Our History
“The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”
Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church stands today because of God's goodness and His servants' faithfulness over the years - To God Be the Glory! We, the Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church members, an affiliate of the Auburn District Missionary Baptist Association, gather to celebrate 105 glorious years of God’s gracious acts of love for His people in this place. We are privileged to be a part of the family of God and a member of this great church. The history of Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church, then known as Peace Baptist Church, began in 1917 with Reverend J. S. Tate, former pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church in Opelika. Reverend Tate
served as pastor for fifteen years. After his departure, several ministers served as pastor: Reverend S. M. Nathaniel (1932-1933), Reverend Philpot (1933-1934), Reverend R. M. Ferrell (1935-1943), Rev. N. H. Carr (1943-1966), Rev. W. G. Glover (1967-1973) and Rev. H. S. Shaw (1973-1993). Sometime between Reverend Carr and Rev. W. G. Glover’s tenure, the name Peace Baptist Church was changed to Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church.
Our current pastor, Reverend Dr. Clifford E. Jones, was installed in 1993. We are eternally grateful for Pastor Jones, his family, his love for the Lord, his leadership, his dedication, and his vision. The Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church arose from a four-room house to a small church facing Jeter Street to an even larger brick church facing Dover Street. The church (worship center) is a 15,000 sq. ft. edifice and a 20,000 sq. ft. Family Life Center erected on Jeter Avenue. The church theme for 2021 was “A Church Moving from Worry to Prayer” (Phi. 4:6-7). Pastor Jones and Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church members began the year with a determination to lead with prayer. Through prayer, we find the source of strength and understanding needed to fulfill God’s will. Through the trials brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the church has maintained a consistent willingness to serve in several capacities, both internally and through the community. We have provided virtual opportunities to meet and fellowship via livestream and Zoom.
Through it all, we’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, and Trusting in His Holy Word, He’s never failed us yet. “To God be the Glory”
Before COVID-19, we had two Sunday morning worship services weekly at 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. and a Sunday evening service at 6:00 p.m. However, due to COVID-19, we have reverted to one Sunday service again at 11:00 a.m. We aided in decreasing the spread of the virus by providing several hand sanitizing stations and disposable masks for all members. Services will continue to be available virtually through the livestreaming technology. Our membership has grown from an original group of 25 - 30 chartered members to a current membership roll of 1039, including 11 new members who have joined this year.
The Church Strategic Plan developed in 2021 was formally adopted by the Church in January 2022. The church began 2022 with a new theme and eager spirit to continue doing the work God has called us to do. This year’s theme is “Deepening Our Trust in God and Man” Psalms 37:3-6. We have continued to implement the Strategic Plan. This year, we added the Mental Health Ministry to our list of ministries. This Ministry is being chaired by Dr. Mike Williams and Dr. Patricia Wade-Williams and is encouraged to aid the Church and the Community with helpful information and workshops.
The reader board has become a major Church and Community asset. It is updated weekly with significant events and notices. We have brought back the distribution of a weekly bulletin. In October 2021, we reintroduced the weekly bulletin along with Pastor Jones’s “From the Pastor’s Desk” newsletter. We hosted the annual Southeast District State Convention (SEDSC), where Pastor Jones retired as the President and gave his farewell address during the week of May 9-12, 2022.
We installed a new security system through Johnson Control and will continue seeking the best security card system for the Church. We received active shooter training conducted by Deacon Jessie Seroyer, Federal Marshall of the Middle District of Alabama.
The Church purchased new furniture for the Conference Room, Family Life Center, and the Pastor’s office. The Church also purchased a new bus for transportation.
We pray that everything we do will bring souls to God and glorify His name. We are so thankful and count it all joy to be instruments worthy of God's use.