About Us
Our History
Since its organization in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown to 15.8 million members who worship in more than 40,000 churches in the United States. Southern Baptists sponsor about 5,000 North American Missionaries serving in the United States, Canada, Guam and the Caribbean, as well as sponsoring more than 4,000 International Missionaries in 126 nations of the world.
The term Southern Baptist Convention denotes both the denomination and its annual meeting. Working through 1,221 local associations and 39 state conventions and fellowships, Southern Baptist share a common bond of basic biblical beliefs and a commitment to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world.
The conventions purpose, as stated in Article II of its constitution, is “to provide a general organization for Baptists in the United States and its territories for the promotion of Christian missions at home and abroad, and any other objects such as Christian education, benevolent enterprises, and social services, which it may deem properly advisable for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.”
The annual Convention meeting consist of representatives, or “messengers” as they are called, from cooperating churches, who gather to confer and determine the programs, policies and budget of the Convention. Each church may be represented by up to 10 messengers, ensuring equal accessibility for small and large congregations alike.
The Southern Baptist Convention manages its worldwide efforts through 12 boards and agencies that are organized for various ministry endeavors. Support for its work comes from contributions through the Cooperative Program, a plan of giving that enables individual churches to share in these extensive national and international ministries.
Our Heritage
Members of the Baptist faith living in the present Elloree vicinity were forced to travel ten to fifteen miles, through dense woods and swamps on poorly defined trails, to hear the Gospel preached at Four Holes Baptist Church. As member numbers grew, they saw the need to have a church located closer to home. They chose the spot where the Santee Branch crossed the Old Moncks Corner Road as the first site of the meeting house. The land was given by Hermon and Catherine Rush in 1808.
By 1832, the congregation had grown. Some members established a church called Antioch to be closer to their homes, but by 1951 it was disbanded and members returned back to Santee Baptist. The old meeting house was used for the services until Henry Rush gave additional land to expand on in the same year. To the right of the old church was the burial ground that is still used by the church today and bears the name Santee.
William Judson Snider, was a licensed preacher of the church in 1857. He offered land to the church, in the newly chartered town of Elloree, at the corner of Main and Wolfe Streets. To celebrate the one hundredth anniversary, the members voted to build a new brick building on the site in Elloree.
Because the nearby town of Santee might someday have a church whose name would be a cause of confusion, the members of Santee Baptist voted in 1954 to change the name to First Baptist Church of Elloree.
Four Ships of the Church
As a member there are some important facts for you to know about the church. These foundational principles for the church’s ministry can help you grow as a Christian and will also help you to grow into a faithful, active member of Elloree First Baptist.
Think of it this way. The church has four primary functions in ministry. These may be called the Four Ships of the Church.
DiscipleSHIP - As you become involved at Elloree FBC it is important that you be discipled. This means that you need to be trained and taught Biblical spiritual principles that will help you to grow as a Christian. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, a new convert or a mature Christian, you need discipleship. This can come through Sermons, Sunday School, Discipleship Classes, or Spiritual Mentors.
Acts 11:21-26 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
StewardSHIP - As you begin to understand that God has blessed you and your family, you will grow to discover that all you possess is really His. God has placed you as a steward over the things He has blessed you with. The things you own should be used for God’s glory. You have a responsibility to help brothers and sisters in distress and to support the ministries of the church with your tithe.
What is a tithe? In Old Testament days a tithe was ten percent of one’s possessions given as an offering. Ten percent of your wages should be contributed to the church. This is your tithe. You may give to other causes through the church such as Mission Offerings, but your tithe should be a faithful gift to God.
Is tithing hard? It is hard to start, but once you do you will discover that you can never out give God. If you are faithful to Him with your finances He will bless you.
Malachi 3:9-11 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, “says the LORD Almighty,” and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
FellowSHIP - Building relationships with fellow Christians is important. We can lean on each other, we can pray for each other, and we can encourage each other. Everyone wants to be loved and cared for. As you make your home here at Elloree FBC, I would encourage you to get involved with a Sunday School Class. Sunday School is great way to enjoy fellowship with other Christians.
Acts 2:41-42 Those who accepted His message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
WorSHIP - Worshiping God is the most important thing we will do at Elloree FBC! When we worship God we give Him our praise and adoration for who He is. We worship through prayer, singing, giving our tithes, testimony, and sharing God’s word. When you come to worship you may be asking yourself the question: “What am I going to get out of this today?” This is the wrong question. For worship is not about us, it is about and for God. The question we should be asking is: “What can I give God today (my praise, my thanks) in worship?
Psalm 100:2-3 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.