​Since 1908, Southside Baptist Church has stood on the corner of Carlisle and South Church Streets.  It all began when Judge J.J. Gentry, a member of First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, became impressed with the need for another Baptist church in the city of Spartanburg.  After consulting with his pastor and the deacons of First Baptist, the site on the corner of Carlisle and Church Streets was selected.  At 4 o’clock on the afternoon on June 28th, 1908, in accordance with previous announcements made through several Baptist churches and the local newspaper, a number of men and women assembled at the South Side Public School Building for the purpose of organizing a new Baptist church.  There were a total of 114 charter members: 102 from First Baptist Church, 7 from Green Street Baptist Church, and 5 from other churches.  The church voted to receive as charter members all others who became members during July 1908.

​Rev. W.T. Derrieux, Assistant Secretary of the State Mission Board, led the program that first afternoon.  It began with a statement of the meeting’s purpose and was followed by singing the Doxology, prayer led by Mr. John Graham, and a message by Rev. Derrieux, “The Mission and Organization of a Baptist Church and What It Stands For.”  The meeting concluded with the reading and sanctioning of the Articles of Faith by the congregation, the appointing of necessary committees, and the taking of an offering ($11.35), which was sent to the State Mission Board.​

The minutes of the organizational meeting state that “the Spirit of the Lord Jesus was present.”  The new church was named “The South Side Baptist Church,”  and the church members went to work with great enthusiasm.  The next Sunday, they met in the same place and organized a Sunday School.  Soon there was the Woman’s Missionary Society, Ladies’ Aid Society, Sunbeams, and other organizations.  On July 18th, 1908, Rev R.E. Neighbour accepted a call to become pastor of this newly organized Baptist church.​

The first house of worship was a tent, purchased for $250.  On August 7th, 1908, the name of the church was changed to "Southside Baptist Church."​

The third house of worship was a brick auditorium. Construction began in the spring of 1910 and cost approximately $30,000.  The church community worshipped in this building from February 1911 until October 1978.

In the intervening years, Sunday School classrooms in the basement were finished (1918), a new educational building was erected (1927), and the Lewis H. Wright Educational Building was completed (August 1949).  In 1965, a 30,000 square foot educational building with church offices was added for approximately $500,000.  In 1973, the C.B. Simmons Activities Building was completed. An open house an dedication was on December 23rd, 1973. Also in 1973, the church held a special observance of the 65th anniversary of its organization.

With the October 1978 announcement that the auditorium of Southside Baptist Church was structurally unsafe for occupancy, the Church immediately initiated an effort to build a new sanctuary – the fourth house of worship.  Demolition of the old auditorium began on November 28th, 1979.  Groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of the sanctuary were held on Easter Sunday, April 19th, 1982.  On December 5th, 1982, the sanctuary was dedicated.  In 1983, Southside observed the 75th anniversary of its organization with a special pageant featuring former pastors, "Men of the Master Quilter."  During the 80's, there were also weekly radio broadcasts by Southside Baptist Church from the Caribbean island of Anguilla (for 3 years).  We sent mission teams to the Caribbean isalnds of St. Kitts, Dominica, and Trinidad. Southside acquired property adjacent to the church buildings to be used for future expansion.

On June 27th, 1993, the church family had the 85th Church Anniversary Celebration.  Also in the 90's, Southside completed the space under the sanctuary to provide a center for youth Sunday School and other activities including the After School Scare program, which began in 1997 and continued until December 2006.

“His Heart, Our Mission” - Greater emphasis on missions, and increased personal involvement in mission service and in monetary contributions to missions

 

In 2004 Southside adopted the mission statement "Connecting People to Jesus Christ." The church also renovated the Family Life Center in 2004, upgrading the kitchen, fellowship hall (now called "The Café"), and the gym. 

 

In 2006, the church renovated the old fellowship hall, making it a worship room for the youth ministry, including a stage, praise band equipment, video, games, and more. A family mission trip team and was sent to Kentucky.

​

In 2007, the youth ministry sent a team to Philadelphia to help run a camp for teenagers.  The church also sent a medical team to Guatemala.
 

In 2008, Southside sent out two mission teams, one to Southeast Asia and one to Alaska.  The World Changers Alaska team was made up of adults and high school students.  The team served and had the opportunity to witness many times.  There were three professed decisions for Christ.
 

 

Southside celebrated 100 years June 29, 2008.

In 2009, Southside sent teams to Kentucky, China, and Bluffton SC for ministry and missions.

In 2010, teams were sent to Asia, Guatemala, Kentucky, and youth World Changers Tampa FL.

In 2011, a team was sent to Kentucky.

In 2012, a World Changers mission team was sent to San Francisco, California.

In 2013, a mission team was sent to Seattle, Washington to help birth Essential Church. Other members took mission trips to Kentucky, Alaska, and Wales.

In 2014, a mission team was sent to Guatemala as a medical and teaching effort with Gary and Lily Stone.

Church Plants
Southside Baptist Church has been responsible for the beginning of four mission churches:
Morningside Chapel (1950) now Morningside Baptist Church
Hour of Power Chapel (1957)
Southside Baptist Chapel (1958)
Mission on St. Kitts (1989) now Lighthouse Baptist Church, St. Kitts
Just as the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ was present on that beginning day in 1908, so through the more that 100 years of this Church the Spirit of the Lord has been its guiding force.  As we find ourselves at the threshold of a new century, may we accept the challenges and opportunities God gives us.  May we be found faithful, obedient, and completely dedicated to the Lord’s leadership in our mission of sharing the Gospel with our neighbors, our country, and our world.

Pastors of Southside Baptist
Rev. R.E. Neighbour (1908 -1912)
Rev. M.S. Jenkins (1913)
Rev. R.V. Miller (1913 -1914)
Dr. M.D. Jeffries (1914 -1918)
Rev. H.V. Tanner (1918 -1923)
Dr. J.L. Vipperman (1923 -1937)
Rev. O.K. Webb (1938 -1945)
Dr. Lewis H. Wright (1945 -1949)
Dr. John E. Huss (1950 -1957)
Dr. John T. Tippett, Jr. (1957 -1959)
Dr. W.H. Clapp (1960 -1969)
Dr. Herbert C. Garrett, Jr. (1970 -1979)
Dr. Gene M. Adams (1981 -1987)
Dr. Benjamin W. Littlejohn, Jr. (1989 -1995)
Dr. D. Allen McWhite, Sr. (1997 - January 2002)
Rev. Barry Ellis (2002 - 2003)
Rev. David Blanton (2004 - 2010)
Dr. Schuyler Peterson (2011 - present)