Pray with Us
Please pray with us about an important gift and opportunity that is being presented to FBC Peachtree City. After years of decline and struggle to recover after the COVID pandemic, The Rock Baptist Church, located on Sandy Creek Road at Highway 74, has closed. They held their final service on October 5. To preserve their investment for Great Commission ministry, they would like to gift their church property to our church, valued at $2 million. In exchange for this gift, FBC Peachtree City would become responsible for managing the property, paying a real estate fee, paying closing costs, and a portion of their pastor’s severance, totaling about $90,000. The Ministry Advisory Council (MAC) is in favor of accepting this gift and has recommended it to the church for a vote.
Congregational Vote
In accordance with our bylaws, our church family must vote to accept this gift. A show of hand vote will take place during services on November 2. Please review the information below. If you have further questions, please send an email to Pastor Chip Yeager.
What will it cost?
The $2 million property is being gifted to us, and in return, we will cover the closing costs, realtor fees, and one year’s severance for the former pastor, which together total $90,000. As a church, the property is exempt from property taxes, and we do not plan to undertake any renovations. The building has been inspected and is in good working condition.
There is a cemetery on the property, which will require some basic maintenance, like mowing the grass. A perpetual fund with the Georgia Baptist Foundation was established to manage these costs. Basic monthly bills, including utilities, are around $2,000.
There is a cemetery on the property, which will require some basic maintenance, like mowing the grass. A perpetual fund with the Georgia Baptist Foundation was established to manage these costs. Basic monthly bills, including utilities, are around $2,000.
Why vote on November 2?
The timeliness of this gift and the need for the Rock Baptist Church to close their books by the end of 2025 are driving the timeline. The FBC Peachtree City Constitution and By-laws require that the church vote in matters that include acquiring property. We will be holding a raised-hand vote during Worship Services on November 2.
Why did they gift it to FBC?
We learned of the closing of The Rock Baptist Church through a conversation with the Associational Mission Strategist for the Fairburn Association, Jimmy Kinnaird. Pastor Joey then reached out to the pastor of the Rock Church, who shared plans of the sale of the property. When the sale fell through, The Rock reached out to Pastor Joey and offered their property as a gift to our church so that the resources or proceeds from its sale could be preserved for Great Commission ministry. The previous sale agreement included covering closing costs, real estate fees, and paying a portion of the pastor’s severance. We have agreed to the same terms upon an affirmative vote from our church.
How will we use the property?
The timing of this opportunity and our ability to participate materialized quickly, so we are still exploring ways to utilize this God-given resource. Currently, we are exploring options to plant a new autonomous church in the North Fayette County area, to sell the property and use the resources to fund further church planting efforts as part of our ongoing missions effort, or to use the proceeds to develop our current ministries further. The Ministry Advisory Council will be looking at options to determine our best next step over the next few months. One thing we do know is that we will not be using the property as a satellite campus for FBC Peachtree City.