Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Essay

Pastored in 1952 by Alice Lavern Riles, known as Mother Sheppard, The Church of Columbus remains today within the city of Columbus, Georgia. From a tiny building on 49th Street, to the over a million-dollar facility today, The Church of Columbus has gone through its share of change. Growing up, the church was called the First United Pentecostal Church, but once the church moved locations, Pastor renamed it The Church of Columbus. Located on 2001 Double Churches Road, there lies my second home, with its grand 36,000 square feet structure. Growing up, I was always at the church, whether it was for practice, or just to play sports such as volleyball and football with my lifelong friends that I had made throughout my attendance at the church. According the church’s website, “the church has grown from a Sunday morning attendance of sixty-one in 1985, to a consistent attendance of over 400 in 2013” (The Church of Columbus). The church’s motto is “Loving all to Christ”. The motto refers to the church’s ultimate goal of reaching the 290,000 souls of the Columbus, Phenix City, Fort Benning area (The Church of Columbus). A church member, Lisa Gail Stringer-Johnson described the church; “The first thing you feel when you walk through the doors is an outpouring of Love and God’s presence.” I am extremely grateful that I have such a tremendous place to call my second home.

First Baptist of Pontotoc, Mississippi, is a hundred and forty-six year old church that is full of history. This paper will provide a brief background of the church history. Over the last four years, three immoral staff members of First Baptist Church of Pontotoc have been contributing factors to the church 's decline.

Our American people learned about freedom and the consequences, good or bad, that may occur from it at the church. Also, there was no segregation allowed at the church. People of any race could attend and worship without worry. That freedom is still held strong and practiced today. As you can see, this church has many things that we can learn from it and the past.

The Vestry Book of Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, Virginia and the Letters of Maria Taylor Byrd to William Byrd III provide examples of how the community ledgers and leadership provided by Early Virginian parishes are responsible for the foundation of our nation’s religious and social structure. The pilgrimage to North American left early colonial citizens attempting to build a functioning civilization on a vast unknown land. Due to the zealous faith of early immigrants, the church flourished much quicker than political, social, and economic systems. Early Virginian religious leaders, equipped with Christian authority as well as the business adeptness needed to maintain a church, extended beyond their religious duties to also resolve social and economic controversies for the wellbeing of the community. In order to understand the roles of the Early Virginian Parish, we must study the church’s roles as a sacred place of worship, community center, economic firm, and political office.

The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message. A. J. Smith Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2008.

In downtown Roanoke, on Church Avenue, an old church building still stands, having been erected over one hundred years earlier. For the same period of time, it has been occupied by a congregation, whose denominational origins lead back to a rural part of Kentucky in what was called the Restoration Movement, initiated by reformers who yearned for a primitive, apostolic form of Christianity, with “no creed but Christ.” Although “backcountry” in the denomination’s heritage, this particular congregation began in a boomtown. While striving to become a “first century” church, reminiscent of the apostles’ ministries and the church life from

This church shall be affiliated with the Itawamba County (“Country”)Association of Baptist, of Mississippi State Baptist Convention, the Southern Baptist Convention, and any other district or local associations the church may choose by affirmative vote of fifty one percent (51%) or more.

In trying to get a solution to this trend in the churches, the high profile authors, Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson did a survey of 300 churches from different denominations (10) that had been witnessed to have a significant growth after a tremendous decline. This review looks at their book - “Come Back churches”- the strengths and weaknesses as well as its applicability.

The first Jewish synagogue opened in New York City in 1729 for worshipers. The first independent African Baptist church in the 1770’s opened in Silver Bluff, South Carolina. “The birthplace of a faith”, is acknowledged as Cane Ridge, Kentucky where religion was celebrated. However, Roman Catholic America foundation in Saint Augustine, Florida had already been established by Spanish Catholic missionaries in 1565. This occurred forty-two years prior to the English forming the Jamestown, Virginia colony and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims, Puritans arrived to Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.

I was honored to find out that Mount Calvary is the oldest established African American church in the state of Arizona. Overall, I felt that I benefited greatly from attending an African American Baptist Church. I am now more knowledgeable about my race’s religious culture and have fulfilled my want to experience a Baptist church. I am happy that I completed the extra credit. I might start making a habit of attending an African American Baptist Church more often in the year to mix up my experiences in

The risk for organizations during this phase is to assess for good yet a limited set of qualities in potential church planters. Current tools are helpful, but they are lacking. What they are lacking causes a problem because what is missing in the gap is not emphasized during the earliest stages of church planter formation. What is being emphasized, in other words, assessed is being communicated as a value such as skills, ability, knowledge but what about a planter’s posture towards God, the church, and culture? Church planting organizations will often teach and train about what the purposes of the church are and what the planter needs to do in those areas but without an assessment of their current preferences

Although well-known for its potlucks, back pews, and the Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon offerings, the Baptist denomination of Christianity's roots run deeper, as discovered in how it began, its distinctive doctrines, and its prominent members.

The Assemblies of God is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations, with 57 million adherents worldwide. It was organized in 1914 to promote unity and doctrinal stability among groups that had been influenced by the Pentecostal revivals of the early 1900s, revivals which were the result of a desire to see an increase in God's power in churches and individuals. Many people spent long hours in prayer, seeking a fresh infusion of the Spirit. Following the teachings of Charles Parham, these people were expecting speaking in tongues as an evidence of the Holy Spirit's baptism. The first popularly acknowledged revival was at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, 1906-1909. From that movement, several churches were formed, and in April 1914, meetings were held in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which led to the formation of the Assemblies of God. Eudorus Bell, formerly a Southern Baptist preacher, was appointed as the first chairman of the denomination.

My memoir covers the fabulous times and the unpleasant times. The lessons learned, and the hope given to the exceptional people. There are interviews at the close of the book along with photographs. Sprinkled throughout are drawings from two of the exceptional people who have attended the church for years.

The church is just a building; the people are what make the difference. When I think of qualities I want in a church family, I want a church family whose pastor preaches the whole word. They must have a real heart for not only the members and the people who attend there, but for the people of their community as well. They must be excited about building up the Kingdom of God. These are the qualities my Grandpa Watson’s church possessed while he was pastor of Bethel Temple Assembly of God. I have longed and searched for a church to fill my grandpa’s church place in my heart as my church family for a very long time. After my grandpa left the area, my family