From a Fig Tree to Fifth Street
Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church stands at 222 Fifth Street in Columbus, Georgia, a block south of its historical name. The name traces back to 1900, when a small group of devoted men and women met under a fig tree on Third Avenue to worship under the leadership of Reverends John Bellamy and Willis Carter, calling themselves Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. A year later, Rev. Bellamy felt led to separate and gathered fifteen committed members under a bush arbor on Fifth Street. The new body was named New Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. Worship continued in the open air with wooden benches, no walls, and no ceiling beyond the sky until Rev. Pearson, who had succeeded Bellamy, led the congregation to buy a tract of land for fifty dollars and build the first shelter for worship. That modest wooden structure was the birthplace of what would grow into Fourth Street Baptist Church.
From those humble beginnings, Fourth Street has continued to grow, not just in size but in spiritual depth, community impact, and mission-minded service. Over more than a century, the congregation has nurtured leaders, supported families, spread the gospel, and uplifted the Columbus community with steadfast faith and compassionate outreach. The church describes its calling in a single phrase that appears on banners, business cards, and signage across the campus: a Caring, Sharing, Fruit-Bearing Fellowship.
Sunday Mornings, Twice: Worship at 7:45 and 10:45
Two morning worship services anchor the week at Fourth Street. Both begin at the downtown campus on Fifth Street: the early service at 7:45 a.m. and the later service at 10:45 a.m. Between them, Church School gathers at 9:30 a.m. for age-based Bible teaching and discipleship. Ushers and a safety team meet visitors at the door and guide them from parking to seating. Seating preferences are honored as space allows, overflow space is available in Harris Hall and the Julia Fredrick Banquet Hall, and special accommodations are prepared for elderly and disabled worshippers. First pews are reserved for the Deaf Ministry and for those joining or recommitting their lives to Christ. Communion cups are distributed at the entrance on First Sundays. Children are welcome to sit with parents and guardians during the service, and a nursery for ages one through four is staffed by trained volunteers in stages. Masks are encouraged, temperature checks are taken at the door, hand sanitizer stations sit at every entrance, and every other pew is used to maintain distancing in the sanctuary.
The services themselves are described as Spirit-filled, with powerful preaching and uplifting music. Members and guests regularly describe the experience in plain language. As one guest puts it, Rev. Flakes is a fabulous preacher and the congregation is very kind. Another member, who calls Fourth Street her grandmother's home church, recalls that the sanctuary was opened for her grandmother's funeral during the pandemic and that God is good.
The Flakes Pastoral Legacy
Fourth Street is one of the few American congregations pastored across generations by the same family. The Rev. Dr. J.H. Flakes, Jr., now the church's Emeritus Pastor, served Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church for fifty years and also served as pastor of Good Hope Baptist Church in Phenix City, Alabama, for more than fifty-two years. A native of Phenix City, he received honorary doctorates from A.B. Lee Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida, and American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also earned his Bachelor of Arts. His ministry has stretched across the United States and abroad, including travel to the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Egypt, the Soviet Union, Africa, Germany, Italy, and the Holy Land, and he has served on the Executive Committee Board of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc., as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of American Baptist College, and as a member of the NAACP.
The current Senior Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Johnny H. Flakes III, is the second of his father's three children. He was educated in the Muscogee County School System and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from Tuskegee University, a Master's from the University of Iowa, a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center's Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, and a Doctor of Ministry from Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology. He was nominated for inclusion in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and was inducted into the Tuskegee University Athletic Football Hall of Fame as the Class of 2011, recognized as the school's All-Time Return Specialist from 1974 to 1977. Before assuming the full pastorate at Fourth Street, he served as pastor of Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta and as co-pastor at Fourth Street and at Good Hope in Phenix City.
Pastor Flakes III now serves as President of the General Missionary Baptist Congress of Christian Education of Georgia, Faculty Member of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Southeast Regional Vice President of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Southeast Regional Coordinator for the National Baptist Convention Sunday School Publishing Board, Moderator of the Mount Calvary Baptist Association, First Vice President of the Fifth District of the Congress of Christian Education, and a member of the American Baptist College Board of Trustees. He is also Chair of the Board for Fourth Street Towers, a 501(c)(3) affordable housing organization, and Chair of the Board for Fourth Street Daycare and Academy.
The First Lady, Dr. Jacqueline Denise Flakes, brings her own ministry. A Columbus, Georgia, native educated in the Muscogee County School District and a graduate of Shaw High School, she holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from Columbus State University and a doctoral degree from Valdosta State University, where she was named Doctoral Student of the Year. Dr. Flakes helped open the Columbus State University Coca-Cola Space Science Center and directed the Challenger Learning Center there; she spent two summers in training at Harvard University's Center for Astrophysics and in 2001 was recognized in Washington, D.C., for flying more than one thousand simulated missions, becoming the first African-American internationally to receive that honor. Inducted into the Columbus State University College of Education and Health Care Professions Hall of Fame in 2020, Dr. Flakes has more than twenty-eight years in education and currently serves as Principal of Key Elementary School while chairing the Minister Wives Ministry and Campus Ministry and tutoring in the church's tutorial program.
Three Weekly Bible Studies, Three Formats
Bible study runs three days a week at Fourth Street, in three formats that make it possible to participate from anywhere. Deep Sea Fishing Bible Study meets on Sunday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Zoom (Meeting ID 810-453-344), diving into scripture and applying biblical principles to the challenges of modern life. My Spiritual Brunch gathers on Monday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to noon on Zoom (Meeting ID 856-077-987) for a relaxed, uplifting discussion. Engaging & Asking meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Zoom (Meeting ID 746-759-266), in person at the church, and live on Facebook and YouTube, with the fourth Wednesday of each month set aside as a break.
For those who want a different kind of formation, the annual Bible Bowl invites Youth and Adult teams to test their knowledge of Scripture in friendly competition, and the Aspiring Christians in Healthcare Scholarship awards one $500 scholarship each year to a graduating high school senior entering a healthcare-related field.
Music Ministry: From Children's Choir to Sunday Mornings
Music is woven into the entire life of Fourth Street. The Music Ministry describes its purpose as planning and organizing music that leads the congregation in singing, praising, and worshipping God; providing a systematic training program for members ages five and up; and teaching new songs that include hymns, gospels, spirituals, anthems, and contemporary selections. The mission is grounded in the conviction that the Music Ministry is part of the mission of Christ and that the congregation is Bible based, Christ centered, Holy Spirit led, and mission bound.
Children have their own choir. The FSMBC Children's Choir Ministry helps young voices use their gifts in worship, learn biblical truth through music, and grow as faithful servants in the church. Rehearsals and ministry opportunities teach biblically sound music and strengthen vocal gifts, grounded in Colossians 3:16, which calls believers to let the teaching of Christ live richly in their hearts and to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness to God. Members of every age are invited to participate in the Music Ministry, whether they are seasoned vocalists, beginners learning to read music, or anyone moved by the power of praise.
A Wide Web of Ministries
More than forty named ministries flow out of Fourth Street, each one a way for a member to live the mission of preaching, teaching, witnessing, stewardship, and fellowship. The Deacon Ministry has been a leadership bedrock since 1901, with early deacons including B.A. Parker, who built the first church house. The current chair is Deacon Dorsey Stancil. The Usher Ministry has welcomed worshippers since the early 1900s, now led by Sister Joann Zerangue. The Trustees Ministry, in existence since the church's founding and currently chaired by Sister Beulette Hooks with Deacon William Johnson as assistant, makes recommendations about repairs, maintenance, and improvement of church property.
Pastoral care is shared across several teams. The Benevolence Ministry, led by Sister Linda Love, assists members and non-members in financial or crisis need. The Funeral Coordination Ministry, evolved from the Clerk Ministry and formalized around 2011, is chaired by Sis. Beverly Davis and provides structured, sensitive assistance to families during bereavement. The Partners in Christ Caring Ministry, often called PICCM, is organized into communities named after biblical figures and ensures that every member is cared for through prayer, visits, celebration, and support. A Pastoral Relations Ministry expresses continual appreciation for the pastor and his family, anchored in 1 Corinthians 9:7-18 and John 21:15-17. Health Care Ministry provides compassionate care and guidance to members with health-related needs.
Formation ministries include the Christian Education ministry, currently led by Sister Cassandra Richardson, and the Church School, with Deacon Michael Davis as superintendent; Vacation Bible School held each June; and the Bible Bowl. The Church History Ministry, with Sister Merrian Douglass at its head, is compiling a comprehensive Documented Fact Book covering 1900 to 1999. The Church Clerk Ministry maintains church records and membership databases, with notable clerks including Deacon Samuel Collier, Sister Florene Crenshaw, Deacon Franklin Douglass, Sister Alice Turner, and Sister Jackie McCall.
Ministries for specific communities of the congregation include the Singles Ministry, organized under Pastor J.H. Flakes, Jr., and now led by Sister Beulette Hooks with assistants Sister Willa Spencer Cooper and Sister Joann Zerangue, ministering to never-married adults, widows and widowers, divorcees, and single parents. Laymen's Ministry enlists and trains men and boys for service. The Men and Women Ministry has hosted joint Men and Women's Day since 2006, when Pastor J.H. Flakes, Jr. began the tradition, and it hosts an annual retreat. Boy Scouts have been a part of Fourth Street for more than fifty years, combining Christian values with scouting principles, and Boys of Distinction, established in 2012 by the current pastor and now led by Deacon Lenton Pruitt, mentors young men toward character, leadership, and discipleship.
Worship and the arts include the Dance, Drama, Mime, and Drill Team ministries. Outreach reaches beyond the building through Benevolence, Evangelism, Laymen's, Hospitality, Thrift House, Media Ministry, Video/Audio Ministry, Stewardship, Book Nook, Building Towards Wellness, Scholarship, Golden Age, Recreation, Nursing, Telephone, Tracking, Proofreading, Research/Writing, Publicity, Program Ministry, Decoration Ministry, Commitment Team, Wedding Consultants, Pastoral Relations, and Prayer Warriors, which has maintained a virtual prayer line open to members and friends across the country since 2009.
Caring Beyond the Walls: Towers, Daycare, Thrift House, and Health
Fourth Street's reach into Columbus extends well beyond Sunday morning. Fourth Street Towers, Inc., a subsidiary of the church established in 1972, was created to provide affordable housing for low to moderate income families in the historic district and received Community Housing Development Organization status in 1994. The development houses twenty-six families and more than one hundred people, and Pastor Flakes III serves as Chair of its Board.
Fourth Street Daycare traces its beginning to a vision of the pastor for a complete child care development center. When the Christian Education Building was built in 1977, it included dedicated day care and nursery space, and the center was licensed and opened in 1992 with Sis. Robena Flakes, wife of the emeritus pastor, as founding director. The center and its staff were recognized as the State of Georgia's first day care to receive the Center of Distinction Award. Today the church continues that work as Fourth Street Daycare and Academy.
The Thrift House extends the church's benevolence into the surrounding neighborhood through affordable clothing and household goods. The Aspiring Christians in Healthcare Scholarship, established in 2018 and sponsored by three PharmD members, awards one $500 scholarship each year to a graduating high school senior pursuing a healthcare major. The Health Care Ministry works with the John B. Amos Cancer Center, where Pastor Flakes III serves on the Advisory Board, on community health efforts including an annual free prostate cancer screening for men aged forty and older. The church has also hosted community vaccination events through its COVID-19 vaccination ministry, helping eligible residents register for appointments.
Worship Online, On Air, and On Demand
Worship is broadcast across several channels each week. Both Sunday services are livestreamed on Facebook Live at facebook.com/4thstBaptist and on YouTube at youtube.com/@4thStBaptist, with archived services, special events, Bible study highlights, and youth and music ministry features available on demand. The Television Ministry airs each Sunday at 7:30 a.m. on WRBL Channel 3 in Columbus, and the Radio Ministry airs each Sunday at 8:00 a.m. on 104.9 FM in the Morning of Praise broadcast. These broadcasts are intended to reach the sick, the shut-in, the elderly, and anyone exploring faith who cannot yet come in person.
Six Core Objectives, One Mission
The Six Core Objectives of Fourth Street frame everything the congregation does. They are to magnify the Lord through worship, praise, prayer, and participation in mission; to instill the importance of God's will and the work of ministries by giving of time, talent, and tithe; to evangelize the lost by telling them about the saving grace of Jesus Christ and bringing them to Christ so that they might be saved and baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; to guide and assist the congregation in developing biblical convictions, Christian principles, and moral standards as taught by Jesus Christ; to educate members by teaching the doctrine of Christ and equipping them through training to live the Christian lifestyle; and to challenge and encourage members to become in practice what they are in spirit.
The Mission Statement that holds these objectives together is short and direct: to obey the will of God through preaching, teaching, witnessing, stewardship, and fellowship. Whether gathered in worship, studying God's Word, or serving the Columbus community, members strive to honor God's will in both word and deed.
A Monthly Rhythm of Service and Connection
Alongside Sunday worship and midweek Bible study, Fourth Street keeps a steady monthly rhythm of gatherings for men, women, families, entrepreneurs, and the broader congregation. The Fitness Ministry of the Stewardship team meets on the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m., led by certified fitness trainer Dewayne Webb and the certified trainers from the All About Fitness Ministry. The Pastor's Cabinet gathers on the first Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the Banquet Hall. The Hospitality Ministry meets on the first Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The Entrepreneurship Ministry meets on the second Saturday at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom (Meeting ID 979-7850-7782) for aspiring entrepreneurs and current business owners. Real Talk for Men with Pastor, presented by Men in Action, meets on the fourth Saturday at 10:00 a.m., with the YES (Youth Expecting Success) breakout class for young people and a Financial Literacy class for the whole family. The singles ministry, parents' ministry, and young adult gathering round out the calendar with their own regular evenings for connection, prayer, and faith formation.
Two of the city's largest annual gatherings come out of this rhythm. The Taste of Fourth Street fills the church with food prepared by the different ministries, and the Annual Church Retreat brings the congregation together for a weekend of fellowship and faith, grounded in the theme of UNITY from Psalm 133:1.
An Open Door in Downtown Columbus
First-time visitors and long-time members describe Fourth Street the same way. The ushers greet warmly. The choir lifts the room. The pastor preaches with conviction. The food at hospitality events is excellent. The doors open on Fifth Street, the broadcasts go out on air and online, and the Six Core Objectives hold the whole work together. For more than a century, the congregation has lived the simple calling on its signage every day: to be a Caring, Sharing, Fruit-Bearing Fellowship in the heart of Columbus.