History of SBIS

HISTORY OF SBIS

Roy C. Drawdy Sr. was a man that believed God had not only called him to be a pastor, but also called him to teach, train and disciple others for ministry.  He began a school of training in 1960 while pastoring Blundale Baptist Church in Swainsboro, Georgia.  Through the years Roy witnessed many come to a personal relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.  Many of those who received Christ were called by God into the ministry, including all three of his sons.

In 1970, those three sons:  Cliff, Don and Ron Drawdy, began helping with this ministry of teaching and training other ministers.  They put curriculum together and helped launch Southern Bible School.  During the first year of this endeavor they were blessed to take part in over 40 ordinations of men into the ministry.  Realizing more and more that there was a need to provide Biblically based education to those who were already pastoring small churches or those who were financially unable to attend other schools because of the financial burden, they knew that God had placed this call upon their lives.

After the death of Roy’s wife, Fredna Myers, he became Chaplain of Montgomery Correctional Institute in Mt. Vernon, GA.  There he would disciple and train men for ministry who had been incarcerated.  Roy would often say he had been given, “a life sentence from God.”  The brothers continued with their dad, ordaining and educating others for ministry through the school, until Roy went home to be with the Lord in 1992.

The school continued with correspondent students until 1993 when a house and three acres of land at 689 Howard Road in Thomson, Georgia was purchased.  With this property and building there was now a temporary home for the bible school and a mission church which allowed men opportunities to stand up before others to preach and teach.  It was a wonderful experience for these future graduates, many of which became influential pastors in ministry.

The school incorporated the ministry in 1997 as a non-profit church and school in the state of Georgia.  The incorporation name became, Southern Bible Church and School Inc.  With this new incorporation the school name was officially called Southern Bible Institute and Seminary.  The Seminary then bought two 5,000 sq. ft. buildings, with several acres of land located at 4405 Washington Road in Thomson, Georgia and a 7,000 sq. ft. church on 7 acres of land in Edgefield, South Carolina.  

In 2003 the Seminary obtained the landmark and birthplace of the Southern Baptist Convention at 802 Greene Street in Augusta, Georgia.  The Seminary held all of its classes there from 2003 to 2010.  Services began to be held every Sunday with one of the Seminary graduates, B.J. Duncan.  This ministry still continues to offer meals to hundreds of homeless and provide Bible preaching to those in the downtown area.  

Because of the various laws governing Religious and Christian Education, decisions were made to only offer biblical diploma in the state of Georgia, which we continue to offer.  Today, the Seminary is able to offer diplomas and degrees in the state of South Carolina, which became its new permanent home.  By the Grace of God hundreds of men and women have received a biblical education while learning to “rightly divide the Word of Truth”.