Mount Olive Baptist Church Mission Statement
Mount Olive Baptist Church is dedicated to creating a house of worship, grounded in love, caring and sharing for all , members, visitors and friends. By providing spiritual, physical, emotional and mental guidance which is Bible Based, Christ Centered and led by the Holy Spirit. We will lift up the name of Jesus and He will draw the unsaved. Mount Olive under the leadership of the Holy Spirit will provide spiritual growth for all so that those who enter to worship in spirit and truth shall depart to serve in truth and love.
Church History
With faith in 1877 according to oral history, a church was founded by Deacon Robert Anderson, Sr., Manuel Edmond and Robert Fluellen. They met in different houses on the Flournoy Plantation. Seven members attended. The first open meetings were held under a bush harbor. Reverend D.L. Griffin, a member of the community was called as pastor. Under his leadership more members were added and they moved from the bush harbor to the Schoolhouse. Reverend Griffin served until he was called to his eternal home. There was a need for a new leader The call went out to Reverend McCall. Reverend McCall served until he was called to go home to meet his creator.
Membership grew rapidly and soon a building was needed. Mr. Flournoy donated three acres of land and the members labored together to construct a wooden building. Written records indicated that. Mt. Olive Baptist Church was dedicated May 2, 1897, under the pastorate of Reverend L.F. O’Bryan. Mr. W.B. Stephens was the clerk. Records indicated that the church family dearly loved Reverend O’Bryan.
A call went out for another guiding light. This time our fourth pastor, Reverend J. J. Washington came on board. His tenure was very short. Reverend Washington resigned. The faith and strength of the members remained form, but God did not leave them. He was still in the blessing business. They needed another leader, now our fifth pastor is ready to take the challenge. This person was Reverend A. W. Snowden. He remained pastor for thirteen years. The original church on the Flournoy Plantation was remodeled under his leadership. Reverend Snowden was
called to his eternal home in Nineteen Hundred and Twenty-five.
When Reverend Snowden died, Reverend R.H. Wright was serving as clerk of the church. Reverend Wright informed officers that he knew a man with deep thinking and good understanding of the Gospel, and one whom he thought would lead the church into prosperity, spiritually as well as mentally.
It was time to get on board the Old Ship of Zion and sail again to a land where joy, peace and happiness should never end. The captain this time was Reverend Henry Harris our sixth pastor. Reverend Harris preached his first sermon on the first Sunday in November of 1925. Services were still being held in the original church on the Flournoy Plantation. They worshiped in this church until the plantation was sold to Mr. Bickerstaff who donated five acres of land with the understanding that the church would relocate to its present site. The offer was accepted.
Under the leadership of Reverend Harris, our church was relocated to its present site in 1947 (Reverend Harris introduced this style of church building to this area). Services were held once a month, on the first Sunday. Reverend Harris served as pastor for 35 spiritual years. His journey ended in 1961 with his home going.
After the home going of Reverend Harris, Reverend Pearson served as Interim Pastor until the church family decided to award the top job to Reverend W.L. Lewis. Reverend Lewis became our Seventh pastor January 1962. Under his leadership the first annex was erected, The Sanctuary was remodeled, including the inside pool, central air conditioner was installed, the first organ was purchased, Worship went from first Sunday to first and third Sunday, in 1986 worship service went from two Sundays to every Sunday, 150 acres of land was purchased and the Recreation Department was built.
Reverend Lewis remained a faithful and dedicated leader for twenty-seven years, until he became ill in March of 1989 and was called home July 25, 1989. Reverend Landon Alexander served as minister during Reverend Lewis illness, from March 26, 1989 until Reverend Lewis’s death in July. From July 1989 until December 1989 he served as Interim Pastor.
Reverend Robert E. Lyles served as Interim Pastor from January 1990, until our eight leader, Reverend Ernest Snead, III was called. Reverend Snead preached his first sermon July 1, 1990, He was installed as pastor November 7, 1990.
Under Reverend Snead’s administration, our second annex was constructed between February 1993 and February 1994. The sanctuary was modernized with a new balcony, carpet. Pews, and stained glass windows. The Lord keeps on blessing us.
In August of 1995, Mount Olive’s pulpit was declared vacant. The Church was again without a spiritual leader. Dr. J. L. Williams was selected to fill the void; he served as Interim Pastor from September 24, 1995 until March 16, 1996. Our ninth pastor, Reverend Samuel Johnson was called and accepted the call. Under his leadership some of the auxiliaries were revitalized, Wednesday Morning Bible Study was started, video ministry, transportation for the bus ministry And the largest debt of the church was paid off.
On March 18, 2009 Reverend Samuel Johnson resigned as pastor of Mt. Olive. Reverend B. W. Whittaker was selected to serve as Interim Pastor from March 2009 until November 2009. On November 29, 2009 Dr. Patrick T. Brown was called. He became our tenth pastor. Under his leadership early Morning Worship was started, another choir formed, a Medical Ministry, Married/Single Sunday School Class and a Computer Lab started.
Mount Olive Baptist Church continues to grow spiritually, educationally, numerically, and financially. Through the Grace of God, We continue to press toward the mark of the High Calling.