First Baptist Church of Conestee-About Us

Pastor Tony J. Finney grew up in Winston Salem, NC, and came to Greenville, SC, in 1980 to attend Tabernacle Baptist Bible College. After graduating in the spring of 1984, he was called to pastor the First Baptist Church of Conestee in November and has been serving faithfully as our pastor for more than 30 years.

Pastor Tony Finney also travels as an itinerant minister doing the work of an evangelist and preaching revival meetings with the express purpose of communicating the mind of God to the hearts of Gods’ people!

Today, Pastor Finney and his wife Lynn continue to faithfully labor for the cause of Christ, serving the Lord and the families of the First Baptist Church.

Brother Steven Aldridge grew up in Pageland, SC. After serving for 12 years as the pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Pageland, SC, the Lord allowed Bro. Aldridge to step away from all he had known, and in July of 2019 to become the assstant pastor, and youth department leader, here at the First Baptist Church of Connestee.

Brother Aldridge also travels as an itinerant minister focusing on the youth. He participates in youth camps, and preaches revival meetings with the express purpose of communicating the love of God and the gospel of truth to the young people of America!

Today, Brother Aldridge and his wife Crystal continue their faithful labor for the Lord here at the First Baptist Church.

We are an Independent Baptist Church, With an emphasis on the Word of God, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Family, and our Responsibility as Bible Believers. The First Baptist Church of Conestee endeavors to maintain a spiritual environment where people of all ages can grow in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.

Our church was established over 100 years ago. The land on which the church is built was given to the community by the Conestee Mill for $1.00 to start the church. For all these years the Lord has enabled the church to remain in the community as the First Baptist Church and has allowed the congregation to grow and our facility to expand. Throughout our history there have been a number of pastors including J. Harold Smith. Our current pastor has served for more than 30 years.

During these 30+ years the Lord has led in many construction projects which have completely changed the property. The church moved the parsonage and added a gymnasium in 1993. In 2000 as the congregation grew, the church started construction of a new auditorium which was completed in December of 2001.

In 1994 the Lord was kind to raise up Conestee Baptist Day School which was established with the sole purpose of training the young people of the church. More than 25 years later, the school is still ministering to the young people of the church family.

The Bible

We believe that the King James Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21

God

We believe that God is a Person, eternally existing, as a Trinity in unity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three Persons, yet one God. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 26:19; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, who became a sinless man in order to redeem us. He was born of a virgin, and is true God and true man. Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-15; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. He is equal in essence to both God the Father and God the Son. John 16:13, Acts 2:4, 5:9, 8:29

Sin

We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell through sin, bringing not only physical death, but also spiritual death or eternal separation from God. Now all of mankind exists as a fallen race, with an inherited sinful nature. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16, 3:16-19; Romans 3:10-23; 6:23

Sacrifice of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the whole world. He physically arose from the dead and then ascended into Heaven. Simple faith in this sacrifice is the only way of salvation for mankind. Luke 24; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 5:8-9; I Peter 3:18

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible format of repentance toward God (turning away from all other means of salvation and toward Christ and His blood atonement) and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; I Corinthians 1:4-8

Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

We believe, based on the Bible, that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1, 38-39

Service

The local church is a group of believers baptized by immersion, banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission; preaching the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15; I Corinthians 12:12; 15:58; Ephesians 1:22-23