Although court records, land tracts, and certain historical events indicate that he built the first church possibly between 1899 and 1900, the church origin can actually be traced to events growing out of the Civil War and Reconstruction Eras. The American Civil War ended in 1865, and Reverend Anderson McNeill founded the church just 35 years afterwards. Many historical events took place during that 35 years that would impact and necessitate the establishing of churches to meet not only the spiritual needs of Blacks, but the social and political needs, as well.
During the Post Civil War Period, Hoke County did not exist (until 1911), and most Blacks in the 71st and Puppy Creek regions attended church at Galatia Presbyterian, a white church established in the early 1800s. This was a tradition (in some places) reminiscent of slavery days when the slaves were allowed to attend but had to sit in the balconies or stand outside the windows to listen to the worship service. As the South struggled to rebuild itself, other social problems emerged, centered around the newly freed Black man. Blacks now became objects of anger, fear, and resentment fueled by new laws, such as the 14th Amendment that granted Blacks full citizenship and civil rights. Rather than being possessions, Blacks were now viewed as competitors who were owning land, farming, and starting businesses, churches and schools.
As the flames of fear and anger spread, organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan surfaced (1866), terrorizing Blacks and even whites who were considered sympathizers. Corrupt politicians undermined the progress that had been made, as in repealing the Civil Rights Acts of 1875 and instituting Black Codes that made it virtually impossible for Blacks to exercise any of the rights previously given them. As these forms of atrocities and abuse continued, there was a need for some form of leadership to provide guidance, unity, and a voice for the people. Consequently, Black churches sprang up all over the south, becoming that unifying force. Churches became the most important institution in Black communities, being not only the place of worship, but also the schoolhouse and the site for social and political gatherings. Ministers, usually the most learned person in a community, preached voting rights, social issues, and education, along with preaching the gospel. During this time, the Black Baptist of North Carolina organized the first State Convention, demonstrating a move toward establishing more black churches and strength in unity.
This climate in which Reverend McNeill lived was a time for change and time for someone willing to take the risks involved in forming a church. For years, he, his family, and others in the general community, attended church at Galatia, but he now answered the vision of establishing a church to serve and fulfill the needs of this community. Accomplishing this goal, however, required great faith, fortitude, and courage because of the obstacles ahead. With no congregation to assist him, Reverend McNeill, with the help of his sons and wife, set out to build a church. Owning land (over fifty-three acres) but with little money, he devised a way to finance his dream and supplement his family’s livelihood. He and his family set up a turpentine still where they stripped the pine trees and harvested the sap that they distilled into turpentine. They would also scrap light wood (fat lightered) from old fallen pine tress on Camp Bragg (now Fort Bragg) Reservation. This fat lightered was used to fire the turpentine stills. Once the turpentine was processed, they would haul it by mule and wagon down to the Cape Fear River and ship it to be sold in Wilmington, North Carolina and to Charleston, South Carolina. (Harvesting pine tar was a fairly lucrative business during the late 1800s that it was often referred to as “Sticky Gold”).
When they were at last ready to build the church, Reverend McNeill chose the location on his property as what was described as being south of Plank Road about three-fourths of mile east of Puppy Creek (Plank Road is now Raeford Road South). His dream, sown in faith, was finally realized when they erected the first structure called Brush Arbor (often dialectically called Brush Harbor). Brush Arbor was a temporary structure made of nothing but tree limbs bound together and covered with brushes and bushes. Sometimes, chicken wire was used to help hold the structure together. It was crude, but at last the people had a place of worship they could call their own. Later, he moved the church to its present general location and named it Mount Pisgah, symbolic of Moses as he stood upon the mountain top and surveyed the Promise Land. This was a clapboard building that existed until Reverend Bandy rebuilt it years later. Reverend McNeill served as Pastor until his death until 1911, and his son Charles McNeill, served as the first Chairman of the Board of Deacons.
After Reverend McNeill, many ministers served as pastor, with Reverend Henry Adams being the second. Some of the other known pastors were the Reverends Lonnie Raeford, Fred Bandy, Beatty, Luther Miles, Leslie McDonald, W. K. Mitchell, Theodore Patterson, Luther J. Westbrook, Jr., Curtis Bethea, Robert L. Davis, and currently, Dr. Matthew Rouse, Jr.
All of the ministers contributed to the development of the church although little is known about the earliest ones, mainly because church records were destroyed in a fire during the 1940s. However, beginning with Reverend McDonald, the thread of history continued when under his leadership, a new edifice was built in 1956. (The property was officially deeded to the church in 1955.) This was a stucco building that could seat approximately 200 people. Worship service was held on First and Third Sundays, known as Pastoral Sundays. He was succeeded by Reverend Mitchell, who had a strong youth oriented ministry, developing Junior Evening Church, a Youth Department, and the Junior Choir. He also initiated the plans for adding the educational wing to the church.
During the pastorate of Reverend Patterson, the educational building was completed. He also instituted Vacation Bible School, the Missionary Circle, added a young Adult Sunday School Class and Sunday School Nursery Class, and installed the baptismal pool, which was a recessed pool located in floor of the fellowship hall (the floor had a removable cover that would be removed just for baptisms). Prior to that, we traditionally baptized once a year in the creek at Puppy Creek Mill. Also, it was during this time that Deacon Henry Campbell became Chairman of the Board of Deacons, succeeding Deacon James Johnson who had been called to the ministry and a pastorship.
In 1976, Reverend Westbrook became the next pastor. He taught and advocated biblical principles of tithing and evangelism. Through his leadership, the church adopted a more generous view towards mission and greatly increased contributions to Lott Carey and instituted an Annual Shaw Day. He was instrumental in developing the Seventy First Community Softball Church League. During his tenure, the church became a station church in 1977, holding services every Sunday.
Under the next Pastor, Reverend Bethea, the Male Choir was formed. Reverend R.L. Davis accepted the call to Mount Pisgah, December 12, 1982. During his tenure, the church began plans for building a new worship facility. In 1983, the Building Committee was reorganized and began developing long range plans to that effect. The Pastor, along with the Trustee Board, headed by Brother Charles Kelly, the Building Committee chaired by Brother Bennie Stewart, and the Board of Deacons, provided the leadership that led the congregation into its new house of worship on Sunday April 8, 1990. On that Sunday, the Pastor did the call to worship in the old building, and then led the choirs and congregations into the new building singing, We Are Marching to Zion. The church instituted the R.L. Davis Scholarship, joined the state’s Adopt-A-Highway Program and established the Laymen League.
Dr. Matthew Rouse, Jr. accepted the pastorship, September 4, 1994. He was officially installed Sunday, November 13, 1994. Reverend Rouse, an anointed man of God, preaches and teaches the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and unwaveringly proclaims we are to strive continually to be faithful disciples in ministry for Christ our Lord. To that end, he firmly promotes the ministry of teaching and training as seen in Bible Study, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and the addition of a continuous series of Disciple Classes wherein every member is charged to reach one, teach one. Believing the church should be a vital source in the community, Dr. Rouse has and continues to develop ministries that address the needs and issues of our society. New ministries, such as the Worship Team, Tape Ministry, Multimedia Soundroom, Tutoring Ministry, Boys and Girls Scouts, 4-H, Single and Married ministries, Health Ministry, A Nurses Guild, and Hospitality were added prior to and through 2000. In 1999, the church hired its first Minister of Music, Vincent Brantley. Other subsequent Music Coordinators have been Benel Andrews, David Hough, and Ron McSwain. Since 2000, some ministries have been improved or expanded. The Music Technology has been enhanced by a full length descendible able screen with full multi-media capability. The Health Ministry now includes Health Support Groups designed to help and support those with the same medical issues. Because of the prevalence of diabetes in the church and the community, Pastor Rouse secured a grant for implementing the Daniel Project, (Diabetes Awareness Nutrition Intervention Education Living). Also, the revised church newsletter, The Voice enjoys a circulation beyond the church membership and its walls. Other ministries added since then include The Annual Women’s Conference birthed through First Lady Winnie P. Rouse in 2003, Drama and Praise Dance Ministry, Church Security, Teacher Training Certification Class, Prayer Council Ministry, and the Daniel Project.
Recognizing the rapid changes taking place in our lives, Pastor Rouse recognized the need to move away from some of the traditional practices that no longer met the needs of many of the members. On the first Sunday in December 2003, the church implemented the 8:00 Hour of Power Worship Service which steadily continues to grow and now has its own designated M Rouse, Jr. Choir. Under this same vision, in 2005, Pastor Rouse made his most sweeping departure from tradition by recommending a total change in Sunday morning worship service and Sunday School. The 8:00 service remained, but the 11:00 service moved to 10:00, with 9:00 Intercessory Prayer between services. Sunday School (Church School) moved to alternate Wednesday nights. In 2006, the 9:00 time offered choices for the worshippers between services: Intercessory Prayer, New Members Orientation and a Special Sunday School Session, to which all seemed to find a niche just for them. In 2009, the 9:00 hour was designated for Church School Bible Study time. The Intercessory Prayer time moved to the third Wednesday nights.
Under Dr. Rouse’s leadership, the Church has grown in the Spirit of Christ, in attendance, and in giving through the principle of Tithing. As a result, structural renovation and improvement continued inside and outside the building, to include the addition of a secretary’s office, a library, administrative offices, paving the parking lot, and renovating the Educational Building with a connecting breezeway to the main building.
With the steady growth of the church, the Pastor saw the need to look among the congregation for servants to add to the Board of Deacons. In July 1997, Deacons Charles Kelly and Willie Watson were ordained, and in April 2000, Deacons Stanley Proctor and Roy Sutton were also ordained. Then, again on January 30, 2005, Deacons Raymond Chavis, John Love, Joseph Johnson and Orriel Smith were ordained. As the Lord deals with the Pastor, other servants have been called forth under his leadership. Several ministers, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the teaching and tutelage of Pastor Rouse, received and accepted their call to ministry. In May 2000, Mount Pisgah held its first minister’s Ordination in recent recorded memory, with the ordaining of Reverends Larry Simmons and Milas Sturdivant. Other called and licensed have been (Bishop) Bernard Chaney, James Jones, Anthony Morris, Andrew Pabon, Adrienne Owens, Arlane McKoy, Anthony Davis, Vincent Brantley, Ronald Tanner, Mary Owens, Benel Andrews, Rosaland Loyd, William Grissett, James Pridgett, and Annie Hadley. Ministers Vina Clark, Alex Williams and Vermatine Williams united with this fellowship as previously licensed ministers. Reverends M. Dion Rouse, III, Betty L. Kelly, Dorothy Walker (2007) and Minister Hope Evans (2008) have also been called and licensed to preach under this pastoralship.
Today, Pastor Rouse continues the legacy through the vision, he has received from God, which entails continued expansion for community outreach ministries. In 2002, this was further revealed for building and developing a Community Resource Center to serve and meet the needs of the church and community. In 2004, Pastor submitted the concept in the Annual Church Meeting to which we were to meditate prayerfully upon it, and in 2005, the actual architectural plans were presented. On August 14, 2005, the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the M. Rouse, Jr. Community Resource Center (CRC) was held. The M. Rouse, Jr. CRC is a ministry of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church. The CRC is a 22,000+ Sq. Ft. facility capable of theater seating up to 1000 and Banquet seating up to 600. Also, it possesses a full Projection Stage, Library, Computer Lab, Learning Centers, Executive Conference Room with telephone and video conferencing capability, Collegiate Sized Basketball Court, State-of-the-Art Sound & Media Features and much more. The CRC is open to the community for use -- Businesses, Non-Profits and Organizations are welcomed!
As the church continues to grow spiritually and physically and as the admonishment to be one in the unity of the Spirit, there seems to be an air of expectancy, waiting for the next move of God as He reveals Himself to our Pastor in serving the Body of Christ. We wait upon God, knowing that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.
