South Carolina Baptists celebrated 30 years at their Stoneridge Drive location by opening a time capsule placed by the staff at the building’s groundbreaking ceremony in 1994.

This move marked a new era for South Carolina Baptists as they transitioned from their original headquarters on Richland Street in Columbia to a larger, more modern facility at Stoneridge Drive, better equipped to support their growing ministry.

SCBaptists gathered at the SCBaptist building to celebrate the milestone. Opening the event, Bryant Sims, Chief Operation Officer at SCBaptist, said, “We’re not here just to celebrate the contents of the capsule or the age of the building. We’re here to celebrate the faithfulness and the goodness of God.” Sims thanked Jane Poster, former archivist for the Convention, and Anna Wilson-Stillwell, current archivist at SCBaptist, for their tireless work in serving South Carolina Baptists by preserving their history.

Remembering the Past

As part of the celebration, attendees reflected on the journey that led them to this milestone. The previous building, constructed in 1962, was on Richland Street in Columbia, now the location of the federal courthouse.

James Wright, former SCBaptist staff, shared that with the growth of the Convention, staff had to convert conference rooms and even closets into offices to make space for the growing ministry. He shared that the time capsule was intended to be “a snapshot of what the South Carolina Baptist Convention looked like in 1994.”

The time capsule held various mementos, including ministry calendars, directories, pamphlets, video tapes, and more, showcasing the ongoing ministry efforts to reach South Carolinians and beyond with the Gospel of Christ.

Building for the Future

Of the new building, Wright said, “I believe God has blessed South Carolina Baptists and has really used this building as a tool to be able to reach South Carolina, North America, and literally around the world. It is my prayer that it can be used for many more years to serve South Carolina Baptists.”

The need for the new building was initially identified while Dr. Ray Rush was serving as Executive Director, and he helped make the case to the board and the Convention that a new building was needed.

Dr. Tony Wolfe, Executive Director-Treasurer, emphasized that, while he is grateful for the building and for the ministry that has occurred both inside and outside of its walls, the building is simply a tool.

“We are one family on one mission through one cooperative effort, and this building is a tool that beautifully and thankfully facilitates that, but it is just a tool,” Wolfe said. “Years from now, this facility will not be here. But you know what will? All of the eternal impact that this staff has made in their generation. And that’s what this is about.”

Hope for Years to Come

Wolfe also read to attendees a portion of what Dr. Carlisle Driggers, Executive Director from 1994 to 2007, shared at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building. “In constructing and dedicating this building, we’re making a clear, definite statement that we have hope for the years ahead of us and not just appreciation for the years behind us. We’re saying that we’re not content to rest on the progress of the past,” Driggers said.

Robert Grant, former staff member for over 35 years at the Convention, shared that “the building has stood as a beacon of light, serving as a place where the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed, lives have been transformed, and the Kingdom of God has been advanced.”