Church destroyed by tornado in 2023 reopening in time for Easter Sunday

TROUP COUNTY, Ga. - It's been a year since a powerful EF-3 tornado tore through Troup County, leveling many structures in the town of West Point. Now a church is one of the first buildings back open just in time for Easter.

The staff at Bethel Baptist Church were told it would take over two years to rebuild after the storm moved through, but now just a year later, they have a new building to call home.

"We lost a small church that needed a lot of work. We gained a roughly 10,000-square-foot church that actually needs no work," Pastor Chris Hendricks said.

Their original 1942 church building was destroyed when an EF-3 tornado with winds up to 150 miles per hour barreled through Troup County on March 26 of last year. At least 30 homes were also destroyed. One hundred others were damaged.

(FOX 5 Video March 2023)

"There's several people in the area that has decided not to come back just because of the devastation and there were a lot of homes that didn't have insurance," Hendricks said.

But Hendricks said they were determined to stay and rebuild, even holding an Easter service last year in the church's parking lot.

"God never gave up on us. If we give up on him, the devil's won," Hendricks explained.

While the building was insured, Hendricks said this wouldn't have been possible without support from the congregation.

As they welcome the community inside for Easter Sunday services, Hendricks hopes the space can serve as a source of support as the area continues the long road to recovery.

"I just want them to more or less feel at home," he said. "They also know that if they're in need that God's house is there."