Our Church History

The history of The Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church is a powerful element of our identity. It is a subject that we should not take lightly.  The present beliefs and principles of our Church have been shaped by many years of praying, hard work, teaching, and shedding tears of joy and sorrow.  Many details and names will not be mentioned in today's presentation in an effort to save time.  Brief highlights will be given and more details will be forthcoming.  This is a continuous project and is worthy of documenting to preserve for future generations. 

Today, we give great thanks to God for His goodness.  We honor our foreparents for all the love, loyalty and determination that was manifested through their hard work over the years.  Let your minds wander back to your childhood, or reminisce on the stories you have heard from your parents and grandparents of how church was "back in the day."  Try to visualize the “sweat dropping” revivals, the “packed pews,” and country picnics that were held during homecomings.  Then, appreciate the goodness of God and be thankful for central heat and air conditioning, indoor plumbing, and other modern amenities.  We are blessed beyond measure!

The journey of this present-day landmark began during the 18th century.  The church was either established in  1879 (140 years), or in 1884 (135 years) .    The actual founding date is yet to be determined through documented research.  The late Rev. Charles Pierce was the first pastor.  The original (historic) church site was located behind the current building, down the hill and back of the old well.  It is overgrown by trees and is not easily recognizable today.  The original church burned and many of the records were lost in the fire.  It is not known at present why, or how the church burned.  However, it is important to note that this was during the time that the slave era was ending (around 1854), and Blacks were prohibited from gathering in large groups, even to hold church services.  Yet, they persisted.

Some records were recovered from 1904.  Copies of deeds and property maps show that the land for this present site was purchased in October, 1913 from Molly Brinkley. 

It is interesting to note that "Lebanon" was pronounced as LEE-banon for many years.  The Bible speaks of Mount Lebanon as being the place where the best cedar trees are grown.  King Solomon used cedar wood to build the temple.  Do you suppose our ancestors/founding fathers knew this significant detail when they decided on the name for this church?  Today, Lebanon Baptist is known as "The little church by the side of the road where the tall cedars grow."  Cedars are strong and roots run deep.  They can withstand strong winds.  This is a characteristic that is symbolic to the trials and tribulations that our ancestors must have withstood over the years in order for us to be able to celebrate their accomplishments today. 

We always hear about the "good" history.  What about some of the challenges that occurred that no one likes to talk about?  What about when the church split and many members left to join other congregations for whatever reason(s)?  Did you know that some years ago, someone lost their family's land because Lebanon's leaders were not able to make loan payments?  The land had been used as collateral to bail the church out of a financial crisis.  Unfortunately, when the loan was not repaid as promised, the land that was used as collateral to secure the loan was lost.  This is a prime example of some of the personal sacrifices that were made by individuals to protect this church.  Being aware of our history, will hopefully prevent us from making some of the same mistakes. 

There have been many pastors during Lebanon's existence.  Some served until their deaths and some resigned, or were asked to leave for various reasons.  Many of them have made notable contributions, such as building renovations, purchasing musical equipment, establishing certain ministries, etc.    

Our current Pastor, Rev. Richard A. Powell, Sr. (2008 to present), boldly declares the Word of God in his teachings and preaching.  He is breaking away from man-made traditions and truly operating under the unction of The Holy Spirit (I John 2:20). 

Some of Lebanon's most notable historical highlights include women trailblazers, i.e.:

• (Rev.) Sherry B. Garner becoming the first woman at Lebanon to be licensed into the ministry; followed by Mother Mattie Simmons and Sis. Thomasine Arrington. 

• Our First Lady, Rev. Mary Powell is the first female Co-Pastor. 

• Mother Jean Allen is the first female to serve in the Deacons Ministry

Other highlights include:

• Adding 5th Sunday Services (“Family, Friends and Community Day”) that include hosting worship services with other churches and fellowshipping with a generous meal afterwards.

• Prayer, Women’s and Men’s Ministries have been added and events such as the Prayer Breakfast, Women's Conference, and a Rainbow Fellowship Tea are held every year.

The History of Lebanon includes the names of many members who have served in various ministries of this church.  The tireless dedication to aid our church continues.  Everybody can contribute in some way.  Ministry can be something as simple as cleaning up, cutting the grass, helping/preparing a meal, visiting the sick, etc.  Whatever you do to contribute to the growth and sustainability of this ministry will be pleasing to God and will be appreciated by all who benefit from your service(s). 

As we move forward, let's continue to be diligent in honoring our ancestors by documenting the history of our inheritance.  YOU are a product of the Lebanon Legacy.  Remember, History gave us the Present and the Present will give us our Future. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this summary.  The story is not finished.  Let's keep it alive.  Our goal is to have pictures displayed throughout the church with names to match the faces, and perhaps a brief description of the pictured event.  All contributions are welcome!