The Seventh Day Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale began in August, 2003, as a branch of the Miami Seventh Day Baptist Church. Residents of the Greater Fort Lauderdale area were driving to Miami to attend Church and as those numbers grew, the Miami Church established a goal to plant a SDB Church in Fort Lauderdale. The Church began to pray consistently for doors to open to make that goal a reality and weekly Bible Studies were held in homes in Fort Lauderdale for more than 15 years. Those efforts combined to provide the foundation for the establishment of the Church. A strong core group of people emerged through whom the Church would eventually be planted. Most of these leaders had the opportunity at one time or another, to practice their spiritual leadership skills in the Miami Church. Over time, the 30-50 minute drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami for Church, would take its toll on the very committed Fort Lauderdale residents and this provided accelerated incentive for the members to get the Fort Lauderdale Church off the ground. Furthermore, there is certainly a harvest of souls in the Fort Lauderdale area which needs to be reached with the Gospel through the ministry of a Seventh Day Baptist Church.
In the year 2000, the Memorial Board of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference approved a matching grant for the planting of the Church in Fort Lauderdale. The Miami Church decided that January, 2003 would be the planting of the Church, thus a diligent search began for suitable rental facilities. After many inquiries, many visits to prospective Churches, and many telephone calls to Pastors, the New Atonement Worship Center at 441 South State Road 7 in Margate, opened its doors to give birth to the Seventh Day Baptist Church Of Fort Lauderdale. In July, 2003, the Miami Church commissioned a core group to be the pioneers for the long-awaited new Church. The first Worship Service was held on Sabbath, August 2, 2003, and the Church has consistently met since then.
In its first year of existence, the Church became a member of the South Atlantic Association of Seventh Day Baptist Churches, which encompasses SDB Churches in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. After two years, the Church was accepted into the membership of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference of USA and Canada. The Church presently meets in a different location from its original meeting place and continues to share a common Pastor with its Mother Church. Its growth has been slow but steady and it anticipates exciting times ahead as it fulfills its mission.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT: We exist to bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ, develop them to Christlike maturity, and empower them for a meaningful ministry in the Church and a life mission in the world, in order to glorify God.
