Our History

First Baptist Church of Newnan has been in existence for almost 200 years. In 1828, approximately four months after the town of Newnan was established, a group of seven pioneers began meeting in a log cabin that also served as a school and formed the Baptist Church, which formally became known as the First Baptist Church of Newnan in 1897. Established “for the purpose of keeping house for God and watching over each other for good,” the original congregation consisted of three white men, two white women, and two women of color. This small and diverse group of believers experienced significant growth in a short period of time, and within two years had purchased 10 acres of land on the outskirts of town and began to raise funds to build a 60 x 40 foot meeting house.

A revival in the summer of 1844 brought many new members into the fellowship and prompted a move closer to downtown as the present site of the historic sanctuary was purchased and the construction of a new house of worship began. However, in June of 1845, a windstorm wrecked the building under construction. Undeterred, the members set about to construct a stronger wood-frame building that served the membership and the community well, including as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the civil war, until it was replaced by the present historic sanctuary, which was completed in 1884.

The historic sanctuary was the only house of worship for the church for over 75 years until an ambitious building campaign in the 1960s resulted in the completion of the current main sanctuary as well as office and educational space in 1968. A recent renovation project known as Vision 2020 was completed ahead of schedule in 2019 with significant improvements to the main sanctuary and other areas of campus.

First Baptist Church of Newnan has grown along with Newnan. From seven original members to 1,905 on our current membership roll, the congregation has been faithful to keep house for God and watch over each other for good for nearly 200 years. Having endured windstorms and war along with experiencing growth and revival, the current membership is eager to see the Lord Jesus continue to use First Baptist Church as a lighthouse for the gospel in the City of Homes.