Meet Sam Davis, Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and Barrow County resident.

 

Sam and Ebenezer Baptist Church have a strong presence in the community. We’d like to thank Sam very much for sitting down with us to discuss his experience living and working in Barrow County.

 

Enjoy our interview with Sam

 

What is your name and what do you do here in Barrow County?

 

My name is Sam Davis. I am the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Technically our address is Dacula, but we’re really more Bethlehem.

 

We’re just barely over the Barrow county line, literally across the street is Bethlehem. And I grew up in Statham and Winder, Georgia. Graduated from the Barrow County School system (Winder-Barrow High School) in 2006.

 

So how did you come to be the pastor of a church at such a young age?

 

Well, today I’m 31. I’ve been the pastor here for seven years. And I started here as the pastor when I was 24 and I started preaching when I was 19.

 

I just felt God was calling me to preach. And so I started preaching in prisons, preaching in what’s called pulpit supply. So if a pastor was out, I would fill in and Ebenezer didn’t have a pastor.

 

They knew I preached, but I had never been here. I just got invited to fill in because they didn’t have somebody to preach. That was in August of 2011.

 

They kept calling me, asking me to fill in. The more I preached, the more they would call and ask me to fill in again. And then they called me as the pastor in February of 2012 after about six months of just filling in.

 

 

So then what ensued over the next seven years?

 

It’s crazy to think about and almost every year there’s major growth and cool things happening. When I came here it was a smaller church, predominantly senior adult congregation. There were about 70 people in attendance.

 

At one time, the church had gotten down pretty low. There was only a couple of children in the church. And so I came and started preaching and serving as the pastor and after about six or eight months nothing was really changing.

 

And then towards the end of the first year, the church started to grow into where we are today.

 

We’ve remodeled buildings. We’ve built parking lots and we’re currently meeting in what used to be our gym and we’ve expanded to two services.

 

The church is 400-500 plus or so today and still growing. We’re in the stage right now of planning to build a new building. I’m trying to figure out what the Lord would have us do and what he wants us to build.

 

What kind of things are you involved in in the Barrow County community? What does that mean to you?

Well, so we’re right on the Barrow/Gwinnett county line and our church is just right beside the Apalachee river. So we do ministry in Barrow and Gwinnett.

 

We’re involved in Apalachee High School and Haymon Morris Middle School. And we have Bible studies there. We’re involved with the athletic program and the teachers and staff. We also do luncheons there.

 

We’re just trying to share the love of Jesus through, giving, serving and providing. There’s a ministry in Winder called the Barrow Ministry Village which is a neat ministry and we’ve served them.

 

If the Lord opens a door, we serve and try to provide.

 

What was it like growing up in Barrow County?

 

I grew up in Statham where I went to Statham Elementary School when I was a kid and grew up, just in and around Statham. I actually grew up on a poultry and cattle farm with Johnny Wright, who is a Barrow county native.

 

His family has been here since the 1800s.

 

I grew up with him and around his family and on their farm. Raising cows and chickens and I loved that.

 

 

When I was a kid, Statham had one red light. There was one restaurant. There were just a couple of gas stations. It was just such a small town feel. Now Barrow County is one of fastest growing counties in the state of Georgia.

 

I’ve been able to watch it transition from that small town, where everybody knows everybody, to the, medium sized suburban setting.

 

I’m so glad to see all the growth in my home community. Though I still kind of get homesick when I see all the farms and the cows and the chicken houses and hay.

 

There are mixed emotions. You miss out on the way it used to be, but then you embrace it and I’m thankful for the restaurants and venues that have popped up over the years.

 

I enjoy the community and culture.

 

What comes to mind when you think of home?

 

When I think of home I think rest, escape, and comfort.

 

And that’s part of the tear between the old and the new. As you’re getting used to a new normal, but then you find comfort in the way things have been.

 

Even though it has grown, I can still go to Winder and walk around to different businesses. That small town network still exists.

 

I talk to people who either move to big cities or maybe they move here from somewhere else. And they’re like, hey man, do you know a sheet rock guy? And I’m like, yeah I know four.

 

What is something you want people to know about Barrow County?

 

Here’s the deal, is Barrow County perfect? No, but neither is Gwinnett, or Oconee, or Atlanta, or anywhere. I mean, can we find something to be negative about and critical of? Sure.

 

But when I think of Barrow County, I think of potential. A lot of it has to do with the proximity to Athens and Atlanta. That’s a wonderful opportunity.

 

So if you were to take somebody out to eat anywhere in Barrow County, where would you take them and why?

 

So if we’re eating lunch, I’m taking you to Casey’s. Shout out to my buddy Chris Humble. He’s the man.

 

[Click here to read our article on Casey’s Restaurant and its owners, Chris and Suzy Humble.]

 

I was eating Chris Humble’s food back when it was Humble Grounds and Dave Dogs. I think the world of Chris.

 

If I was going to take you to breakfast, I’d say meet me out in Statham and we’re going to Old House. They have some of the best biscuits and breakfast you have ever had.

 

Who would you nominate as the next Face of Barrow?

 

Shane Coley.

 

He has a long standing history in Barrow County. He’s been around and seen a lot. He cares about the county. He’s involved in the community, especially with a ministry called Come Alive, which is a pregnancy center in Barrow County.

 

He’s got a heart for people.

 

He’s seen other things too. And he’s been other places. He’s got perspective. He’s worked in Atlanta. He’s a businessman, an entrepreneur. And he loves Jesus. That’s 100% sure.

 

We hope you enjoyed learning about Sam and his story. To follow Sam’s journey in pastoring a growing church, subscribe to his vlog.

 

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