On Sunday, Sept. 8, Oak Grove Baptist Church will celebrate 143 years of faithful ministry to the Bonita community, as well as Meridian and Lauderdale County.

To celebrate, the church is hosting a Homecoming and Revival Sept. 8-11. This is an exciting time for the church, as it begins a new church year, and begin preparing the church for its next decades of ministry and missions. 

Evangelist for the week is Ray Spence, a former pastor from Neshoba County who has felt God’s call to full-time evangelistic ministry. The congregation has been praying diligently for God to lead him to preach timely messages to challenge the congregation and attendees to deeper commitments to Jesus Christ and the mission He has for us. 

The congregational singing will be under the direction of Rev. Tom Belcher, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Meridian. Minister of Music Bro. Jerry Murphy will lead the OGBC Choir during the special services. It will be an exciting and fruitful week of ministry.

“In my 47 years as a preacher and pastor, I have never seen a church that is more in tune with following Christ and being faithful to the Word of God,” said Oak Grove Pastor Scott Harrell. “It is a joy to pastor this great and diverse congregation.”

Service times are as follows:

SUNDAY: 9:30 Sunday Morning Bible Study;10:30 Morning Revival Service; Dinner on the Grounds; 6:00 Evening Revival Service

MONDAY – WEDNESDAY: 6:30 Evening Revival Services

All former members and ministers of Oak Grove are invited to the event. In addition, the entire community is invited to celebrate and to receive the Word from the Lord through the messages and music.

History:

On Sept. 8, 1876, Oak Grove Baptist Church was founded under the guidance of Elders John E. Brunson and  A. Gressett.

After the usual preliminaries, the above elders proceeded to organize and pledge the following persons under the regular Articles of Faith and to organize them into a church to be known as the Oak Grove Baptist Church:

M.E. Gary, Thomas J. Stroud, C. Hardy Yarbrough, Richard A. Yarbrough, David A. Ray, Joshua McLemore, R.J. Gary, N.A Stroud, S.J. Yarbrough, Lucy Yarbrough, M.J. Ray, M.E. McLemore, Elvira Stroud, Juriah Jackson, Elizabeth Ray, M.E. Hill, and E.L. Brown.

Pastors from 1980 to present:

1980-1994 – Rev. Leon Adams.

1995-1996 – Rev. Taylor Wallace (interim).

1996-1999 – Rev. Frank O. Rice.

1999-2000 – Rev. Harold Scott (interim).

2000-2016 – Rev. Roy Dabbs.

2016-2017 – Dr. Albert (Hack) McMullen (interim).

2017-present – Dr. R. Scott Harrell.

Interesting Facts about Oak Grove Baptist Church:

•  May 10, 1948, three gifts were presented to Oak Grove Baptist Church in memory of three soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice in World War II.

(1) The Organ – Jackson Welch Parker, Ensign U.S. Navy. M.I.A. aboard U.S. Destroyer Smith, in the battle of Santa Cruz, Oct. 26, 1942, age 21.

(2) The Baptistry – Charles George Cook, T/Sgt., U.S. Army Air Force. K.I.A. in the battle against Germany, Aug. 20, 1943, age 32. Buried in Brownwood Cemetery, England.

(3) The Bell – Robert Jefferson Snell, Lt. (Jg) U.S. Navy Air Force. M.I.A. in the battle for the Southwest Pacific, June 5, 1943, age 22.

• Jimmie Charles Rodgers who’s known as “The Father of Country Music” is buried in the cemetery at Oak Grove Baptist Church.

Church Facts

• Name: Oak Grove Baptist Church.

• Pastor: Dr. R. Scott Harrell.

• Associate Pastor and Senior Citizens Minister: Dr. Albert (Hack) McMullen.

• Minister of Music: Jerry Murphy.

• Location: 801 Oak Grove Drive, Meridian.

• Call: (601) 483-2508.

Services:

Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.; Worship 10:30 a.m.

Discipleship Training, 5 p.m.; Worship 6 p.m.

Wednesday night Prayer Meeting, Youth, Children – 6 p.m.