History of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

For quite a while, these 40 people met in different homes, carrying on services, until a lot was leased on S. Caldwell, and a small structure began to take form. Soon after moving into their new location, the growth of the church was so rapid that this space soon became inadequate. A new site was soon found at the corner of E. First and S. Brevard Streets.

In addition to Rev. Lewis, Friendship has been blessed with eleven God loving and outstanding pastors prior to Pastor Jones. During this period, the Friendship family grew and moved to our former location at 3301 Beatties Ford Road in July 1970. Immediately before Pastor Jones was called to Friendship, Rev. Colemon W. Kerry, Jr. served untiringly for thirty-three years as pastor of the Friendship family. God called him from this life on Dec. 30, 1981.

In October of 1982, the church called the Rev. Dr. Clifford A. Jones, Sr. to become our thirteenth pastor. Many mission outreach programs have been established, including the Youth Opportunity University and the International Studies Program. Friendship, a tithing church, strives to serve the local community and participates in numerous foreign mission projects. Its theme for years has been: “Servants Affirming God’s Word Globally.”

Through continued growth and development of the church, the Friendship family moved to our current location at 3400 Beatties Ford Road in August 2006. Our 3301 Campus houses the Marizetta Kerry Child Development Center, Friendship Day School, and the neighboring Friendship Community Development Corporation.

Of necessity biblical history enlightens us to know that the Christian church is divinely called, maintained and is a spiritually perpetuating organism. The Church is the earthen extension of the resurrected Christ who triumphantly reigns and resides with God the Father. The Church is the body of Christ with members functioning in the community through teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayers. It was our Lord Jesus Christ, prior to the Crucifixion, who told the first tepid followers that, “upon this rock (faith in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God) I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)