ZBC History

Zion Baptist Church was constituted on August 5, 1826 with ten charter members. Conference was called for the purpose of electing delegates to the Yellow River Association and the election of two deacons. A pastor was called to serve one Sunday each month. During the early years of ZBC, slaves were received into the church. The minutes recorded:

"The following joined our church by experience from September 4, 1826 till September 14, 1826: 30 Caucasians and 3 African Americans. One African American, Sam Persall, felt the call to preach. After examination and hearing him preach from Zion’s pulpit, he was licensed to preach."

In 1840, Zion joined the Rock Mountain Association, which merged with Appalachia at a later date. A letter to the Stone Mountain Association is mentioned in 1872. No definite date is given when joining this Association. Always a Missionary Baptist church, the record shows donations being sent to Mercer University, and yearly support was sent to Foreign, Home, and Indian Missions.

By 1982, Zion built a second educational building (which brought the Sunday School capacity to 600) with a fellowship hall area and a new kitchen facility. New church staff were incorporated as needed and in 1991 the church was incorporated as Zion Baptist Church of Newton County, Inc.

An eight hundred seat sanctuary was completed in 1998 by Potts Construction Company, and, shortly after that, the men of the church finished new preschool and music areas. Also during this time the men of the church renovated the offices, senior adult and children’s areas.

Zion has been growing inward and outward in the last several years. Our community ministry has become the center of our vision. We are currently Partners in Education with three local schools: Oak Hill Elementary, West Newton Elementary, and Veterans Memorial Middle School. We are working with the state Christian Learning Center board to bring CLC to students here in Newton County. We also regularly host community events and activities to both bring people in and send us out to them.

We want to transform our community by engaging with them and showing them Jesus’ love. As we approach 200 years of ministry, we are so excited to see what God will do.