Meet The Pastor
Pastor Timothy W. Price, Sr.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MOUNT OLIVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
The Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church has a rich and glorious legacy in Macon, Georgia that began in 1870. This brief history of Mount Olive is an opportunity to tell the story of what God has done and is doing in through the lives of faithful believers desiring to do the will of God according to the Holy Scriptures.
The works that God has accomplished among His people at Mount Olive are delightful. The Mount Olive story began in 1870 with a band of baptized believers who met from house to house in prayer under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Willingham and Rev. Warren White. Subsequently, these faithful believers identified their group as the Second Street Church and they elected Rev. Jeems as their pastor.
Following the faithful service of Rev. Jeems, the Second Street Church members called the Rev. Eli Smith to serve as pastor. During Rev. Eli Smith’s administration, he led the members in purchasing a site for the Second Street Church where they worshipped joyfully. The church building was later destroyed by fire and in the summer of 1888, the members of Second Street Church marched jubilantly from Union Hall, which was their temporary place of worship to a new church site on Oglethorpe Street (our present site) singing “A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVE”.
The members rejoiced and increased in membership at the new location of the Second Street Church. The congregation’s joy turned to sadness with death of Rev. Eli Smith, followed by the death of newly elected pastor Rev. Davis. The members continued their journey and mission with God under the leadership of Rev. Carr, who served as Interim Minster for nearly a year.
In 1895, the members elected Rev. J. B. Borders to serve as pastor and they voted to change the name of the church from Second Street Church to Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. The church membership continued to increase under the leadership of Rev. J. B. Borders. During his administration, he led the members in improving the building by installing a baptismal pool and gaslights. Prior to the installation of a baptismal pool, baptisms took place in the Ocmulgee River.
In 1909, the members of Mount Olive elected Rev. J. H. Evans to serve as pastor. Prior to his being called, Rev. A. S. Snelling, Rev. J. T. Latimore, Rev. Strickland, Rev. Stevens and Rev. Jackson served as interim ministers. Rev. J. H. Evans received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Morehouse College. His accomplishments were numerous and noteworthy. Among them were the complete renovation of the church in 1912, the organization of several new auxiliaries, the Sunday School membership and attendance increased, and the complete rebuilding of the church to include a first unit in 1928. Much prestige was brought to Mount Olive because of Rev. J. H. Evans having been elected as an officer of the local, state and national organizations. Thus, he was a very successful pastor, minister and community leader who remained at Mt. Olive until his death in 1938.
Following the death of Rev. J. H. Evans the Rev. Ellis Silvanus Evans, Sr., who had served as assistant pastor under Rev. J. H. Evans for more than two years, was unanimously elected by the members to serve as pastor on July 2, 1939. Rev. Ellis S. Evans, Sr. was spiritually prepared to lead the members as well as academically prepared having studied at Central City College and Morehouse College.
Under his administration Mt. Olive continued to grow tremendously. In 1942, Rev. Evans led the members in remodeling the first unit of the church, and in 1946, extensive repairs were made on the entire church building. Upon completion of the extensive repairs, the members rededicated the church in March 1947, and they laid a new corner stone.
In 1972, Mount Olive was one of the churches chosen for filming the documentary, “KING”, which was based on the life of Civil Rights Leader, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The movie of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. covered his life as a Southern Baptist minister up to his assassination in Memphis, TN, in 1968. KING is a 1978 American television miniseries based on the life of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., the American civil rights leader and 1964 Nobel laureate. It aired for three consecutive nights on NBC from February 12 through 14, 1978. The miniseries earned nine Emmy Award nominations, including nominations for actors Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson and Ossie Davis.
Several real-life figures from the Civil Rights Movement had minor roles in the production, including then-Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson, King's sister Christine King Farris, his niece Alveda King, and his four children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter and Bernice. Donzaleigh Abernathy, Tony Bennett, Julian Bond and Ramsey Clark each portrayed themselves. Pastor, Ellis S. Evans, Sr. along with several of the Mount Olive members, appeared in the film. (Wikipedia.com)
On October 5, 1986, the Evans-Jackson Fellowship and Educational Building was dedicated. Later, a canopy was added to the main entrance of the church to protect our treasured doors that were imported from Italy. Rev. Evans preached his final sermon before retiring as pastor of Mount Olive for fifty-three years on February 2, 1992. For his fifty-three years of diligent service, he was honored with the title of “Pastor Emeritus.”
After Rev. Evans announced his retirement, Rev. Harry Harden and Rev. Dr. Van J. Malone, Sr. were elected to serve as interim ministers from February, 1992 through September, 1992. In March of 1992, the church elected a Search Committee (Pulpit Committee) to guide the church family through the process of screening and securing a new pastor through God’s guidance. While searching for a new pastor, the Mount Olive members planned a formal retirement celebration to honor Pastor Emeritus.
On July 24, 1992, a lavish retirement banquet was given in the Monument Room of the Macon Coliseum in honor of the most distinguished and highly revered Pastor Emeritus, Rev. E. S. Evans, Sr. and his wife of 52 years, Mrs. Irene Evans.
On the fourth Sunday in September 1992, the Mount Olive family called Rev. Gregory Maurice Fuller as pastor-elect. Pastor Fuller led the church in purchasing property with the intention of developing it for parking purposes. The property on the corner of Calhoun Street and Oglethorpe Street (once a corner store), was purchased and remodeled for office use, ministry meetings, missions, community outreach, and youth activities. On Sunday, September 27, 1998, Rev. Fuller preached his last sermon as pastor of Mt. Olive. Mount Olive was blessed under the leadership of Pastor Fuller. His ministry influenced the lives of many people in the church and community, which are too numerous to list.
Rev. James Smith, formerly an associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Macon was appointed as Interim Minister in October, 1998. After fulfilling the task as Interim Minister with spiritual enthusiasm, Mount Olive elected Rev. Smith as pastor-elect in May 1999. Unfortunately, Rev. Smith died before his formal installation service was held. From July 1999 through March 2000, the church family sought the Lord diligently by prayer and fasting to discern by the Holy Spirit, the person God had chosen to be next Pastor of Mount Olive.
On March 26, 2000, after much prayer and consideration, the church family elected to call the Reverend Timothy W. Price, Sr. to serve as Pastor of Mount Olive. Rev. Price accepted the call to serve Mount Olive and preached his first sermon as pastor-elect on April 2, 2000. Pastor Price’s ministry focused intensely on the spiritual growth of each member and the desire for each member to share ministry responsibilities. He also stressed the importance of developing a church atmosphere that is conducive for all members to grow intimately with God as well as participate freely in Christian ministry.
The spiritual enthusiasm that Pastor Price brought to Mount Olive in April of 2000 continues even today. Pastor Price is unrelenting in his call for membership inclusiveness to the various ministries of the church. With continuous prayer, preaching and teaching of the word of God, Mount Olive continues to grow both spiritually and emotionally.