Faith Baptist Church was organized in 1979 as a branch off of Rocky Mount Baptist Church.
“We met in a storefront right off the Bruce square the first winter and first few months of 1980,” Pastor James Taylor said. “We were praying for a couple acres of land to build a church somewhere.”
Bill and Pam McCammon offered two acres to the church at the end of county road 145.
“This road used to go through to Oldtown, Reid, and Poplar Springs, but it had been condemned. It was just an old logging road. We all agreed to take the two acres.”
Harry Waller loaned a bulldozer and backhoe. Billy Ray Martin built the roadbed. Weyerhaeuser donated two-inch rebar for the building, and Sup. Elmo Overby provided some gravel.
“Many people were generous in giving money,” Bro. Taylor said. “We had poured the slab in early 1980, and come July we didn’t have any air conditioning in the storefront on the square. So we decided to just come out here and open some folding chairs and have church on our slab.”
“Tilda Smith was our church pianist. We had our church piano in the back of a truck, and she’d get in the back of the truck with a step ladder and play and we’d sing.”
“Bill and Pam had a Cocker Spaniel named Honeybun, and anytime church would get started she’d come plop down right in the middle of the aisle. So we made her an honorary church member. We’re probably the only church that had a Cocker Spaniel as a charter member.”
“As we got the money we put the walls up. Our first winter we had bare walls, no ceiling or sheet rock. Everything we did was paid for as we went. I think we finished everything some time in 1981.”
Billy Ray Martin’s family made a generous donation following his death that helped the church finish its fellowship hall.
Bro. Taylor said they have right at 40 church members.
“Our attendance runs 30 to 40 each week. We have people driving from Houston, Banner and a lot that come from right here in this community.”
Bro. Taylor has served as church pastor since its founding. He had previously served at Rocky Mount.
He was saved in 1970 at Trinity Baptist Church in Clarksdale. He became very active in that church and the more he did the more he felt the calling to do even more.
“I just never was completely content,” he said. “It seemed the Lord was wanting me to preach, so I put the fleece out.”
Taylor, 71, credits his wife Linda for her great support through the years in all of his work.
“If I had known what a pastor would go through, I probably would have run for office because they’re very similar. You have a large congregation and when you deal with people they all have different feelings, dreams and desires. It took me a while as a young preacher. I thought I had all the answers. I think I have more questions now than I do answers.”
“Looking back, I wouldn’t change a whole lot,” Taylor said. “In this community I have people who are like parents, brothers and sisters. The Lord has given me so much.”
“Our congregation is so close,” Taylor said. “This is a special place. We’re known as the church at the end of the road. Whenever anybody gets to the end of their road they’re always welcome here.”