A Little Church with a Long History
Planted in 1891. Renewed in 2014. Still here — still faithful — right in the heart of Houston County, Georgia.
Where It All Began
We started small. Nine people gathered in Elko, Georgia in 1891 — five men and four women — and decided to plant a church. They didn't have much. But they had faith, and they had each other. That was enough.
For more than a century, Elko Baptist was a steady presence in this community. Generations of families found their faith here, were married here, buried their loved ones here. The building grew older. The steeple stayed. And through it all, the church kept going.
Then, sometime around 2010, it went quiet. The longtime pastor, Harold Lee Moore, had passed away after years of faithful service. Without someone to lead the flock, the congregation scattered. The doors closed. For a few years, the old building on Oak Street sat empty and still.
Then Wayne and Debbie showed up.
It was August 2014. Pastor Wayne Holcomb and his wife Debbie had answered a call — the kind that doesn't let you say no — to come to Elko and see what God might do with a sleeping church. What they found when they walked in for the first time was a building full of wasps nesting in the steeple. And a collection plate still sitting on the table, with money in it. Untouched.
"That felt like a promise to us. Like God was saying: I'm not done with this place."
They stayed. They cleaned. They prayed. And slowly, one family at a time, Elko Baptist came back to life. Today, we're a small but growing congregation — warm, genuine, and deeply rooted in this community we've called home for over 130 years.
Historic church building — Elko, GA, est. 1891
Pastor Wayne & Debbie Holcomb — since 2014
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."— Matthew 28:19–20
We exist to love God, love people, and make disciples — right here in Houston County, Georgia. Not someday, somewhere else. Here. Now. With the neighbors and families God has placed in our path.
That's the whole thing. Simple, maybe. But it's kept churches faithful for two thousand years — and it's what gets us out of bed on Sunday morning in Elko.
Our Core Values
Not a list of rules — just a description of who we're trying to be.
Whole Bible Believers
We're Whole Bible Believers — we believe in teaching the whole Bible, not just the comfortable parts. The Bible is our anchor. Every sermon, every class, every conversation — we come back to the Word, from Genesis to Revelation. Not because we have all the answers, but because we believe God does.
Welcoming to All
Our tagline isn't just a slogan: "Where Everybody is Somebody in His Body." That means you walk in and you belong — whether you're a lifelong Baptist or someone who hasn't set foot in a church in twenty years. Whether you have it all together or you're barely holding on. There's room here.
Community-Rooted
Elko Baptist has been part of Houston County for over 130 years. We're not just passing through. We know these roads, these families, these struggles. We believe God planted us here on purpose — and we take that seriously when it comes to loving our neighbors.
Authentic Worship
There is a freedom to worship here. Our Sunday worship is acoustic — guitar, mandolin, piano — and utterly genuine. We're not trying to put on a show. We're trying to help everyone in that room take one more step toward God. Hymns that have carried the church for centuries sit alongside songs written in our own time, woven together in a sound that's uniquely ours.
Spirit-Filled & Fruitful
We strive to teach the whole Bible — including what it says about the Holy Spirit. We believe a Christian's life should bear the spiritual fruit described in Galatians 5:22–23 — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — and that every believer should be desirous to receive the gifts of the Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11. Whether you're part of our church family or visiting online, we're glad you're here.
Standing Since 1891
The building you'll walk into on Sunday morning has been standing for over 130 years. The steeple still rises above the Georgia pines. The wooden pews have held generations of families. The sanctuary has echoed with hymns, prayers, heartbreak, and joy beyond measure.
When Pastor Wayne and Debbie began the work of revitalization in 2014, they made a deliberate choice: honor what came before. The restoration was done carefully — preserving the character and history of a building that has meant so much to so many people over so many years.
We think of it this way: those nine founding members built something that outlasted them. That's a kind of faith worth respecting.
We'd Love to Meet You
You don't need to have everything figured out before you walk through our doors. Nobody here does. Come as you are.
Morning Worship at 11:00 AM • Children's Church at 11:30 AM • 112 Oak Street, Elko, GA 31025