Our History

Balus Joseph Windsor Graham was a senior at Mercer College when he organized the founding of the Bullochville Baptist Church. The year was 1894. B. J. W. Graham was a strong leader in the Baptist life in Georgia and in the South throughout his life. While he was the pastor of the Salem and Macedonia Baptist churches, he recognized the need for a church to be established when the town of Bullochville was formed in 1893.

The Bulloch family donated land for a building and a wooden structure was soon built. The land was deeded to the church on 01 January 1900.

In October 1924, Franklin Roosevelt came to Bullochville to swim in the warm springs waters. He was enchanted with the springs and the potential as a place for the treatment of people with polio. He soon convinced the town to change its’ name to Warm Springs. The church followed suit and became the Warm Springs Baptist Church.

In the fall of 1932 the church building was destroyed by fire. Two young boys were sent to start the wood burning stove that heated the sanctuary. Once the building was engulfed in flames the fire truck from the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation arrived and prevented the homes around the church from being destroyed. This led to the founding of the Warm Springs Fire Department. The church was uninsured but soon began to rebuild. Employment at the Foundation started by the 32nd President of the United States provided jobs which provided tithes and offerings to rebuild. Mercer College student L. H. Wright served the church when the building burned and the initial rebuilding. W. H. Rittenhouse was the pastor as the rebuilding was finished. The church
ministered to the Civilian Conservation Corps boys who attended services.

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s Leonard O. Leavell the retired pastor of Newnan, GA service as an interim pastor. He son Landrum, later President of New Orleans Seminary, had fond memories of his father serving the church.

In 1952 the church made two major steps in increasing its’ ministry. A home was purchased to serve as a pastorium. The Blue Bird Cottage across the street diagonally from the church property was the first pastorium. The church also called Thomas Preston as its first full time pastor. He was a graduate of Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth. He led the church to change her name to First Baptist Church. The Foundation provided steady employment and new people moving to the community. The church grew as Warm Springs experienced the post war baby boom.

The second major step taken in the early fifties was the church moved to having a full time pastor. With a place to live a pastor lived on “the field” and served the church and community. Brother Preston was the first on the field full time pastor. He was a graduate of Southwestern Seminary.

Brother Bert Newsome was called to serve the church in the last 1950’s. He served as the Baby Boom was reaching Warm Springs. During his tenure the church reached record participation. He was followed by Bob McCombs [A graduate of Southeastern Seminary] who served till he was called to the Concord Baptist church in neighboring Pike County. He was followed by a secession of pastors who each served three or four years. Charles Carter [Southwestern Seminary graduate and Vietnam Veteran] who after three years entered the United States Naval Service as a Chaplain. Marvin Jackson followed him. He was originally from Manchester GA.

Bill Van Dyke served the church in the mid 1980’s. The church grew and added significantly to church membership.

In October 1986 the church called Bob Patterson as their pastor. During his tenure the church reached record attendance, participation and giving. The church has two major building and five major remodeling programs. The interior of the metal building was completed in two phases and the connecting building was constructed. The Warm Springs Soccer field was donated and developed for recreation ministry. Additional land on the south east side of the property was added. The sanctuary has new stained glass installed in the late 1980’s and the entire room was gutted and remodeled in the 1990’s. The first floor of the brick building was gutted and remodeled in the mid 1990’s and again in 2017 after a flood. The church parking lot was paved in the early 2000’s, an 0845 service started in the late 1990’s. The church paid off its’ debt on all these projects and has been debt free since 2004.

The nature of the church ministry changed with the pastor completing his Doctor of Ministry program with a thesis titled, “Developing a church ministry plan for First Baptist Warm Springs.” A food bank was started and later named the Dorcas Ministry, Support groups were organized and the church developed the Meriwether Soccer Program with the Manchester Recreation Department. The church later assumed full responsibility for the Soccer program. The church began to offer in addition to the traditional Vacation Bible School, Summer Soccer camps and clinics and Fine Arts camp for children. Holy Week lunches began in 2016 and continue. Maundy Thursday and Christmas Eve Communion are traditions. Women were elected as deacons in 2000. A retiree luncheon series was started in 2023. We have a strong history of music and youth programs.