The History of The Way
Our history is tied into the rich 94-year history of our mother church, Elizabeth Baptist Church. On January 26, 2014, EBC opened its fifth location in Conyers, GA. As one church in multi-locations EBC thrived in the Conyers community. After a few months of preaching from members of the Collaborative Preaching Team, Pastor Craig L. Oliver, Sr. appointed Rev. Darrell E. Hall to serve as Campus Pastor. EBC Conyers was the first campus of EBC’s to have an appointed Campus Pastor. Rev. Hall began serving the Conyers campus in May of 2014. With an average weekly attendance of approximately 70 people, EBC Conyers had plenty of room to grow. For the next few years, the congregation grew immensely to a weekly attendance of approximately 500. The growth required the addition of a mid-week Bible Study and a second Sunday morning service which begin the first Sunday of January 2017.
EBC Conyers’ growth was fueled by men’s life groups, Connect Cards, guest services teams, and a power packed streamlined worship experience. Men testified to the radical change in their lives through life groups, men’s studies, and prayer groups. Couples thrived in co-ed life groups and fellowship gatherings with relational accountability. The youth grew spiritually through enriching lessons and healthy relationships with adult servant leaders. The growth in the Greenhouse was so special that their facilities needed to be renovated to accommodate their sacred space. The intergenerational culture of EBC Conyers inspired the doctoral work of Rev. Hall. He and the congregation collaborated to develop the research around effective intergenerational preaching. After his graduation, Dr. Hall published Speaking Across Generations. In his book, Dr. Hall shared the stories he had gathered from his experiences at EBC with specific insight he gleaned from the focus groups within EBC Conyers.
EBC Conyers displayed her true resilience through the global pandemic of 2020 and subsequent shutdown for almost two years. Even without meeting weekly for worship in Conyers, the church thrived. Leaders rose to the occasion to ensure that thousands of people were distributed groceries every week during the pandemic. Life groups continued to meet virtually as disciples were being made. When in-person worship reengaged on Palm Sunday 2022, the congregation remained strong. During this season, Bishop Oliver and Dr. Hall were assured that the long anticipated time to plant the church was imminent.
As of January 22, 2023, on her 9th birthday, EBC Conyers was officially planted as The Way Community Church. The Way Community Church made history as the first official autonomous church plant of Elizabeth Baptist Church. Bishop Craig L. Oliver Sr. and the EBC leadership blessed Dr. Darrell Hall as the founder of The Way Community Church. Dr. Hall felt led of the Spirit to name the church The Way because Jesus said “I am the way” (John 14:6); and, believers in the first century church were known as “The Way”. Paul says, “But I confess this to you, that in accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and is written in the Prophets…” (Acts 24:14 NASB). Our history from the Head of the church, through the first century church, uniquely expressed through our mother church is prophetic of our bright future of showing people the way to life with Jesus.
