Members from Pearly Chapel and Mt. McCrae (Hatoff), two small, rural churches, joined together to form one congregation and to build a new sanctuary on the grounds of the Pearly Chapel site. On January 3, 1999, the first worship service was held in the newly organized Greater New Friendship Baptist Church located on Highway 19 South in Laurens County, Georgia. Since that time, three pastors have served, new ministries have been instituted, and members continue to work and serve together in love and harmony.