PLEASANT GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH IS LOCATED IN A SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY IN WRIGHTSVILLE, GA. ON HWY 319 ON THE JOHNSON AND LARUENS COUNTY LINE. OUR CHURCH WAS FOUNDED OVER 144 YEARS AGO IN 1879, AND WE HAVE A LONG AND RICH HISTORY OF HOW GOD USED HIS PEOPLE TO IMPACT THE WRIGHTSVILLE COMMUNITY.

ON JANUARY 24TH, 1879, SEVEN PEOPLE WITH LETTERS FROM OTHER BAPTIST CHURCHES MET NEAR TUCKER’S MILL RD WHERE THEY MET FOR WORSHIP IN A LOCAL HOME. SOON TRACTION FOR A BUILDING TO HOUSE PEOPLE FOR WORSHIP TOOK PLACE, AND IN 1880 THE FIRST HOUSE OF WORSHIP WAS CONSTRUCTED AT ITS PRESENT LOCATION ON HIGHWAY 319. THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED IN 1903 WITH THE AID OF THE GEORGIA BAPTIST STATE MISSION BOARD. 

OVER THE YEARS SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS WERE ADDED AND UPDATES WERE MADE IN THE SANCUTARY LIKE: (PEWS, A PULPIT, COMMUNION TABLE, CHAIRS, LIGHT FIXTURES, CARPET, NEW WINDOWS, AND ROOMS) WERE ALL DONANTED BY CHURCH MEMBERS. IN 1971 A FELLOWSHIP HALL WAS ADDED AND COMPLETED TO ACCOMENDATE THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.

AS THE CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW, THE CHURCH DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO BUILD A BIGGER FACILITY TO HOUSE EVERYONE. SO CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 1999 ON THE NEW BUILDING THAT WOULD SIT AJASENT TO THE EXISTING CHURCH AND WAS COMPLETED IN LATE 2003. GOD HAS RICHLY BLESSED THE MEMBERS OF PGBC, AS THE CHURCH BEGAN TO RAISE MONEY, LAND WAS DONATED BY RALPH VEAL, SR., AND MANY MEMBERS WORKING HARD TO ERECT THE NEW BUILDING DEBT-FREE.

OVER THE YEARS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO PLEASANT GROVE TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, TO FELLOWSHIP, AND TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY. OUR CHURCH IS A BECON OF HOPE FOR MANY PEOPLE AS WE ARE USED BY GOD TO BE AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH MISSION PROJECTS LIKE (UGANDA, AFRICA), MEDIA OUTREACH (SERMON CONTENT), AND LOCAL OUTREACH (SCHOOL/COMMUNITY). 

“OUR GOAL IS NOT TO GROW NUMERICALLY, BUT TO GROW SPIRITUALLY IN CHRIST THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD”

JUST LIKE THE UPS AND DOWNS IN LIFE, THERE ARE LOW POINTS IN OUR CHURCHES HISTORY. ON MAY 13TH OF 2022, A FIRE ERRUPTED IN THE OLD CHURCH WHICH WAS LATER CONVERTED INTO A FELLOWSHIP HALL. THE FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE BUILDING AND EVERYTHING INSIDE, IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NO ONE WAS INJURIED IN THE FIRE THANKS TO A DEACON AND JOHNSON COUNTY DEPUTY WHO WERE ABLE TO PULL OUT A YOUNG MAN FROM THE FLAMMING BUILDING. 

MANY IN THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY WERE DEVESTATED OVER THE INCIDENT, BECAUSE THE HISTORICAL BUILIDNG HAD MANY STRONG SENTIMENTAL TIES OF WEDDINGS, FUNERALS, BAPTISMS, AND EVENTS FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY. HOW WOULD THE CHURCH BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD AND WHAT STEPS SHOULD THEY TAKE TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WAS ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE CONGREGATION OF PLEASANT GROVE. 

THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, MAY THE 15TH, PASTOR CHRIS MITCHELL, LED THE CONGREGATION IN A MESSAGE OF HOPE THROUGH THE EYES OF JOSEPH. JOSEPH HAD MANY CHALLENGES IN HIS LIFE, BETRAYED BY HIS BROTHERS, SOLD INTO SLAVERY, THROWN INTO PRISON, AND FORGOTTEN FOR MANY YEARS; BUT THAT’S NOT THE END OF HIS STORY. SCRIPTURE SAYS IN GENESIS 39:21A & 23B, 

“BUT THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH AND SHOWED HIM MERCY…BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM”.

ALTHOUGH JOSEPH WAS PHYSCIALLY ALONE, SPIRITUALLY GOD WAS WITH HIM AND BLESSING HIM. JOSEPH COULDN’T CONTROL HIS CIRCUMSTANCES NOR HIS CURRENT SITUATION; ALL HE COULD DO WAS TRUST GOD MOMENT BY MOMENT. LIKE JOSEPH, PGBC CAN NOT CONTROL WHAT OR HOW THINGS HAPPEN, BUT TRUST IN THE SOVEREGINTY OF GOD!

TO READ FULL STORY OR VIEW OUR CHURCH HISTORY, CLICK BELOW:

 “THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU CONTINUALLY, AND SATISFY YOUR SOUL IN DROUGHT, AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES; YOU SHALL BE LIKE A WATERED GARDEN, AND LIKE THE SPRING OF WATER, WHOSE WATERS DO NOT FAIL”

ISAIAH 58:11

THROUGH MUCH PRAYER AND PREPERATION GOD LED US THROUGH HIS WORD TO HIS PLAN TO PROVIDE US A NEW BUILDING. IT WOULD BE MORE THAN A PLACE TO GATHER, TO EAT, AND HOST EVENTS; BUT A PLACE TO MAKE AN IMPACT UPON THE MOST IMPORTANT UNION THAT GOD HAS CREATED…THE FAMILY UNIT. 

TODAY THE ENEMY (EPHESIANS 6:10-18), HAS ATTACKED: 1.) THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN FOR LIFE (GENESIS 1:26-28) THROUGH DIVORCE, COHABITATION, AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE; ATTACKS 2.) THE SANCITY OF LIFE OF PRE-BORN BABIES, THE AGED, AND THE PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY CHALLENGED (JEREMIAH 1:5; PSALM 139) BY DEVAULING HUMAN LIFE THROUGH EVOLUTION, POLITICAL AGENDA, AND LEGISLATION; & CONTINUES TO ATTACK 3.) THE NATURAL GENDER OF MALE AND FEMALE WHICH IS DETERMINED AT BIRTH (MATTHEW 19:4-6) THROUGH IDIOLOGY, PHILOSPHY, AND MODERN CULTURAL INFLUENCE. 

BECAUSE OF THESE ATTACKS, WE AS A CHURCH BELIEVE IT IS OUR MANDATE TO THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST (MATTHEW 28:18-20) TO TEACH AND CULTIVATE A HEALTHY ENVIROMENT FOR FAMILIES TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN OUR PRESENT CULTURE.

WE ARE CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTING OUR NEW

FAMILY LIFE CENTER, CLICK BELOW FOR UPDATES: