On Sunday, Sept. 28, a congregation of 52 empowered Kingdom growth as they broke ground at the first church building site for Joy Baptist Church in Charleston.  Pastor Darrell Coulter, with his wife and daughter, planted the church in 1997 as an inner city ministry in the Gadsden Green community in Charleston.

Under the groundbreaking ceremony theme “Staking your claim in Gadsden Green,” church members, friends and loyal supporters literally drove stakes—each with the name of a person to pray for or a Scripture verse—into the ground where the church building will stand. 

“We are building in the center of spiritual poverty where drugs, alcohol and violence are everywhere,” said Coulter, who has a very personal connection with Gadsden Green, having grown up in the community.  “The Lord saved me and has brought me back to the place where my sins originated,” he said.

The vision of Joy Baptist Church is two fold—to be an agent of racial reconciliation and to reach the Gadsden Green community for Christ.  When asked how the church is fulfilling its vision, Coulter responded, “We meet the physical needs of the people in the community first, then they give us the right to share Christ with them.”

Three local churches, Riverbluff Church, East Cooper Church and First Church in Charleston, have partnered with Joy Baptist Church to reach and transform the inner city.  Coulter said that these three churches are empowering Kingdom growth by partnering with Joy Baptist Church, and that they are wonderful examples of true partnership.

“These three churches are investing their resources in a vision, and this should motivate other churches within the convention to do the same,” said Coulter, who also said that this partnership has helped Joy Baptist Church meet its goals despite the church’s limited resources of people and finances.

“It’s not glamorous.  We just want to reach the inner city, and we need prayer as we move forth in this endeavor,” Coulter said.

The next step for Joy Baptist Church is to begin constructing the church building as they continue empowering Kingdom growth.

For more information, or to learn about ministry opportunities in the Gadsen Green community, contact Coulter at (843) 763-7071 or by email at joyrev@juno.com.