The history of Paradise Baptist Church is our treasured story of our journey from our birth to this present time. Our journey can be described as Paul's voyages as he travelled preaching, teaching, and spreading the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ...sometimes smooth sailing and sometimes almost shipwrecked, but God is faithful.
There is very little records from the early development of the work here at Paradise Baptist Church and so our early history is informed by accounts from those who have walked before us.
The Baptist work in Five Cays was not started in isolation, but was part of a great movement throughout the Caribbean. The founders were persons who came to the Carribbean from the London Missionary Society in the United Kingdom. They started the work in Grand Turk with Salem Baptist Church in 1836, under the leadership of Mr. Ebenezer Quant. The movement continued and soon Baptist Churches were established in every settlement throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands.
During the early stages of our journey, in fact for many years, the Paradise congregation was led by Chief Deacons; Deacons and Deconesses who were appointed and ordained for that function. The Church also enjoyed occasional visitations from evangelists and Pastors from the Jamaica Baptist Union and the Southern Baptist Convention. Members fondly remember Rev. Stephen James, Rev. Glen Walters, Rev. Rhynie, Rev. Moncriffe and Rev. Dudley Stokes, who all ministered in the sixties and then later Rev. Clametson, Rev. Woosley, Rev. Earl Hall, and Rev. Ednold Outten.
The Paradise Baptist Church has been led by faithful servants since its beginnings in 1910. It is recorded that Bro. John Cox was the first church leader and he held services under a thatched roof building located where the current building sits, in Five Cays. It was under his leadership that the small chapel that sits still on the current property upon the hill was built. Following Bro. John Cox was Bro. Joseph Rigby who served up until 1945 when Bro. Thomas Cox succeeded him. In 1945 the church was severly damaged in a hurricane, and it was through the guidance and prayers of Bro. Thomas Cox that the church and its roof was repaired. Bro. Cleaver Rigby was the next faithful servant who gave oversight to the Church up until 1961.
It was in 1961 where Bro. Hilton Rigby was ordained as Chief Deacon, and began acting as its leader. God blessed the growth of Paradise Baptist Church under the leadership of Bro. Hilton Rigby, as many families returned to Providenciales from the Bahamas. As more and more families returned and the church continued to grow, it wasn't long until the building that had housed the congreation for 38 years, became too small. The church prayed in regard to the need, and began to build a new home for their growing faith family. Recognition is given to Bro. Hilton Rigby, Bro. Walter Cox Sr., Bro. Felix Morley and the membership for a faithful undertaking. Although the building work started in 1973, many challenges delayed its completion. The church was finally ready for worship and was dedicated in 1983. God is indeed faithful.
It was in 1993, Deaconess Sarah Rigby began her years as church leader for Paradise. She served in this capacity until 1998 with the coming of a resident Pastor.
Before the commissioning of Rev. Coleta Williams III as resident Pastor, the Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist Union supported the church with local Pastors who gave oversight. Rev. Reuben Hall was Pastor for Salem Baptist, but also provided supervision for the work at Paradise and Rev. Derek Hamilton served as Pastor responsible for the three Baptist Churches on Providenciales, and gave oversight as Pastor for nine years. Rev. Coleta began fulltime service at Paradise Baptist in 1998 and served until 2001.
Paradise Baptist was without a Pastor for a brief period before Rev. Dr. Samuel G. Williams filled the post in 2001. He came to the church during a time when it was going through a trial. Through Gods grace, and the prayers of faithful servants, God rejuvenated the Church under Rev. Williams leadership. As God has faithfully done over and over, God increased the numbers once again, and the church family was alive and well in Five Cays.
Paradise again outgrew its sanctuary, and the fervent prayers of a righteous man were answered as Gods heart was moved and laid on the mind of Mr. Mervin Cox and family to build and donate a wonerful new santuary to the Paradise faith family. It was on July 29 2012 that the new sanctuary was dedicated for service. What a wonderful God we serve.