CHURCH HISTORY

CHURCH HISTORY

Paradise Baptist Church congregation was organized as a Mission on February 8, 1929 in the home of Sister E. M. Hill and later as a church congregation on April 13, 1929 with Rev. N. C, Cannon as the first pastor. Soon after organizing, the church moved to our first church house located at 1811 North 23^rd Street, which is now the present location of St. Paul Baptist Church.

Other pastors who served between 1931 and 1938 are: Rev. P. M. Harris, Rev. J. T. Carter, Rev. Banks, and Rev. L. H. Hervey.

As Paradise continued to grow, the late Rev. C. Adams became pastor in 1938. Under the strong leadership of Rev. Adams, the mortgage was paid off on the church house at 1811 North 23^rd St. in August, 1943. He also incorporated the church as an organization in 1956. Rev. Adams was a visionary and in 1958 he marched the Paradise Baptist Church family into our present location – 2124 Lothrop Street. The mortgage was burned on this building in 1962 under the leadership of Rev. Adams. After Rev. Adams health failed in 1965, the Rev. H. R. Turner became the Pastor.

In 1967, Rev. Willie J. Washington became our Pastor. Under Pastor Washington’s leadership, the membership grew tremendously. He built a strong educational department. The music ministry increased from one choir to five choirs, with one choir named after him – The W. J. Washington Choir. In 1981, we acquired the two properties next door to make way for parking. In 1994, our church house received extensive remodeling in our sanctuary and bathrooms. The Lord took Pastor Washington home on February 27, 2000, however, we were blessed under his leadership and his legacy will be with us forever.

Paradise has come a long way. The Lord blessed us in the new millennium with our current Pastor, Dr. Thomas L. Smith, who was officially installed in May, 2000. Some of the important events of Dr. Smith’s life happened while he was a member here at the Paradise Baptist Church in the 1970’s. He married the second daughter of Pastor Washington, Sister Ina Smith on July 12, 1975. He preached his first sermon here on March 12, 1978, and was licensed and ordained as a Minister of the Gospel under the leadership of Pastor Washington. Dr. Smith is committed to realizing the late Pastor Washington’s dream of building a new facility. He is committed to Building a Healthy Church to Serve an Unhealthy Society! Paradise has been blessed under his strong leadership in our Christian Education growth, our Youth Ministry, the purchase of a van, as well as our Stewardship. Our continued prayer as a Church Family is to continue to work together to accomplish even greater things in the Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.