Paradise Hills Southern Baptist Church was started as a
small venture with great hopes and aspirations. The church began in a store building on the corner of Reo Drive and
Cumberland Street in the Paradise Hills area of San Diego. It began with a core group of seven or eight families living
in the neighborhood and coming as a mission from the Highland Avenue Baptist Church, in National City, California. The
first service was held July 21, 1956.
On October 7, 1956, the Church purchased 2.7 acres of land in the
belief that the church would grow and flourish, which it did. It soon outgrew the rented building, and Sunday School
classes were held in the neighboring businesses that were gracious in letting us use their facilities. There was even
a class of young people who met in the back of a truck.
The first worship service in the new building was held on
Easter Sunday, April 17, 1957. As the church grew, so did the building. The educational building was started in
the 1960’s that held Sunday School classes on both the first and second floors. The first floor also holds the
fellowship hall and kitchen.
Much of the work on both buildings was done by the men of the church who worked at
night after coming home from their day jobs. Even the neighbors volunteered their time to help out and the women of
the Church did their part in doing clean-up work and varnishing doors.
The church grew so fast that soon double
services were started in May 1961.
