The Church in the Mount | Revitalizing Faith | A Call to Remember the Heritage of Mount Zion Baptist Church

The Church in the Mount

I've always been a builder—at heart and in life. From childhood forts in the Shenandoah mountains to construction work that supported my early ministry, I've learned one unbreakable truth: the foundation matters most. No matter how beautiful the structure, if the ground isn't solid, it won't last.

Jesus, the ultimate Master Builder, taught this in Luke 6:

"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock... But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation... and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:46-49, NKJV)

Both builders heard Jesus. Both faced the flood. The difference? One did what He said—digging deep to bedrock—while the other settled for surface-level faith. The obedient house stood firm; the disobedient one collapsed in ruin.

This parable applies everywhere: our personal lives, marriages, families, jobs, and especially our church.

Mount Zion has a remarkable story. Founded in 1872, this church once faced near-destruction in the early 20th century. The building fell into disrepair—doors closed, windows broken, sills rotting. But a faithful few in 1920 refused to let it die. They dug in, cleared debris, repaired the structure at personal cost, and prayed. A revival followed in 1921, sparking one of the greatest spiritual awakenings our community had ever seen.

Because they acted—not just heard—there is still a church in the mount today.

Now it's our turn to stand in the gap.

The choice is clear but not easy:

- Obedience takes hard work: digging deep, sacrificing, loving enemies, doing good without expecting return, showing mercy as our Father does (Luke 6:27-36). It goes against our natural instincts.

- Disobedience is easier in the moment—but it invites destruction, as we've seen in broken homes, divided communities, and struggling churches.

Yet the payoff for obedience is immense: a church that endures floods, impacts lives, restores families, reaches the lost, and points generations to Jesus.

This is what it means to be "A Church Built for Real Life".

To be:

- A church here for the long haul

- Doers of the Word, not hearers only

- A living demonstration of Christ's love, grace, and forgiveness—to everyone, no exceptions

- An outpost at 261 Dix Creek that our community knows truly cares for them.

Will there be a church in the mount for the generations after us? Not by coasting or checking boxes—but by each of us committing to action, sacrifice, and obedience today.

If your personal life, marriage, or family needs a stronger foundation, or if you want to see Mount Zion thrive into the next half of the century, let's pray together for wisdom, unity, purity, and your role in building what's next.

Join us as we dig deep, build on the Rock, and ensure the light keeps shining here in the mountains.

Visit us anytime at [www.thechurchinthemount.com](http://www.thechurchinthemount.com) or come worship with us soon.

In His service,

Pastor Will Mercer

Mount Zion Baptist Church

"The Church in the Mount"