Discover our mission, beliefs, and the people who make Friendship Baptist Church a spiritual home
Sharing the Word of God, Transforming Minds, and Changing Lives.
The purpose of this Church shall be to foster and maintain public worship, to carry out the great Commission of Jesus Christ, to promote Christian fellowship, spiritual growth among its members, Bible study, instruction in Bible Doctrine, and to combine the efforts of individual members in evangelism, mission, education, and benevolence.
Friendship Baptist Church Mission Statement is to be a redemptive body in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, committed to worship, to proclaim, to witness, to nurture, to educate, to minister in order to grow toward Christian maturity and to demonstrate to all the world what God has done, is doing and promises to do in Jesus Christ, to the end that God's purpose may be achieved.
We worship God with our whole hearts through prayer, praise, and devotion to His Word.
We build authentic community through Christian fellowship and genuine care for one another.
We reach out with the Gospel and serve our community with Christ's compassion.
We hold to the 18 Articles of Faith as outlined in Baptist doctrine.
We believe the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction with God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error.
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.
We believe the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who made a full atonement for our sins.
We believe Justification includes the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life, bestowed solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood.
We believe a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
We believe Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, and the Lord's Supper commemorates together the dying love of Christ.
Friendship Baptist Church was established in 1866 by Rev. J.G. Phillips and has always served as a beacon in this community.
Friendship African Baptist Church had its origin in a brush harbor on Kershaw Street on the southern side of the railroad in Aiken. After the Civil War, this group of brush harbor worshipers was taken in by the First Baptist Church.
Reverend John G. Phillips, an ex-slave, aided by Reverend Luscious Cuthberth, a white minister, led the community in building Friendship African Baptist Church. The construction of the church was completed in 1866.
In 1893 while an annual revival was in session, a fire of unknown origin completely destroyed the original church. Rev. Phillips led the congregation in building a new "brick" church completed in 1894. The Gothic architecture was designed by Mr. S. Otts, with the interior ceiling designed in the formation of a cross.
The pipe organ was installed around 1920 and is one of 1302 organs built by the Hillgreen-Lane Company. The Church Parsonage (now the FBC Administrative Building) was built by Rev. Edenberg Graham in 1920, who also built the pews and elevated the Choir stand in 1923.
The N. L. Bush Educational Building was constructed to support the growing ministries of the church. It was later enlarged in 1977.
Rev. Clinton Edwards, Jr. officially began his tenure as Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church on January 1, 2005. Under his leadership, the church has adopted "Study to shew thyself approved unto God" (II Timothy 2:15) as their theme scripture.
On May 19, 2023, Friendship Baptist Church was recognized by the Aiken County Historical Society with its Historical Marker, commemorating over 150 years of faithful service to the Aiken community.
We envision Friendship Baptist Church as a thriving, multigenerational community where every person discovers their purpose, experiences genuine fellowship, and grows in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Creating transformative worship experiences that honor God and inspire hearts
Equipping believers to grow in faith and live out their calling
Serving our neighbors and meeting needs with Christ's love
Supporting missionaries and spreading the Gospel around the world
Pastor
Rev. Edwards holds a Master of Divinity from Erskine Theological Seminary. He began his tenure as Pastor on January 1, 2005, and has led FBC with dedication for over 20 years.
Contact →Associate Minister
Minister Hightower serves alongside Pastor Edwards in ministry, supporting the spiritual growth and pastoral care of our congregation.
Contact →Director of Music
Brother Williams leads our music ministry, directing our choirs and worship teams in glorifying God through music.
Contact →Administrative Secretary
Sister Johnson manages the church office operations, serving as a vital point of contact for the congregation and community.
Contact →Church Clerk
Sister Toney faithfully maintains church records and documentation, ensuring accurate record-keeping for our congregation.
Contact →Treasurer
Brother Hammonds oversees the financial stewardship of the church, ensuring responsible management of God's resources.
Contact →Earnest Saylor (Chairman) • Frank Wright (Vice Chairman) • Willie Green • Charles Mitchell • William Price • Flip Quiller • Isaac Rucker • Leonard Harrison (Emeritus)