First Baptist Church of Atlanta, is a
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
megachurch
A megachurch is a church with an unusually large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities, usually Protestant or Evangelical. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant C ...
located in
Dunwoody, Georgia
Dunwoody is a city located in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As a northern suburb of Atlanta, Dunwoody is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It was incorporated as a city on December 1, 2008 but its area establishment dates back to t ...
, a northern suburb of Atlanta. It is affiliated with the
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...
. Originally located in Atlanta city limits, First Baptist Atlanta moved to the suburb of Dunwoody, Georgia. The senior pastor is Anthony George, succeeding the long-tenured and well known
Charles Stanley
Charles Frazier Stanley (born 1932) is Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, after serving as senior pastor for 49 years. He is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, which widely broadcasts his sermons through te ...
who pastored there for 49 years.
History
![First Baptist Church, Atlanta, 1907](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/First_Baptist_Church%2C_Atlanta%2C_1907.png)
The church was founded in 1848 in midtown
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. In the late 20th century, a commercial facility was purchased on Atlanta's Interstate 285 and the church relocated to the larger, more accessible property in
Dekalb County DeKalb County may refer to one of several counties in the United States, all of which were named for Baron Johan DeKalb:
* DeKalb County, Alabama
* DeKalb County, Georgia
* DeKalb County, Illinois
* DeKalb County, Indiana
* DeKalb County, Missour ...
. In 2006, the church inaugurated the new building.
On September 13, 2020,
Charles Stanley
Charles Frazier Stanley (born 1932) is Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, after serving as senior pastor for 49 years. He is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, which widely broadcasts his sermons through te ...
, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, announced his transition to pastor emeritus after having been senior pastor of the church since 1971. In 2017, Anthony George was named as Stanley's successor.
Ministries
First Baptist Church Atlanta began a television and radio ministry in 1972, one year after Stanley became the senior pastor.
[John Blake]
Two preaching giants and the 'betrayal' that tore them apart
cnn.com, USA, November 19, 2012 It is now known as
In Touch Ministries
In Touch Ministries is a Christian evangelical organization that produces and distributes media and resources, including radio and television programs, podcasts, articles, and books, with the goal of spreading the message of the Gospel and help ...
. Together, the teaching of Stanley and beliefs of FBA are available globally—translated into more than 100 languages via radio, television broadcast, audiotapes, videotapes, CDs, DVDs, pamphlets, books and a monthly devotional magazine, In Touch.
References
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External links
First Baptist Atlanta WebsiteIn Touch Website
Evangelical megachurches in the United States
Megachurches in Georgia
Baptist churches in Atlanta
Southern Baptist Convention churches
Religious organizations established in 1848
1848 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)