partner has a dedicated congregation champion, annual financial support, and opportunities for members to serve. An elected Missions Committee directs the budget and helps coordinate the church's response to local, domestic, and international needs.
Local work begins with long-standing partners. Lilburn Co-op serves people who are underserved, homeless, or food insecure, and Smoke Rise contributes pantry items every other month, collects school supplies, assembles Thanksgiving baskets, and provides regular volunteers. NETWorks Co-op in Tucker combines food and financial assistance with counseling and efforts to find longer-term solutions to poverty. Smoke Rise supports its food distributions, school-supply efforts, and Thanksgiving outreach. Friends of Refugees in Clarkston provides English classes for mothers and children, fresh produce, transportation, employment support, housing help, and healthcare advice. Family Heritage Foundation offers after-school tutoring, snacks, recreation, Bible study, summer camps, ESL classes, a food pantry, a diaper bank, apartment outreach, and home visits. Smoke Rise also partners with Developmental Disabilities Ministries, which operates 18 homes serving 70 residents.
Domestic mission partners address needs in Appalachia, New York, and Brooklyn. God's Appalachian Partnership in McDowell, Kentucky, provides food, clothing, training, counseling, financial assistance, and friendship. Smoke Rise's men's teams have completed home-improvement projects in Floyd County, while a women's trip focuses on personal care, spiritual guidance, prayer, crafts, games, and visits to a retirement center. Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries serves inner-city children and people experiencing homelessness through food, shelter, rooftop gardens, and a teen center. Greater Restoration Baptist Church in Brooklyn combines spiritual and physical support for children and people experiencing homelessness.
International work includes African Children's Mission in Uganda, where teams have helped with meals, schooling, water projects, home improvements, and girls' hygiene education, and the worldwide Cooperative Baptist Fellowship network. Missionary partners include Carson and Laura Foushee in Kanazawa, Japan; Stella Perrin in Cyprus; Joshua and Amy Pun in Nepal; Rick and Lita Sample in California; and Ahmed and Amira in Kurdistan, Iraq. Their ministries include church planting, refugee care, English teaching, tutoring, hospitality, community development, and the creation of safer, more economical cooking stoves in Nepal.
Smoke Rise's mission story also includes response to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and tornadoes, along with mission trips to New York, Appalachia, Tijuana, and Honduras. More than 1,000 church members have participated in those mission efforts. The church has partnered with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia since 1995 and participates in its retreats, ministry programs, and mission initiatives.
Care for Families and Practical Neighbor Support
Pastoral care at Smoke Rise emphasizes personal touch and the involvement of the whole congregation. Mitzi Ethridge-Cantrell and James Smith serve as pastoral care associates alongside the pastoral and counseling ministries. Adult ministry also gathers for regular grief support and for a caregivers' group focused on neurodiversity. These ministries support people dealing with illness, sorrow, changing family circumstances, and the responsibilities of caring for others.
The church also connects neighbors with practical community resources. Smoke Rise provides regular financial support and volunteers to Lilburn Co-op and NETWorks Co-op, while its community-resource network includes the Atlanta Food Bank, assistance with applying for SNAP benefits, and United Way 2-1-1 referral services. These connections complement the church's emphasis on meeting material needs while respecting the dignity and choices of the people served.
Stewardship of a Large Campus
Smoke Rise welcomes tithes and offerings through several forms of online and offline giving. Gifts can be made from a checking or savings account, by texting givesrbc to 73256 and the amount to give, or by mailing a check payable to Smoke Rise Baptist Church. Stock transfers are also accepted.
Stewardship supports worship, mission partners, education, care, and the large church campus. Long-range building and grounds priorities include digital sound equipment for sanctuary worship and streaming, safe transportation for children and youth, efficient climate control, maintenance of the Memory Garden courtyard and columbarium, a covered outdoor gathering space near the playground, and parking suitable for large community events. The fellowship hall contains the church's gym, while the Memory Garden courtyard between the sanctuary and fellowship hall provides a quiet place for remembrance and reflection. Nursery care is also available for weddings and funerals held at the church.
The Church Family at Stone Mountain
Smoke Rise Baptist Church is at 5901 Hugh Howell Road in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the main church number is 770.469.5856. From I-285, drivers take Highway 78 east to Stone Mountain, exit at Hugh Howell Road, and continue through the first traffic light; the church is on the left. Drivers coming from Snellville follow Highway 78 west to the same exit and turn. Directions to Smoke Rise Baptist Church provide the full address and location information.
Smoke Rise's welcome is grounded in a family of faith that seeks to grow spiritually, worship communally, and explore faith through learning and service. From nursery care and weekday education to youth music, adult Bible study, the Academy of Arts, pastoral care, and mission work across Stone Mountain and around the world, the church continues to make room for people of every age and background within its Stone Mountain family.