History of Mars Hill Baptist Church
Mars Hill Baptist Church, founded in 1799 near Jennings Mill in what was then Jackson County, stands as one of northeast Georgia’s oldest and most storied congregations. Rooted in a spirit of faith and community, the church began with nine founding members—several of whom were Revolutionary War veterans—and grew steadily as settlers from Virginia and the Carolinas arrived. From humble gatherings in a one-room schoolhouse to the construction of four church buildings over two centuries, Mars Hill has been a beacon of spiritual devotion, resilience, and generosity. Its legacy includes support for African American churches following the Civil War, the founding of many of the Baptist churches in Oconee County, enduring recovery from a devastating fire in 1995, and continued service through ministries, education, and outreach into the present day. The church remains a pillar of fellowship, reflecting both its historical depth and ongoing mission to glorify God in every generation.
Founding the Church (1799)
Mars Hill Baptist Church was officially constituted on June 1, 1799, by a group of nine pioneering settlers meeting in a small schoolhouse near Jennings Mill in Jackson County, Georgia. The initial congregation included four men—John Stroud, Absolam/Absolom Autrey, Purnell Truitt, and Jacob Bankston—and five women—Sarah Stroud, Priscilla Hopkins, Jemima Bankston, Druey Clarkston, and Nancy Stone. All the male charter members were Revolutionary War veterans. Jacob Bankston, a veteran and one of the founders, served as the church’s first recorded pastor beginning in 1801.
Early Worship and Construction
The congregation met in the Jennings schoolhouse until 1800 when the group built a crude log building which stood on a gentle knoll about half mile from the present building. This church was the first Baptist house of worship in the western section of Clarke County. Later, in 1805, the church purchased land featuring a spring, an ideal site for baptisms, from Benjamin Haygood. The new church was built of hand-planed heart pine from trees logged nearby. Men and women sat on opposite sides of the center aisle. For winter baptisms, deacons warmed the spring water using heated rocks. Today, this tradition is creatively continued with hot water hoses to maintain the pool’s temperature.
Growth and Graves
As settlers from Virginia and the Carolinas flocked to the area, the church grew quickly, with more than 250 members joining between 1799 and 1810. Mars Hill welcomed master and slave alike into its fellowship. Among the first members was a slave named Neptune. It is believed that many of the unmarked fieldstone graves in the woods behind the original graveyard belong to enslaved members. Despite efforts in the mid-20th century, no inscriptions were found on these stones.
New Buildings and Expanding the Mission
By 1850, the congregation had outgrown its second building. Under Pastor Bedford Langford’s leadership, construction on a third church began, culminating in its completion in 1857. The earlier building was torn down and its location absorbed into the church cemetery. Mars Hill continued to influence the region, helping to establish churches like Bethabara Baptist in 1844, created for members who found travel to Mars Hill difficult.
Division Over the Mission of the Church and “Foot Washing”
In 1836, a conflict arose between those in the church who wanted to support missionaries, Sunday Schools, and Baptist higher education (Mercer University) and those who did not. The issue of “foot washing” as an ordinance was often one of the defining issues between the “Primitive Baptists” (anti-missionary) and the Missionary Baptists. This division not only occurred at MHBC, but in scores of churches across Georgia. This divergence of opinion among members led to a 20-year period during which two congregations alternated worship in the same building. Ultimately, the Primitive Baptist at Mars Hill Church branched off in 1856 and relocated to a site near where Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church now stands.
Civil War Challenges and Community Support
The Civil War era brought significant hardship, but also opportunities for outreach. After emancipation, the formerly enslaved members sought help in forming independent congregations. Mars Hill’s members responded with generosity, helping to establish Shady Grove, Chestnut Grove, and Mount Zion Baptist Churches.
20th Century Milestones
The church celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 1949 with a two-day event led by Pastor J.S. Hays. Under his guidance, a new Sunday School annex was completed in 1958. During Rev. William Nash’s tenure, a sanctuary expansion and dedication took place in 1967. The Claude Healan Annex was completed in 1975, and Briarwood Baptist Church was launched as a mission church in 1981.
Fire and Renewal
On September 14, 1995, a lightning strike destroyed the historic sanctuary. The congregation swiftly adapted, holding services in the Claude Healan Annex the very next Sunday. Two years later, on the anniversary of the fire, Mars Hill dedicated its fourth and current church building. In 1999, the church celebrated its bicentennial with services, events, and baptisms in the original spring-fed pool.
Modern Developments
Under Rev. Charles Jones (1999–2009), the church experienced its highest membership and attendance levels, with membership surpassing 1000 and regular attendance of over 400. An educational building was completed in 2006, housing a preschool academy, gym, and commercial kitchen. In 2021, Pastor Rick Brittain led the church in a “note burning ceremony” after paying off the Family Life Building loan, allowing for interior updates completed in 2024.
Legacy and Continuity
With deep roots and enduring faith, Mars Hill Baptist Church remains a vital part of the community it helped shape. Descendants of the original 1799 members continue to call Oconee County home, and the church continues to serve as a spiritual anchor, glorifying God through every generation.
Mars Hill Baptist Church, founded in 1799 near Jennings Mill in what was then Jackson County, stands as one of northeast Georgia’s oldest and most storied congregations. Rooted in a spirit of faith and community, the church began with nine founding members—several of whom were Revolutionary War veterans—and grew steadily as settlers from Virginia and the Carolinas arrived. From humble gatherings in a one-room schoolhouse to the construction of four church buildings over two centuries, Mars Hill has been a beacon of spiritual devotion, resilience, and generosity. Its legacy includes support for African American churches following the Civil War, the founding of many of the Baptist churches in Oconee County, enduring recovery from a devastating fire in 1995, and continued service through ministries, education, and outreach into the present day. The church remains a pillar of fellowship, reflecting both its historical depth and ongoing mission to glorify God in every generation.
Founding the Church (1799)
Mars Hill Baptist Church was officially constituted on June 1, 1799, by a group of nine pioneering settlers meeting in a small schoolhouse near Jennings Mill in Jackson County, Georgia. The initial congregation included four men—John Stroud, Absolam/Absolom Autrey, Purnell Truitt, and Jacob Bankston—and five women—Sarah Stroud, Priscilla Hopkins, Jemima Bankston, Druey Clarkston, and Nancy Stone. All the male charter members were Revolutionary War veterans. Jacob Bankston, a veteran and one of the founders, served as the church’s first recorded pastor beginning in 1801.
Early Worship and Construction
The congregation met in the Jennings schoolhouse until 1800 when the group built a crude log building which stood on a gentle knoll about half mile from the present building. This church was the first Baptist house of worship in the western section of Clarke County. Later, in 1805, the church purchased land featuring a spring, an ideal site for baptisms, from Benjamin Haygood. The new church was built of hand-planed heart pine from trees logged nearby. Men and women sat on opposite sides of the center aisle. For winter baptisms, deacons warmed the spring water using heated rocks. Today, this tradition is creatively continued with hot water hoses to maintain the pool’s temperature.
Growth and Graves
As settlers from Virginia and the Carolinas flocked to the area, the church grew quickly, with more than 250 members joining between 1799 and 1810. Mars Hill welcomed master and slave alike into its fellowship. Among the first members was a slave named Neptune. It is believed that many of the unmarked fieldstone graves in the woods behind the original graveyard belong to enslaved members. Despite efforts in the mid-20th century, no inscriptions were found on these stones.
New Buildings and Expanding the Mission
By 1850, the congregation had outgrown its second building. Under Pastor Bedford Langford’s leadership, construction on a third church began, culminating in its completion in 1857. The earlier building was torn down and its location absorbed into the church cemetery. Mars Hill continued to influence the region, helping to establish churches like Bethabara Baptist in 1844, created for members who found travel to Mars Hill difficult.
Division Over the Mission of the Church and “Foot Washing”
In 1836, a conflict arose between those in the church who wanted to support missionaries, Sunday Schools, and Baptist higher education (Mercer University) and those who did not. The issue of “foot washing” as an ordinance was often one of the defining issues between the “Primitive Baptists” (anti-missionary) and the Missionary Baptists. This division not only occurred at MHBC, but in scores of churches across Georgia. This divergence of opinion among members led to a 20-year period during which two congregations alternated worship in the same building. Ultimately, the Primitive Baptist at Mars Hill Church branched off in 1856 and relocated to a site near where Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church now stands.
Civil War Challenges and Community Support
The Civil War era brought significant hardship, but also opportunities for outreach. After emancipation, the formerly enslaved members sought help in forming independent congregations. Mars Hill’s members responded with generosity, helping to establish Shady Grove, Chestnut Grove, and Mount Zion Baptist Churches.
20th Century Milestones
The church celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 1949 with a two-day event led by Pastor J.S. Hays. Under his guidance, a new Sunday School annex was completed in 1958. During Rev. William Nash’s tenure, a sanctuary expansion and dedication took place in 1967. The Claude Healan Annex was completed in 1975, and Briarwood Baptist Church was launched as a mission church in 1981.
Fire and Renewal
On September 14, 1995, a lightning strike destroyed the historic sanctuary. The congregation swiftly adapted, holding services in the Claude Healan Annex the very next Sunday. Two years later, on the anniversary of the fire, Mars Hill dedicated its fourth and current church building. In 1999, the church celebrated its bicentennial with services, events, and baptisms in the original spring-fed pool.
Modern Developments
Under Rev. Charles Jones (1999–2009), the church experienced its highest membership and attendance levels, with membership surpassing 1000 and regular attendance of over 400. An educational building was completed in 2006, housing a preschool academy, gym, and commercial kitchen. In 2021, Pastor Rick Brittain led the church in a “note burning ceremony” after paying off the Family Life Building loan, allowing for interior updates completed in 2024.
Legacy and Continuity
With deep roots and enduring faith, Mars Hill Baptist Church remains a vital part of the community it helped shape. Descendants of the original 1799 members continue to call Oconee County home, and the church continues to serve as a spiritual anchor, glorifying God through every generation.
This photo was taken by Jack Griffith during Spring Revival in 1951. The first Mars Hill Baptist Church building was constructed on the knoll in front of the Virgil Langford home on Virgil Langford Road in 1799.
The second church building was constructed on the present site on Mars Hill Road in 1805/06.
The third building, the church shown in the picture, was completed in 1858 when Bedford Langford was pastor.
The second church building was constructed on the present site on Mars Hill Road in 1805/06.
The third building, the church shown in the picture, was completed in 1858 when Bedford Langford was pastor.
In the early 1950s, a Sunday School building program, led by Rev. J. S. Hays, began. The Sunday School Annex was completed in 1958. Later a basement was dug out to provide more Sunday School space.
Under the leadership of Rev. Bill Nash, Mars Hill completed a renovation and expansion of the sanctuary in 1966. The sanctuary was lengthened by 25 feet and the interior completely renovated. A basement was added which contained eight classrooms, and three restrooms. A new steeple was erected on the front, and the outside was brick veneered. Central heat and air were installed. The grounds were landscaped. The renovated church was dedicated in 1967.
During a violent thunderstorm on the night of September 14, 1995, lightning struck the wooden steeple starting a fire that spread quickly through the old timbers. The Sanctuary and Sunday School Annex were a total loss. The Claude Healan Annex was spared.
The new church building was dedicated on September 21, 1997, one year after the fire. The Life Building was dedicated on January 29, 2006.