Our History
Paran Baptist Church was organized on October 11, 1823 about two and one-half miles from our present location. There were twelve charter members and two who originally served as the Presbytery. The first mention of Sunday School classes was made in the meeting minutes from 1879.
The present sanctuary was built in 1904 and Sunday School rooms were added in 1959. An annex was constructed on the premises in 1961 and in that same year a pastorium was built in the vicinity of High Falls. A playground was added in 1998 and the Fellowship Hall along with additional Sunday School rooms were contructed in 2000. Landscaping around the new facility was completed in the summer of 2001 and the stained glass windows and vestibule were added in 2004.
Paran appears in the Historical Rural Churches of Georgia listings at https://www.hrcga.org/church/paran-baptist/.
Our Beliefs
Apostle's Creed | Baptist Faith and Message | Together for the Gospel
The Scriptures
The Bible was written by men divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the Scriptures, God completely reveals Himself to man. The Bible is perfect and true, without any error. It reveals the principles by which God judges us and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tested. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Matthew 5:17-18; II Timothy 3:15-17).
God
There is only one true and living God and He exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. He is perfectly holy and there are none like Him nor has there ever been or will be.
God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise (Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1; I Timothy 1:17).
God the Son
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin. He was wholly man and wholly God. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God. He died as the atonement for all of mankind’s sins; so that man could be reconciled to God through belief in Christ. He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and rules forever with God (Matthew 1:18-23; Matthew 26-28; John 1:1,14).
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired the writing of the Scriptures. He enables man to understand the truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts of sin. His presence in the Christian's life is the assurance of God to bring the believer to fullness in Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service (Genesis 1:2; Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:49).
Creation
The Genesis account is the historic record of God's creation activity over a literal six-day period (Heb. yom, meaning day); over the course of those 24-hour days, He created ex nihilo (Latin for "out of nothing") the entire universe and everything in it (Gen. 1-2, John 1:3, Col. 1:16).
Humanity
Humans were created by the special act of God, in His own image and are the crowning work of His creation. Man was created innocent of sin, but by his own choice he sinned against God. From that time on, mankind has been born with a natural inclination to sin which he cannot control. As soon as we are able, we all choose to sin and consequently are under the condemnation of sin. Only the grace of God, manifested in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ can reconcile sinful people to God (Genesis 1-3; Romans 3:23).
Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is offered freely to all who by faith accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation is the ultimate sign of God’s grace to mankind. Our just reward for sinful living is eternal separation from God. Christ’s death on the cross and His blood serve as the atoning sacrifice that allows sinful mankind to be reconciled to a Holy and Righteous God. This reconciliation is available to anyone who repents of their sin and through faith accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (Genesis 3:15; John 3:3-21; Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-22; Revelation 3:20).
The Church
The New Testament speaks of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages. The church is also spoken of in the New Testament as a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. The church is committed to the teachings of Christ, the spreading of the gospel to the ends of the earth, exercising the ministry of believers to one another through the use of the spiritual gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit, and the observance of the sacraments (Lord’s Supper and Baptism) (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42,47).
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances, or observances, that Christ instructed the church to practice (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 26:26-30; I Corinthians 11:23-29).
Apostle's Creed | Baptist Faith and Message | Together for the Gospel