History of Mount Zion Baptist Church
Mount Zion Baptist Church had its beginning as an "arm" of Bethlehem Baptist in 1804 under the ministerial care of the Rev. Thomas Bomar. The church was regularly constituted on June 2, 1827, with 9 male and 33 female charter members. In 1832 the first sanctuary was constructed on land that had been donated by John Chapman, Sr., and a beautiful Gothic-style structure replaced it in 1901. When the 1901 building became structurally unsound, the present sanctuary was built in 1975.
Mount Zion has been served by 28 pastors and interims. Of special note is the pastorate of the Rev. John Gill Landrum, who served from 1832-1852 and again from 1863 until his death in 1882. His remains are buried in this cemetery.
Spartanburg First Baptist, First Baptist of North Spartanburg (formerly New Pisgah) and Fairforest Baptist all came out of Mount Zion. Its cemetery is one of the oldest in the Up-State and claims the grave sites of 5 Revolutionary War patriots, 28 documentable Confederates, 2 from the War of 1812, and 1 from the Spanish-American War. The cemetery was designated a S.C. historical site on May 5, 2002.
The present focus of the church is reaching the lost and unchurched in our community through our weekly visitation, weekly proclamation of the Word, weekly Bible study, and weekly music program. We see God most at work in increasing attendance at worship services week-by-week. The pastor, the Rev. Monty King, is in his 13th year of service to Mount Zion.
The vision for the church is expressed in the church's Mission Statement: "Mount Zion Baptist Church is a fellowship of Christian believers who share a commitment of leading lost persons to faith in Jesus Christ, ministering with compassion to human needs, nurturing Christians toward spiritual maturity, and supporting missions at home and abroad through prayer, participation, and giving." Mount Zion has in place a Long Range Planning Committee whose responsibility it is to assess and recommend plans for additional programs and facilities needed to reach the goals set forth in the Mission Statement.
