About Our Church

Concord Baptist Church stands on the shoulders of wonderful men and women who have contributed to the dynamic history of this great church. Many have been called home to be with the Lord, others have moved on, and many faithful have remained. We are forever grateful for those the Lord has sent our way for the cause of Christ, as Concord continues to shine as a beacon of hope in this community.

Concord was birthed from Trinity A.M.E. Church. As an extension of that great church, Concord officially opened its doors to Christian service and worship at the Campbellton Road YMCA in Atlanta, Georgia on December 3, 1978. The church's charter was received under the leadership of Rev. Noel L. Erskine as Concord Community Church.

Concord came into being with 23 members who expressed the hope that the church would provide a context for Christian commitment and development. From the beginning, the membership adopted a purpose that still guides us today: to build a community in which we, called together by Jesus Christ, practice love for one another and live out that love in the world — providing for biblical and spiritual growth, service, stewardship, outreach, and the systematic study of the Holy Scriptures.

In October 1979, the church purchased a 2½-acre lot at the corner of Boulder Park and Brownlee Roads for a new church home. Shortly after, MARTA expressed interest in acquiring the lot, and the City of Atlanta refused zoning permits for more than two years. Through the prayers of faithful believers and many meetings at City Hall, the lot was zoned and an agreement was reached between Concord and MARTA — permitting Concord to locate its parking lot on a portion of the land it would purchase and share an outer portion with MARTA in years to come. We moved into our new church in November 1985.

In December 1987, Rev. Erskine resigned for personal reasons. Throughout 1987, Concord had several interim pastors occupy the pulpit. After much prayer and meditation, on September 14, 1992, Rev. Leroy G. Doe was voted to become Concord's spiritual leader. He came to us full of zest and enthusiasm and served faithfully for 28 years. Under his leadership, numerous improvements were made to the church edifice, many of which are still evident today. We truly sought to be an active force for God in proclaiming His Good News and reclaiming lost souls. In July 2020, the Lord in His divine sovereignty called Pastor Doe home to glory.

A new chapter began under the pastoral leadership of Pastor John G. Byrdsell. On February 18, 2021, Pastor Byrdsell was called to serve as Pastor of Concord Missionary Baptist Church. His first sermon as Pastor was entitled "A Freedom that Last." He was later installed as Pastor on Sunday, October 24, 2021.

As you can see, ours is a glorious history of faith in action. Concord Missionary Baptist Church is more than a building. It is rich in history and tradition, so that those who enter our doors will gain knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, know that they have been in the presence of God, and exit to serve by sharing the good news: JESUS IS ALIVE.

Amen.