Faith Forward 2026

These are exciting days for our First Family as we continue to steward God’s blessings and prepare for future kingdom growth. As we live in pursuit of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, the time has come to expand and improve our church facilities. The Facilities Project we are undertaking is a product of significant prayer and planning and relates to every age group in our church. It will provide a new home for our preschool and give our First Family significant capacity for future growth. While the projected cost of this total project ($6.1 million) is significant, our God is able to supply all our needs! This is why I am calling on our First Family once again to move forward in faith and obedience (Hebrews 11:1).

Over the next several weeks, we will embark on a spiritual journey toward the vision God has given us to accomplish. We will emphasize the CALL of God, the WORD of God, the AWE of God, and the RESPONSE of God’s people. Through prayer, consideration of God’s Word, and our personal commitment, I am confident we can accomplish this Facilities Project together. Our emphasis will be “equal sacrifice,” not “equal gifts.” Some can do much. Some can do less. All can do something as God leads and enables. When we come together as a spiritual family to exercise faith and entrust our resources to God, He promises to bless us “beyond measure.” For He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Calhoun First Baptist History

1852 - Located at the foot of Chandler Hill, the church moved to the corner of Piedmont and Cove Streets soon afterwards

1888 - A cyclone destroyed the church building, but the congregation was able to rebuild in 6 months

1921 - “Rock Church” construction began and was finished in 1923

1956 - Membership broke ground for a new educational annex

1972 - Facilities study showed a new structure was needed

1975 - FBC moved to College Street

1983 - Fellowship hall, music rooms, offices, and additional Sunday school classrooms added

Space

1980’s and 1990’s - Adjoining lots purchased for parking lot expansion

2004 - Existing preschool building was built

2014 - Development of 2 new parking lots (Fain St. and College St.), adding 80 new parking spaces

Space

2017 - The first FAITH FORWARD Project was completed.

This project included addition of the People Street connecting our buildings and making them handicap accessible, complete renovation of the 3-story educational building, complete renovation of one-story educational building along Fain Street, and complete renovation of the sanctuary.

Why Faith Forward?

The NEED

As our pastor shared with the church on September 7, 2025, we have two big needs that need to be addressed: providing a viable space for our weekday preschool and increasing our attendance capacity to 600 in worship and 500 in Sunday school. These two goals can be accomplished by addressing four specific needs: building a new preschool building, providing 60 new parking spaces, adding new classrooms for median and senior adults, and providing a larger space for Wednesday night programming for a growing Student Ministry.

The PROJECT

Our First Family approved the proposed facilities project presented to the church on January 25, 2026. The project includes:

construction of a new 9500 sf preschool building (this will require the demolition of the existing preschool building) and a new preschool playground adjacent to the new preschool building
construction of a new 1950 sf choir suite
renovation of the existing choir suite into 3 adult classrooms and one resource room
renovation of the existing racquetball court into 4 new classes (to be used by our Student Ministry on Wednesday nights and for adult classes on Sunday mornings)
development of a new 60 space parking lot (this will require the demolition of the pastorium and the adjacent playground).

The COST

The estimated cost of the project is $6,143,000. This includes all pieces of the facilities project detailed above. Our church has been blessed by God through the obedience of His people and stands in a good fiscal position to take on this project. We believe God will once again prove faithful and provide for His Kingdom work as we once again move forward in faith.