About Us

Together we are a community of believers. What does that mean, the word community? We believe that together in fellowship we grow closer to God and one another. The bible speaks about iron sharpening iron. We believe that together we grow stronger. We are a community of believers.

We strive to be a church without walls. Jesus calls for us to go outside the walls to reach the lost and the broken. It is there that the lost will be found. Most churches find it is comfortable to stay within the walls, but we make it an effort to be like the church from the book of Acts, to see our city changed.

We highly value our relationships with one another. We look to grow through fellowship, and ultimately growing closer to God. We value the word of God, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We look to extend grace to all of the lost and broken, and lead those with no hope to the hope of Jesus Christ.

Our History Eastside Baptist Church of Atlanta was constituted in 1910 at 102 Flat Shoals Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA. This is in the community called Reynoldstown in East Atlanta.

From 1919 until 1944 Eastside had many wonderful pastors minister in this location. In 1945 Eastside called Rev. Guy Rainwater to serve as pastor. Pastor Rainwater served Eastside for 37½ years.

In 1951 the church purchased property at 230 Stovall Street. On the 4th Sunday in July, 1951, the church family moved a few blocks over to 230 Stovall Street. In 1956, a three-story educational building was built.

In 1974, Eastside built a church, fellowship hall and parsonage on eleven beautiful acres of land at 3600 Snapfinger Road, Lithonia, GA.

Following Guy Rainwater, James Ward became the pastor of Eastside in 1984. Pastor Ward served Eastside for 17 years. During his tenure he led the church to sell the church campus on Snapfinger Road and move to Rockdale County. Eastside met temporally in a rented facility in Stockbridge while purchasing the land and building at the current location. That move was completed in 2000.

Eastside has sent out the following ministers: Rev. E. N. Ledford, Rev. Roy Smith, Rev. Joe B. Eubanks, Rev. Cary Etheridge, Rev. C. H. Simpson, Rev. Kelly Runyan, Rev. John Rainey, Rev. Mike Roper, Rev. Rob Rhew, Rev. Mike Mullins, Rev. Randy Davis, Rev. Michael Thomas and Chaplain Blair Davis. Rev. and Mrs. Paul H. Cornett have gone out as missionaries.

In 2002, Eastside called Bob Halstead as Senior Pastor. In 2012, however, Eastside transitioned from being a Senior-Pastor-led church to an Elder-Body-led church. Eastside’s current Elders are Bob Halstead, Mike Martin, and Jeff Newton.

In essential beliefs — we have unity.

Ephesians 4:4-6 4) There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6) one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

In non-essential beliefs — we have liberty.

Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22 1) Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 4) Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 12) So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 22) The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

In all our beliefs — we show charity.

1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

This doctrinal statement reflects our conservative Baptist tradition which is consistent with the teachings of the Bible and which has stood the test of history and experience. We specifically affirm the following doctrinal truths:

We believe that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity and is the only begotten eternal Son of God Who became flesh to reveal God to man, to fulfill prophecy, and to become the Savior of the lost world. In becoming man, Jesus did not cease in any way to be God so that He is fully God and fully man inseparably united in one person forever. Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary; lived a sinless life; died on the cross as the substitutionary, all-sufficient atoning sacrifice for all of the sins of all men of all time; was buried; bodily rose from the dead; physically ascended into heaven in His glorified, resurrected body; is seated at the right hand of the Father performing His ministry of intercession; will return in the air to claim His bride the church; and will come again to earth in bodily form, personally and visibly, to conclude human history and consummate God’s eternal plan by executing judgment and ushering in His Millennial Kingdom reign to be followed by the eternal state (John 1:1, 14, 18; John 3:16 ; Luke 1:30-35 ; Phil. 2:5-8 ; Col. 2:3, 9 ; Mark 10:45 ; Acts 2:22-24 ; John 1:29 ; Rom. 3:25-26 ; Heb. 10:5-14 ; 1 Pet. 2:24 , 1 Pet. 3:18 ; John 20:20 ; Phil. 3:20-21 ; Heb. 1:3 ; Rom. 8:34 ; 1 John 2:1 ; Acts 1:11 ; Heb. 9:28 ; 1 Thes. 4:13-18 ; 2 Thes. 2:7 ; Matt. 24:44 ; Rev. 19:11-21; Rev. 21-22).

We believe that man was created in the image of God by direct act of God and did not come into being as the result of evolution. Man was created to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death, which alienated him from God. Man’s nature was thus corrupted and he is utterly lost, dead in trespasses and sins, and totally incapable of saving himself and coming back into right relationship with God by his own merit or effort (Gen. 1:26 , Gen. 2:6, 17 , Gen. 3:17-24 ; Isa. 59:1-2 ; Rom. 3:9-19, 23, Rom. 5:8 ; Luke 18:26-27 ; Eph. 2:13).

We believe that Satan is the instigator of evil and a real spirit being, not simply the personification of evil. He is a fallen angel who, under the sovereign permission of God, has been given temporary rulership of the earth. He was utterly defeated at the cross, but the execution of his judgment has been postponed by God until after the Millennial Kingdom when he will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. In the meantime, he deceives the world and seeks to establish his counterfeit kingdom on earth to discredit and blaspheme God and to tempt, accuse, attack and destroy believers. He can be resisted by the believer through faith and reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit (Gen. 3:1-5 ; Isa. 14:12-17 ; Ezek. 28:11-19 ; Job 1-2 ; 1 John 5:19 ; 2 Cor. 11:14 ; 1 Tim. 3:6 ; 1 Pet. 5:8-9 ; James 4:7 ; Rev. 12:9 , Rev. 20:1-3 , Rev. 7-10).

We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of God’s grace. Salvation is affected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and cannot be secured by man’s works or personal merit. Salvation is only appropriated by a person placing his faith in the finished work of Christ. Repentance is a turning toward God and away from sin and is a part of but not separate from believing faith. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes and those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are born again, have their sins forgiven, become children of God, are a new creation in Christ, and are sealed by the Holy spirit unto the day of redemption being kept by the power of God (Eph. 1:7, 13-14 ; John 1:12-13 , John 3:1-7 , John 14-16 ; 2 Cor. 5:17 ; Rom. 1:16 , Rom. 10:9-10 ; Eph. 2:8-10 ; Rom. 8:14-17 , Rom. 31-39 ; John 10:27-29 , Rom. 14:6 ; Acts 26:20 ; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).

We believe that every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should, by the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. By ever increasing obedience to the Word of God, each believer should mature and progressively become more like Jesus. In the power of the Spirit, each believer should live a holy life; not fulfill the lusts of the flesh; exercise his spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ; witness for Christ; be personally involved in making disciples to fulfill the great commission; perform good works and bear fruit to the glory of God (Gal. 2:20 ; 1 Pet. 1:15-16 , 1 Pet. 2:11 ; 2 Cor. 5:14-15 ; Rom. 6:11-13 ; Eph. 2:10 , Eph. 4:11-12 , Eph. 4:22-24 ; 1 Pet. 4:10-11 ; Acts 1:8 ; Matt. 28:18-20 ; Col. 1:10 ; John 15:8 , 16).

We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those sectarian or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation of the Bible, which do not relate to substantive doctrinal matters, and which do not in practice cause disunity or hinder the ministry. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men and to make disciples, and glorify God on earth (Acts 1:8 ; 1 Cor. 12:12-27 ; Eph. 1:20-23 , Eph. 4:1-6 , Eph. 4:12-16 ; Matt. 28:18-20 ; John 17 ; Col. 1:24-29).