The oldest records of Peachtree Baptist Church of Senoia (formerly Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church of Fairburn) indicate that the church had her beginnings in the mid 1840’s. The Shadnor Baptist Church (presently New Hope Baptist Church) of Union City, GA felt lead of God to hold a “Brush Arbor Meeting” in south Fulton county (formerly Campbell county) on the West Family’s farm property, near Fairburn GA. God was pleased to manifest Himself in Holy Spirit power during the special meetings by saving a number of families, and under the authority and direction of Shadnor Baptist Church, they determined it was God’s will for them to establish a missionary minded Baptist Church.
They agreed upon the name Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church understanding that Mt. Pisgah in the scriptures is associated with a place of vision. The church was founded upon historical Baptist doctrinal convictions and has faithfully maintained these biblical principles to this day. Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, like many of her sister Baptist churches in North Georgia trace their roots to Shubal Stearns, Daniel Marshall and the Sandy Creek Baptist Church, Guilford County (now Randolph County) in central North Carolina.
In the late 1800’s the church voted to join the Southern Baptist Convention. Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church experienced several outstanding moves of God in revival including one under the leadership of the late Dr. Jessie Hendly of East Point, Georgia. The 1950’s saw the Sunday school grow and educational classrooms were built adjacent to the thirty-year old auditorium, which had replaced an older auditorium that had been destroyed by fire.
With the unusual moves of God in revival came the counter attacks of Satan, which led to some disunity and division. However, God’s church persevered. No doubt, down through the years the church has been blessed with godly pastors that are not known today due to the devastating fire that not only destroyed the original church building but all the church records.
Our oldest members remember some of the pastors of the early to mid 1900’s, and they include: Ezra West, Newton A. Skelton, Floyd Scott, Joel Moss, John Conway and Carl Kinsey.
Rev. John Conway was voted pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in the early 1960’s. He was a bi-vocational pastor, because at that time the church was too small in number to support a pastor full time. Pastor Conway had a large family, so brother L.B. Jackson, a faithful deacon, worked two jobs so he could give his income from his second job to help support Pastor Conway and his family.
Pastor Conway was a bold preacher of the gospel and is to be greatly acknowledged as God’s instrument to put Mt. Pisgah back on a godly path. Because of the liberalism that had crept into the Southern Baptist Colleges and Seminaries, Pastor Conway led the congregation to withdraw fellowship from the Southern Baptist Convention. He further encouraged the church to support independent, premillennial missionaries sent through such mission societies as Baptist International Missions, Global Baptist Missions, and Maranatha Baptist Mission. The number one criteria was that they agree with the church’s historical Baptist faith and practice.
In 1968 Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church called Reverend Carl Kinsey to be their pastor. During his four years of ministry, God was pleased to bring the church into sweet fellowship with Himself. Pastor Kinsey’s sensitivity to the ministry of the Holy Spirit caused the church to experience true worship. Both Pastors Conway and Kinsey regularly held special conferences for revival and the promotion of missions. They invited guest preachers, such as Dr. Ray M. Brown, Spartenburg, SC, Pastor Edgar Thomas, Gainesville, GA, Pastor Bob Bolden, Kingston, TN, Pastor C.L. Roach, Meansville, GA and Dr. James A. Stewart, Asheville, NC (formally of Scotland).
Soon the church would call David Dickerson to be their pastor in November of 1973. At the time, he was finishing his master’s degree program at Temple Baptist Theological Seminary. Later he would complete the Doctor of Ministry at Luther Rice Seminary and the Doctor of Education program at Whitefield Theological Seminary.
When Dr. Dickerson was called to pastor the church the facilities included a simple wood frame structure that housed the church auditorium and educational building located on a four acre tract of land near Fairburn, GA.
As the church began to grow numerically, God was pleased to breathe in an unusual outpouring of Holy Spirit revival in the Fall of 1977. This unusual move of God in revival lasted four weeks. It started in special prayer meetings, where members of the church prayed faithfully for one month before the Fall Bible Conference began.
The guest speakers, Pastor Ray Bearden of Kingston, TN and Dr. Bob Doom of Asheville, NC were greatly used by God to preach the Word. Many saints were revived and many remarkable conversions took place, including the salvation of a host of lost church members. When the word spread that God was moving in revival at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church the crowds grew. People drove in from surrounding states, including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida.
As the church body grew, there arose a need for a larger building. The church family responded by giving over $58,000 toward the building of a new church facility. This new building was literally raised up out of revival and completed and dedicated in December of 1978.
As a result of this revival, new ministries were begun in 1979. An annual Missions Conference was established for the purpose of promoting Faith Promise Missions. An annual Heart Cry for Revival Camp Meeting was also started with many pastors and spiritual leaders coming in from all over the world. Dr. Avery Rogers, Pastor Edgar Thomas, Dr. Ray M. Brown, Dr. Frank McGuire, Dr. John McCormick, Pastor Ray Bearden, Dr. Bob Doom, Evangelist Tom Hayes, Evangelist Randy Bane, Pastor Tommy McLeroy, Evangelist David Morris, and Pastor Keith Allison are just a few of the expositors that God has greatly used in these camp meetings.
Historically, Peachtree Baptist Church is known for her ministry of expository preaching and teaching. Because of an obvious need for a conservative educational alternative to the public schools, Mt. Pisgah Christian School was birthed in the fall of 1979. It began with a kindergarten program and grew to include classes through high school.
In the fall of 1980 a Bible College was begun for the training of future pastors, missionaries and Christian educators. The total educational ministries of the church grew to approximately 200 students in our best years.
God’s continued blessings upon the church included the purchasing of the old Fairhaven Baptist Church properties located in College Park, GA. These facilities of 33,000 square feet housed the Mt. Pisgah educational ministries until March 1, 1996. The Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church facilities in Fairburn plus her educational buildings in College Park included over 45,000 square feet of auditorium, classrooms, offices and fellowship hall space.
On March 1, 1996, God sent a bit of providence to Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. During the night, the educational facilities were totally destroyed by fire. The Fire Marshall ruled the fire was caused by an electrical problem. God alone knows why or how it really happened. The church can testify that God has literally brought blessings out of ashes.
During this great trial of faith, God directed the church to sell all her properties and purchase 11.2 acres in East Coweta County in Senoia, GA. The Scriptures indicate that the New Testament local churches were named for the city or region within which they were located. After much prayer and recognizing that there was already a Senoia First Baptist Church, the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church agreed to change her name to Peachtree Baptist Church.
Peachtree Baptist is now purposing to minister to the Peachtree region and beyond. Peachtree Baptist Church met for approximately two years in the old Mayfield Carpet Warehouse, owned and operated by Ferrol and Merrill Mayfield members of Peachtree Baptist Church, located on highway 54 in Peachtree City. The new facilities of Peachtree Baptist Church included an auditorium that seated approximately 400, classroom space for 200 students, a library, a fully commercial kitchen and dining area, and office space. The total square footage was 21,400.
Our vision continues to include church ministries that will meet the spiritual needs of the family. Peachtree Baptist Church is committed to serving the community for the glory of God. With the phenomenal growth that East Coweta County is experiencing, our church’s growth is certain. We are regularly receiving calls and visits from those moving into, or living in the Senoia area that are interested in our ministries.
To assist Dr. Dickerson with the pastoral and educational ministries of the church, the congregation voted to add associate pastors to the staff. Dr. Troy C. Foster faithfully served on the eldership from 1981-1997. Nevertheless, Dr. Foster will forever be recognized by Peachtree Baptist Church as Pastor Emeritus.
He continues to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Georgia Baptist College and Theological Seminary. Dr. Robert H. Lescelius was added to the eldership shortly after he came in August, 1983. He also serves as Vice President of the College and Theological Seminary and professor of theology and biblical languages. Pastor Alan Gaddy, along with his pastoral responsibilities, teaches in the Bible and Education Departments of the Georgia Baptist College. Recognizing his spiritual gifts, the church ordained Pastor Gaddy and voted for him to serve on the eldership of Peachtree Baptist Church in 1997.
On March, 2013 the Peachtree Baptist Church of Senoia sold their church and school campus at 6675 East Highway 16 to Coweta Charter Academy. The church purchased 96 acres on Georgia Highway 85 just north of Senoia. On April 5, 2015 our new church and educational facilities were dedicated to the Lord.
If you are looking for a Baptist church family that holds to Historical Baptist distinctives, including the doctrines of grace, stands uncompromisingly for the whole counsel of God’s Word, has God honoring music and biblical worship, and is missionary minded, then come join us. By the grace of God together we will continue to make Baptist church history for His glory.