What is the hallmark of an active, thriving church? Membership, sure. A variety of thriving programs, of course. But a sure way to tell whether a church is truly reaching people is how many baptisms they conduct each year.

On Sunday, April 22, Dr. Chris Crain, Director of Missions for the St Clair Baptist Association, presented a certificate to EWBC senior pastor, Rev. Jacky Connell, for ranking Number One in baptisms for the previous church calendar year. EWBC has hovered in the top 50 in baptisms statewide since the year 2000. For 13 of those years, they have ranked within the top 25. That is out of about 3,200 Baptist churches in the state of Alabama. 

Rev. Connell has served as senior pastor at EWBC for more than 30 years. He is founder and director of JC Impact Ministries, and author of two books, “Painkillers,” released in 2017, and the upcoming “Palm Tree Living,” due on bookshelves in Fall of 2018.

EWBC has grown in membership to more than 2,000, and offers a number of important local, national, and international missions, including a Food Pantry, outreach programs to the area’s veterans, ministries for the area’s first responders, classes for new parents, grief support groups, numerous children’s and youth programs, and Families Count, a ministry designed to reconcile families torn apart by addiction, among others.  EWBC has two campuses with their Eden campus in Pell City on Wolf Creek Road North and their River campus in Leeds on Hwy 78. 

St. Clair Baptist Association serves and supports Baptist churches in the area, which is the third fastest-growing county in the entire state. The organization is dedicated to helping churches fulfill the Great Commission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Eden Westside Baptist Church puts a high priority on sharing God’s love with everyone, no matter where they come from.  This church has been known as a church of restoration and truly loves people where they are at in life. 

Bible study is another priority at EWBC, but a common saying around the church is “Knowledge is Great, but Application is Life Changing.”  This church wants everyone to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and allow Him to change their life.

Eden Westside Baptist Church is definitely a place to heal, help and call home.  For more information, please visit www.EdenWestside.org.