Georgia Baptists welcome 24 new congregations into the convention

By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index

Monday, November 24, 2025

ATLANTA — Messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention’s 2025 annual meeting earlier this month voted to welcome 24 new congregations into cooperative partnership.

David Wheeler, senior pastor of Porterdale Baptist Church and chair of the newly combined Church Membership Committee, presented the report. The committee represents the first year of a new structure that brings together membership and credentialing responsibilities.

Wheeler said the committee recommended 24 congregations for affiliation in 2025, a group representing a mix of 12 new churches, five new campuses, three church plants, one replant, and three reaffiliating churches.

“We’re excited to present these congregations as new member churches to partner with the 3,500 already in the Georgia Baptist Mission Board,” Wheeler said.

The new churches represent every corner of Georgia and a wide range of ministry contexts. Wheeler listed them association by association, including:

Noonday Association: Comunidad de Fe Atlanta; Tabernacle Baptist Church Español; The U Movement Church

Northwest Georgia Association: Lux Fellowship

Chattahoochee Association: Hope Fellowship Church; Yonah Community Church

Gwinnett Metro Association: Vessels of Life Church

Sarepta Network: Five Points Church

Atlanta Metro: All Grace Church; Genesis Community Church

Fairburn Association: Crossroads Chattahoochee Hills Campus; One Church South Fulton

Southside Network: Griffin Church

Troup Association: The Word Church

Augusta Association: Journey Community Church, Sherwood Campus; Warren Baptist Church campuses in Belvedere (North Augusta) and Crossbridge (Augusta)

Centennial Association: New Providence Baptist Church of Culloden

Washington Association: Zebulon Community Church

Mellary Association: Amazing Grace Baptist Church

South Central Network: Mars Hill Baptist Church; Oakfield Baptist Church

At Large: One Church South Fulton

As Wheeler concluded the list, he invited pastors, members, and associational missionaries from the newly affiliated congregations to stand and be recognized.

“They don’t come in as competitors,” Wheeler said, “they come in as teammates, expanding the bright light of the gospel into the darkness for each of the seven million in our state.”

Following Wheeler’s report, GBC President Stephen Fountain called for a vote, and messengers raised their ballots in unanimous support.

“Let’s welcome these churches to the Georgia Baptist Mission,” Fountain said as the approval was announced.

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Video of the sessions and presentations during the annual meeting is available on Acts2.

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File: 20251124-160110-95b-New Churches 1.jpg

Caption: David Wheeler, chairman of the Georgia Baptist Convention Membership Committee, presents new churches recommended for membership in the Convention during the annual meeting on Nov. 11, 2025, in Atlanta. On stage, from left, are parliamentarian Barry McCarty, GBC President Steve Browning, and Executive Committee Chairman Stephen Fountain. (Index/Henry Durand)

File: 20251124-160114-599-New Churches 2.jpg

Caption: David Wheeler, chairman of the Georgia Baptist Convention Membership Committee, presents new churches recommended for membership in the Convention during the annual meeting on Nov. 11, 2025, in Atlanta. (Index/Henry Durand)