Our Church History

Lydia Missionary Baptist Church’s history begins on September 29th, 1903 when it was organized between Paul’s Store Community and Strong Community on FM 139 in east Shelby County, TX. The eight charter members in 1903 included Mrs. Nancy S. Daw, Bettie Collum, Gertrude Permenter, Lecy Permenter, J. L. Harris, George Permenter, Jesse Permenter, and Warren A. Watson, who was the church clerk. The first church building of its history was built approximately 200 yards north of our current building. Over the next 40 years, services would be held in this building, one or two Sundays a month, depending on the condition of the roads. Many of the early preachers came on horseback. When there was no preacher at Lydia, the people attended the Methodist church across the road; and the Methodist congregation visited Lydia when they had no preacher. On a cold winter Sunday morning in 1943, a fire, caused by a wood heater, completely destroyed the first building. For the next nine years, the people of Lydia held their services at the community chapel at Wimberly Cemetery. In 1952, Allen Collum and Eddie Bailey gave one-half acre of land for the purpose of erecting a new church. A white, wood-framed, one room auditorium building was purchased and moved from Camp Worth, Mt. Hermon Community under the leadership of pastor Lee Collum. Four Sunday school rooms were added onto the back of the church while W.T. Permenter was pastor; and in 1972, under the leadership of pastor Leonard Milford, the church was bricked. A new fellowship hall with four Sunday school rooms was added in 1979 and Bro. Tommy Oglesby was pastor at the time. Under the leadership of pastor Gordon Vaughn, the old parsonage was sold and a new one was built in 1985. A Recreation- Education building was added in 1988 and in 1994 a new Sanctuary was completed, with the first service being held in it on Easter Sunday. We at Lydia Baptist Church today are striving to do what those who have gone before us have done: study God’s word, glorify His name, and reach out into the community and the world to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ… “and yet there is room” (Luke 14:22). Pastors of history included: C.W. Monroe, R.G. Jackson, J.S. Ellis, E.B. Anderson, W.A. Watson, J.A. Akins, J.D. Pate, Columbus Collins, T.H. Strong, H.B. Melton, Alvin Pate, Lee Collum, Augustus Downing, W.T. Permenter, John McGee, W.G. Griffin, E.C. Hartness, David Draper, Leonard E. Milford, Tommy Oglesby, Mike Honzell, Gordon Vaughn, Luke Garrett, Wes Hall, and current pastor Michael McArthur. Deacons through history have been Will Lawerence, Jesse Permenter, Lish Strickland, Tom Duncan, Bertice Vaughn, Sam Lafitte Jr., Eddie Bailey, Dave Lawerence, L.G. Fittz, Shane Corbell, Robert Cox, Atwood “Buddy” Kay Jr., Sammy O’Rear, Jim Lawson, and Keith Oswalt.

Shelby County History