Church Purpose:
The purpose of Sardis Baptist Church is to provide regular opportunities for public worship, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible in our Church, Community, and throughout the World; to be a worshipping fellowship, experiencing an awareness of God, recognizing His person, and responding in obedience to His leadership; to experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers, to help people experiencing a growing knowledge of God and man; to be a church that ministers unselfishly to persons in the Community and World in Jesus’ name; and to be a Church whose purpose is to be Christlike in daily living by emphasizing total commitment of life, personality, and possession to the Lordship of Christ.
Pastor:
Rev. Burton Welsh is the pastor. He is a native of Olanta, SC, a graduate of Francis Marion University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Burton is married to Suzette Strickland and has two children.
Church History:
The history of Sardis Baptist Church began in January, 1840 with the first services being held under a bush arbor about 2 miles up Cartersville Road. According to the minutes of the Lake Swamp Baptist Church, eleven persons were dismissed from that church to constitute a church at Sardis. Growth was evident from the beginning as the Welsh Neck Association minutes indicate that the Sardis church was constituted on February 8th, 1840 with a membership of 25. An extract from the Elim Church to the Welsh Neck Association indicates that 17 more members united with the church, 10 coming for baptism.
The first recorded conference of the church was held May 9th, 1840. The first building for the church was constructed of logs. In 1850, this building was replaced by a larger one and it lasted until 1890 when a beautiful frame structure was erected. This served the church until 1933 when the present building was constructed. It is noteworthy that this building was completed during the middle of the depression and was debt free when the congregation moved into it.
In 1954 the educational building was erected to meet the needs of the Sunday School and other educational organizations. The pastorium was constructed in 1962. The church installed Arcadian Bell Carillons in 1974 as a memorial to Mrs. Helen Walkup, who served as organist for a number of years. In 2000 the present fellowship hall was dedicated after having been renovated to better meet the needs of the congregation. Renovation of the sanctuary was completed in 2007 and the fellowship hall in 2008.
