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West Greenville Baptist Church has served as a community lighthouse of hope for over 79 years.

Greenville News article dated April 1, 1927:

                      Baptist Congregation New in Own Tabernacle
                    Have membership of 110 and a Large Sunday School

West Greenville, a growing town of more than 2.500 population now has two places of worship, being until recently the largest town in the state with only one church.

Beginning with a small Sunday School group the West Greenville Baptist congregation has increased until now. It has a building which will seat 800, a live-wire Sunday School, and a church membership of around 110.

All of the members are full of enthusiasm and the present indications that he church will continue to grow. Last Sunday night the first preaching services were held there. Rev. J.A. Davis, the pastor, preaching there. An unusally large attendance was reported at Sunday School last Sunday morning. T.M. Locke said steps would be taken to organize a B.Y.P.U.

With the exeception of the Weslyan Methodist Church, this is the only church in the town of West Greenville. A church has been needed in West Greenville for a long time, said one of the deacons of the new church. " Before the church was built, we held Sunday School in the school auditorium."

The approximate cost of the church is said to be about $800. In speaking of building the church. Mr. Locke said that the cooperation could not have been better. The pastor is reported to have put on a pair of overalls and worked as much as anybody.

The church is expected to have full-time service, two preaching services on Sunday, and prayer service on Wednesday evening. Rev. Davis is pastor of the new church, G. L. Baker is superintendent of the Sunday School and Mr. Locke is choir director.

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The Baptist Courier ~ Novenber 14, 1935:

                        West Greenville Baptist Church Historical Sketch

The West Greenville Baptist Church was organized in March of the year 1927 under the leadership of Rev. J.A. Davis with thirty-five charter members. The Church elected Rev. Davis as pastor.

The church realized a continual growth for about three years. At this period there arose circumstances over which the church had no control. For a period of twelve or fourteen months the church did not realize any progress.

In October of the year 1931, the church with about sixty members under the leadership of Rev. A.S. Lockee reorganized. Rev A. S. Lockee was elected pastor.

The West Greenville school house was used as a place of worship until the spring of 1932, when the present building was erected. Since that time the church has enjoyed a steady growth.

Brother Lockee served as pastor until the close of 1934. then the Rev. J. A. Smith, who was asistant pastor was elected pastor and serves at the present time.

A spirit of great interest permeates all the organizations, and the church is looking forward with enthusiam to improving the building, by making it more adequate for church and Sunday school.

The church has a membership of 239.

J.M. Watson,
Ed. C. Stephens,
C.D. Tuck....committee.

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Church records survey form for the Works Progress Administration
(WPA) for 1936   completed 10-30-1937 by Anne Bowen

1. County: Greenville   City or town: Greenville
2. Name of Church: West Greenville Street Address Perry Ave.
3. Denomination: Southern Baptist   Date organized March, 1927
4. Date of lapse, if now defunct: No lapse
5. Information as to previous buildings: First built in 1927, second in 1929. Both wood structures and located on Perry Ave but not on the same sites.
6. Date present building dedicated or consecrated: neither rebuilt: 1932
7. Architecture, bells inscriptions, special features of building: a square framed wood room structure. A plain front entrance no vestibule portico, etc. Belfry is a loft. The auditorium is square and ceiled throughout.
8. First settled clergyman: J.A. Davis Tenure 1927-1928 educational background: unknown
9.Minute books: 3 vols, leatherette hand books. 1928-1930, 1931-1934, 1936- Kept by clerk in his house. No minutes recorded in 1927 and 1935. Unable to gain further information.
10. Register books of bapisms, confirmations, marriages, members, deaths, 1 vol. 1927-- adjustable binder, No record of marriages kept by clerk and treasurer kept in his house.
11. Record books of Sunday School or other organizations: Six point entry system 1937 Prior to 1937 the standard record system 3 vols 1933, 1935, 1936.
12.Financial records, if separate: 1 vol. 1937 letherette binding reciepts and dispersements kept by treasurer in his home. Unable to locate records previous to 1937.
13. Unpublished historical sketches ( give author, title date when written and not if written in one of the record books) none
14. Published histories or historical sketches or directories, etc, ( give author, title place and date of publication) "Historical sketch of West Greenville Baptist Church" published in The Baptist Courier Greenville SC Nov. 14, 1935.
15. Other records, miscellaneous manuscript material, etc... None
16. Indicate by check condition of records: Excellent( ) Good ( X) Poor ( ) Very poor ( )
17 Other information particularly as to the orgins, history and previous names of the Church: Organized under the leadership of Rev. J. A. Davis with 30 or 35 charter members. In October 1931, the church was reorganized with about 60 members under the leadership of Rev. A. Lockee. west Greenville school house was used as a places of worship until the spring of 32, when the present building was erected.

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History of West Greenville Baptist Church as published in the 1981 Church Directory:

A Special meeting of the Town Council of West Greenville was called by the Honorable Mr. W.H. Cassels, Mayor, in December 1926 for the purpose of organizing a church in the West Greenville Township. On the first Sunday in January, 1927, the first Sunday School was organized with Mr. L.L. Baker elected as Superintendent. with permission of Mr. L.P.Hollis, Principal. A revival began in February in a tent on the school lawn with Rev. J. A. Davis doing the preaching.

AS a result of the revival, the church was organized March 17, 1927, and called West Greenville Baptist Tabernacle. Rev. J. A. Davis was elected the first pastor. Mrs. S. W. Ayers was the first President of the Woman's Missionary Society.

Rev. Davis resigned as pastor in May 1927, and Rev Earl Billinton was called as Pastor, serving until 1928. Rev. A. S. Lockee was called as pastor and served until the early part of 1929. Rev. John N. Wren was called as pastor serving until his regisnation in 1931. The church reorganized in 1931 and the name of the church was changed to West Greenville Baptist Church. Rev. A. S. Lockee was called back as pastor. A one room building was erected on the corner of Perry Avenue and Ervin street.

Rev. Lockee resigned in 1934 and Rev. J. A. Smith served as pastor until September 1936. Rev. Roy Gregg was called as pastor in December 1936. Under his leadership a new building was erected valued at $6.000.00. Mr. J.W.Watson was in charge of the work. the first service in the new building was held on the 25th of June, 1939. In 1941 Rev Gregg resigned and was succeeded by Rev. W. H. harbvin, who began his pastorate in January 1942. Rev Harbin resigned in 1944 and rev O.F. Owens was called , coming to the church first Sunday of March 1944.

Much progress was made during the 18 year pastorate of Rev. Owens, and the church moved forward both spiritually and financially. In the spring of 1962 work on a new building was started, but the building was not completed until after Rev. Owens retirement, June 24, 1962. A special program was planned and a new 1962 Ford was presented to rev and Mrs. O.F. Owens as an expression of love and appreciation. Rev Howard Wilson was then called as Supply Pastor.

Rev. Grady Bridwell was called as pastor on August 25, 1962. Under his leadership the new sanctuary was completed and dedicated to God. The membership grew and the "Forward Church Program of Finance" was adopted. Rev. Bridwell resigned Oct 1.1969 and Rev. Jack Lynch became Interim Pastor. Rev. C. Leon Chandler was called as Pastor on March 11, 1970. Under his leadership the church purchased the property fronting Pendleton Street. A sad experience for the church was the acceptance of Rev. Chandler's resignation because of illness. Again Rev. Jack Lynch became interim pastor. Rev. Carl Fiske was called as pastor February 12, 1978.