Center Baptist Church is a loving body of believers. We are Christ Centered and Family focused. The Lord has blessed the church family through the years and we pray God will continue to reveal his plans for us in the future. A church family is made up of many people from all walks of life, but we are all called to be unified as one family with one purpose. I pray we continue to grow as a church family in our faith and fellowship together. May we strive to live up to being faithful members in the family of God as Paul described in Ephesians 2.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)
Our History
On September 26, 1920, several men met to organize a Southern Baptist Church in this area. Those men who presented themselves in membership were Bro. Babe Tate, an ordained deacon, Johnny Pannell, Rollie Pannell, Walter Pannell, Lee Staten, and Jesse Staten. Bro. J. J. Pannell was moderator and W. E. Bryant was clerk. A motion was made to declare them an independent body. Fred Tate, Lawrence Tate, and Isabelle Tate presented themselves for baptism. Nath Pannell, Alma Staten, Lucy Tate, Birdie Lou Tate, Ora Lee Tate, Mintie Staten, Effie Staten and Leila Pannell joined by letter. These charter members elected Bro. Henry Pannell as pastor and Jesse State as clerk. Bro. Henry declined the position and Bro. Jess Y. Rakestraw was called.
The church was named New Hope and the Coley schoolhouse was chosen as a temporary meeting place. By the end of the first year there were twenty-five members. A church building was erected adjacent to the Coley School. In 1929 the congregation voted to sell the church building and temporarily hold services in the Center School building. Following Bro. Jess Rakestraw, other pastors during these early years were Bro. Waton Grisham and Bro. J. J. Pannell.
In 1930 a brush arbor was built on the present-day site of Center Baptist Church. On the fifth Sunday in August 1930, Bro. W. T. Darling preached a revival during which seventeen members were received. After the revival the name of the church was change from New Hope to Center Baptist Church. In October 1930 the church called Bro. Darling (1930-1938) as pastor. A committee was elected to build a new church.
As soon as the building had a floor, walls, and a roof, the members began meeting there. In 1932 the community burned a brick kiln for veneer, and by 1938 the inside of the church was complete, including four Sunday school rooms. By October 1938 the building debt was paid in full. Center Baptist Church Origin & History Through the years several renovations, improvements and additions took place in the church building. Also changes to the programs of the church were made such as adding church training, Brotherhood, WMU, youth and children’s mission organizations and a yearly Vacation Bible School. Fiscally the church grew and changed by implementing the budget system and by paying the pastors a set salary rather than using a percentage basis.
The most significant change to the Center Baptist Church physical appearance came during 2000-2005. In 2000, a church-appointed planning/building committee set in motion a long-range building program. By the end of 2000, a two-story education building was erected and ready for use. This building was paid in full by church offerings and gifts prior to the first classes meeting there. In 2003 this same committee launched the second phase by planning a three-hundred seat sanctuary with a wing for offices, Sunday school rooms and restrooms. This beautiful new structure, begun in 2004, was built and joined to the existing education building and activity center. The first service there was on January 25, 2005; a dedication service took place on February 27, 2005.
Having saved $130,000 to begin the construction, the church signed a note for $392,000 at BNA Bank. This note was paid off in June 2010. The church rejoiced with a note-burning on July 4, 2010. Praise God for blessing us with the money to pay for this fine building in such a short time!