Johnson Ferry Baptist Church launches major ministry plan that includes a new sanctuary By J. GERALD HARRIS, The Christian Index Monday, October 12, 2026 MARIETTA, Ga. — Johnson Ferry Baptist Church broke ground Oct. 7 on a major campus expansion that includes a new 2,500-seat worship center and is part of an $84.3 million Forward Together Vision aimed at making more room for worship, community, the next generation, and gospel outreach. Pastor Clay Smith said the project is not simply about adding space, but about advancing the church’s mission. “Forward has never simply been about constructing a building,” Smith said. “It’s been about making room for all people, room to worship together, room to find community, room for the next generation, and ultimately room for more people to find truth, belonging, and purpose through Christ, our Lord.” The church holds a classic or traditional worship service in its main sanctuary and three more modern services in the church’s activity center. The church has outgrown its current worship facilities, and the architectural design for the new sanctuary will accommodate 2,500 people. Church leaders say the space is intended to serve a multigenerational, multiethnic congregation for years to come. Church leaders say future services in the facility will continue to reflect a commitment to biblically sound worship, believing that “a good theology leads to a great doxology.” The proposed building will include a playground, a new expansive concourse where people can meet and fellowship, a welcome center where people can learn about the programs of the church, and places where they can connect for Bible study. There also will be a Next Step area where counselors will be prepared to help those who have made commitments to Christ and where interested believers can find ways to be engaged in service projects and mission ventures. The new building also will be designed to be functionally secure for all who come to worship, especially children and youth. The construction of the new building on the east side of the church necessitated the purchase of 1.7 acres of residential property adjacent to the current worship center. The purchase of the new property will maximize parking on campus and improve traffic flow. The amount of money the church has committed to the Forward Together Vision is $84,297,500, and since the Forward launch one year ago, the church has given almost $43 million. The projected cost for the new building is $68 million. However, church leadership realizes that millions of dollars need to be used to reach those who do not know Christ, including the 4.15 million people in the metro Atlanta area who need the gospel of Jesus. The word “Forward” has become a guiding theme for JFBC during the last two years. In addressing the church, Smith explained, “We would have you to move forward through the church, forward into the community, and forward around the world. “It is something we knew we could never accomplish alone. It would take all of us praying together, serving together, and going together.” Church leaders say the Forward emphasis already has taken shape in several ways. Since its launch one year ago, the church has reported growth in worship attendance, hundreds of baptisms, the addition of multiple home groups, as many as 500 volunteers helping provide weekly lunches to hundreds of people in the community, including members of the Wheeler High School football team, strong giving, and more than 1,000 people sent on short-term mission trips around the globe. “These are not simply numbers,” Smith emphasized. “They represent people and families — stories of lives being changed. That is why we keep moving forward together. We asked a simple question: If Johnson Ferry Baptist Church disappeared tomorrow, would our community miss us?” Church leaders believe the answer would be yes and say the church’s absence would be deeply felt in the community. Johnson Ferry Baptist Church has grown steadily since its beginning 45 years ago. Pastor Bryant Wright, the founding pastor of the church, came to Marietta in 1981 when the church met in a doctor’s office and had 20 members. Today, Johnson Ferry has about 8,000 members and is one of Georgia’s largest Baptist churches. In November 2018, Wright, who had served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, announced that he would step away from the church he had served for 37 years. He agreed to remain as pastor until the church called someone to be his successor. In August 2019, the church extended a unanimous call to Smith to be its new pastor. To help create a smooth transition, Wright and Smith spent the first few months pastoring together, with Wright gradually handing over the reins of the church to his successor. The responsibility of becoming the senior pastor of a megachurch became Smith’s lot just weeks before the COVID pandemic began disrupting churches nationwide. Last year, Michelle Workman, writing for the Southwestern Theological Seminary, reported, “Despite the difficulty of the pandemic, Smith says it actually cemented his position as shepherd of the congregation much more quickly than might have occurred through normal circumstances.” Smith faithfully served the people of Johnson Ferry through the pandemic, consistently preached God’s Word, and began to pray for a vision for the future of the church. Throughout his ministry at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Smith has urged the congregation to pursue God’s direction, establish intimacy with Christ, and move forward with God. The church held the groundbreaking for the new facility on Wednesday evening, Oct. 7. Many came early for a meal provided by the church and to find a vantage point to view the groundbreaking. Following the meal, there was a brief program led by Smith, who read Psalm 143:1-13 and led Johnson Ferry members and guests in a responsive reading, followed by a time of prayer and the singing of the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” The participants in the groundbreaking were Smith; Hudson Bruce of student ministry; Lucy Winters, a 7-year-old representative of the children’s ministry; Commissioner JoAnn Birrell; and Steve Aslinger, building committee chairman. The outdoor gathering included fellowship, Scripture, prayer, and congregational singing. Church leaders described the moment as the beginning of a new chapter for Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. BLB.Tagger.Translation = 'CSB'; BLB.Tagger.HyperLinks = 'all'; // 'all', 'none', 'hover' BLB.Tagger.HideTranslationAbbrev = false; BLB.Tagger.TargetNewWindow = true; BLB.Tagger.DarkTheme = false; BLB.Tagger.Style = 'par'; // 'line' or 'par' BLB.Tagger.NoSearchTagNames = ''; // HTML element list BLB.Tagger.NoSearchClassNames = 'noTag doNotTag'; // CSS class list --- PHOTOS --- File: 20261012-132319-9b8-2.jpg Caption: The groundbreaking at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church with, from left, Lucy Winters, Hudson Bruce, JoAnn Birrell, Steve Aslinger, and Pastor Clay Smith.