Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church gathers at 8500 Cameron Road in Austin, north of 183 and south of Rundberg Lane. Known as The Mount, the church traces its identity to five families who began gathering for prayer and worship in 1899 and to a long-running emphasis on making disciples. Its Sunday rhythm pairs Church School at 9:45 a.m. with worship at 11:00 a.m., while Monday and Wednesday gatherings carry biblical teaching into the work of the week. Music, ministries for every generation, and a service-oriented theme called Ministries for Mankind shape the life of the congregation.
Sunday at The Mount
Sunday begins with Church School from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. The teaching program is designed to help participants know and apply the Word of God rather than limiting learning to a single traditional lesson format. Its age-group curriculum includes Cherubim/Angels for ages 2 to 8, Daniel for ages 9 to 10, Job's Lifestyle for ages 11 to 15 and Solomon for ages 16 to 23. Traditional adult classes include Wisdom, Fulfillment and Good News. Some classes may also be attended live through Zoom.
Sunday worship begins at 11:00 a.m. The service has a deliberate sequence that places prayer, Scripture, music and the preached Word at its center:
- Call to Worship
- Devotion
- Mission Statement
- Responsive Reading
- Praise and Worship
- Intercessory Prayer
- Greeting of Guests
- Offertory Statement
- Announcements
- Worship in Song
- The Preached Word
- Invitation to Christ
- Benediction
The General Services Auxiliary and deacons greet people at the church doors. Ushers can direct visitors to their seats, the nursery or the restrooms. Nursery volunteers check in children and care for infants while their families attend worship. The church also has a large parking lot, and volunteers use a golf cart to escort people from their vehicles to the church doors.
Music is a defining part of the service, with voices and instruments supporting congregational praise. The church's refrain captures the atmosphere: The Music Ministers, The Preachers Preach, And The People Praise! Worship is also livestreamed through the church's YouTube channel, and visitor information provides the practical details for a first visit.
Five Families on Chicon and Manor Road
The Mount's story begins in 1899, when five families regularly gathered for prayer and worship at the home of Mrs. Carrie Walton at the corner of Chicon and Manor Road and at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Denmon. Those families asked the Lord to direct them as they organized a church for the East Austin community. Their beginning came 36 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, amid Jim Crow laws, severe limits on African American voting rights and systemic barriers to employment. The earliest worship may have included preaching, hand clapping, foot tapping and perhaps a tambourine, but the central legacy of those families was a willingness to gather, pray and establish a church for generations to come.
After meeting for nearly a year, the worshippers obtained property at Poquito and 22nd Streets. A church building was completed in 1901 and named Main East Austin Baptist Church. Reverend Gilbert Fuller became its first pastor, with his wife, Sarah. He called his stepson, Reverend Albert Shelburn, to assist as co-pastor. From the late 1920s through 1948, the church was served by pastors Felton, Andy Walker, Randle, J. H. McClain and S. L. Evans. Pastor Evans was injured in a train wreck while returning from a Baptist Convention and died several weeks later. Reverend J. H. Scott and Reverend T. E. Marshall then served for a short time.
In 1948, former member Reverend L. V. Ates returned from San Francisco, California, with his wife, Blanche, to become pastor. The old church building was demolished in 1957, and a new building was erected on April 3, 1958. Its entrance moved from Poquito Street to 22nd Street, and the congregation's name became Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church.
Reverend F. C. Ransom and his wife, Lillie B., took leadership in 1964. Their generosity toward the community became a remembered part of their ministry. Pastor Ransom also gave young local ministers opportunities to teach and preach, including the church's present senior pastor. The church was remodeled during that period, a fellowship hall was added and note-burning celebrations became part of its life. Reverend Earl Harris and his wife, Kathleen, served from 1980 to 1986, seeing growth in membership and in the church's spiritual and financial life. He also established a Scholarship Committee that continues to encourage young people to pursue education after high school.
Reverend A. W. Anthony Mays was called as pastor on September 15, 1986. Together with his wife, Fannie, he led Mount Sinai toward a Faith Ministry and adopted the spirit-directed theme Ministries for Mankind. That theme still organizes the congregation's emphasis on spiritual growth, service and evangelism.
Growth at 38th and One-Half Street
A significant membership increase in 1989 required the congregation to leave its East 22nd Street home. Mount Sinai moved to 1801 East 38th and One-Half Street. On April 9, 1989, the church celebrated its 90th anniversary, and the Mount Sinai Christian Drill Team, directed by Sister Cleo Hawkins and Drill Sergeant Tony Robertson, led a parade from the old location to the new one.
Structural additions in 1991 included a fellowship hall, four offices and two classrooms. Church School expanded to 13 classes, including non-traditional courses such as Teach Us to Pray. Reverend Everette Freeman became the Assistant to the Pastor in 1992. In 1993, Mount Sinai retired the debt on the 38th and One-Half Street property during its 94th anniversary celebration and added a Women's Ministry directed by Sister Fannie Mays.
The Cameron Road Years
In 1994, the church acquired property at 5900 Cameron Road. The first service there was held on November 6, followed by a December 11 dedication with the theme Hitherto Has the Lord Helped Us. Additional land was purchased for youth services and Church School classes. The Mount Sinai Christian Academy began in 1995 with an emphasis on Christian values, and the Mount Sinai School of Music was created in 2000. A summer childcare ministry with a Christian focus also began in 2007 as Kidz 4 Christ.
As the congregation continued to grow, Mount Sinai acquired 8500 Cameron Road in 2003. The property covered 19.85 acres and contained 92,000 square feet of existing buildings. Construction began in 2016, with the first phase providing a sanctuary, lower-level classrooms and offices. Later phases added a Family Life Center, Christian Academy, gym, and a second floor of offices and classrooms. The former 5900 Cameron property was sold in 2017, and the congregation entered its present facility in 2018. The third phase was completed in 2020, and the resulting church campus carries a stated value of more than $13 million.
Monday and Wednesday: Learning, then Worship
Discipleship extends beyond Sunday morning. Monday Night Bible Study meets in the sanctuary from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m. and focuses on understanding Scripture and applying it to daily life. The class is livestreamed for people unable to attend on campus, and study notes are prepared for participants.
Wednesday evenings have a similarly intentional rhythm. A light meal is served from 6:00 to 6:25 p.m., group classes run from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., and an abbreviated worship service begins at 7:30 p.m. The classes concentrate on biblical instruction, discipleship and church life, with the congregation's wider goal expressed in Matthew 28:19 and 20: making disciples and teaching people to observe what Christ commanded.
Thursday activities add regular opportunities for wellness and recovery support. Exercise classes run from 6:00 to 6:50 p.m. and are open to church members and community friends. The P.A.T.H. Ministry, which stands for People Available To Help, meets from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. as a confidential, Christ-centered 12-step support group. Meetings include prayer, a recovery step with corresponding Scripture, a short teaching or testimony and group sharing.
Come, Grow, Serve, and Reach
The Mount summarizes participation through four verbs: come, grow, serve and reach. Coming means joining worship, growing means learning the Word of God, serving means joining the work of the ministries, and reaching means extending that service beyond the congregation. These expressions describe a church intentionally connected across age groups rather than a congregation with a single ministry model.
The Youth Ministry focuses on children and young people, with the stated aim of winning them to Christ and encouraging spiritual development through age-appropriate biblical teaching. Youth Pastor Min. Deryl K. Collins and Youth Directress Sis. Traci Jackson lead this work. The ministry stresses that children are important to God, that Christian parents have a responsibility to raise them according to God's Word and that children are part of the church now, not merely the church of the future.
Church School is directed by Sis. Betty Spight, with Sis. Brenda Burrell serving as dean. In addition to traditional lessons, its curriculum addresses Christian doctrine, prayer, evangelism, marriage, conflict resolution, Christian meditation, stewardship, teaching, personal application and biblical principles for men and women. A New Member Orientation introduces the church, its ministries and the basics of the Christian church.
Rev. Dr. Joshua Reese leads the Young Adults Ministry, which focuses on people ages 19 to 40. Refresh and Refuel is an energetic Bible study with icebreakers, current topics and biblical lessons; it meets every other Thursday through Zoom. The Junior Mission supports women ages 19 to 40 through fellowship, service and an emphasis on spreading the gospel.
Adult ministries cover a wide range of church life. Dea. James Thompson and Dea. Jackie Coffey lead the Deacons Ministry, while Sis. Ann Franklin chairs the Deaconess Ministry. Dea. Wayne Cook leads the Brotherhood, with a focus on conversion, spiritual growth and active participation in the church. The Women's Ministry, coordinated by Sis. Carol Taylor, encourages spiritual growth and service to God and to one another. The Marriage Ministry presents biblical principles for married couples and those preparing for marriage, while the Singles Ministry seeks to support, educate and involve single Christians in the life of the church.
The Seniors Ministry provides fellowship, teaching and training as members grow older. Dea. Jerry Barr chairs the ministry, Sis. Linda Barr serves as co-chairperson, and Min. Leo Morris serves as Senior Adults Pastor. The church also has three women's mission groups organized around age: Junior Mission for ages 19 to 40, Intermediate Mission for ages 41 to 60 and Senior Mission for women over 61. Their stated purpose is mission work, fellowship and service for the spread of the gospel.
Ministries for Mankind at Home and Beyond
The phrase Ministries for Mankind describes work that reaches both the church family and the surrounding community. The Food Pantry and Clothes Closet offers free but regulated distributions of food and clothing to people facing difficult circumstances. The Benevolent Committee provides assistance to community members during hard times while also teaching financial responsibility. Transportation volunteers assist members and visitors traveling to Sunday worship, and the Culinary Ministry prepares food for ministry events and, when requested by a family, meals after a funeral.
Care also extends to people navigating difficult transitions. The Ministry of Restoration supports formerly incarcerated Christians as they reconnect with church life. The All Cancer Survivors Ministry provides support, education and encouragement to people touched by cancer. The Ministry of Presence offers empathetic support to people experiencing serious grief, while the Ministry of Reconciliation focuses on conflict resolution within the Christian life and church. The Temple Wellness Ministry encourages Christians to care for their bodies through education, training, proper diet and exercise.
The Evangelism Ministry focuses on sharing the gospel with people who have not come to faith. Within the congregation, the In-Reach Committee communicates care through calls, cards and letters. Worship hospitality is the work of the General Services Auxiliary, whose ushers, hospitality members and healthcare servants support an orderly service, warmly welcome visitors and respond when health assistance is needed.
Media Ministry provides the technical backbone for worship through sound amplification, video presentations and recording of worship experiences and programs. This ministry supports the church's ability to communicate beyond its buildings, while the transportation, culinary, decorations and hospitality ministries provide practical forms of service that often remain behind the scenes.
Music, Media and Summer Care
Music Ministry is dedicated to providing Christian music during worship through voices and instruments, with the aim of edifying believers and honoring God through song and praise. Bro. Deric Lewis directs the ministry. Mount Sinai's worship has developed through multi-voiced choirs, praise teams and numerous instruments, while the school of music created in 2000 continues to provide a structured outlet for musical development. The church choir and Deric Lewis also released the Christian single I Believe with EPM Music Group in 2014.
The Family Life Center, gym, sanctuary, classrooms and offices on the 19.85-acre Cameron Road campus allow ministry, education, worship and recreation to occur in one setting. Sermon recordings and devotionals can be heard online, and the livestream carries worship beyond the congregation. The summer ministry that began as Kidz 4 Christ continues the church's practice of providing childcare with a Christian focus, while the Christian Academy has educated children with an emphasis on Christian values since 1995.
The Faith Mount Sinai Confesses
Mt. Sinai defines its mission as being a positive and effective witness, corporately and individually, for Jesus Christ. It seeks to win lost people through preaching the gospel and to build and mature believers through preaching, teaching, prayer and fellowship. The church's stated beliefs include:
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God and the authority and standard for faith and life.
- There is one true God, the maker and creator of all things, who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Human beings were created perfect in holiness but lost that state through sinful disobedience.
- Salvation comes by grace through faith in the sacrificial death of the Son of God for human sin, with genuine salvation involving repentance and continued faith.
- Those who believe in Jesus Christ experience spiritual new birth and become members of God's family.
- Believers grow more like the Son of God through sanctification.
- The church practices baptism by total immersion in water and the Lord's Supper until Christ's return; neither ordinance conveys salvation.
- No one knows the day or hour of Christ's return, but the church believes He will return to reward faithful believers and judge the wicked.
The Mount Is on the Move
Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church's identity links a small white-framed home on Chicon and Manor Road to a 19.85-acre campus on Cameron Road. Across more than a century, the church has moved from Main East Austin Baptist Church to a congregation with worship, discipleship, music, education, family care and community service distributed across many ministries. The Mount remains centered on the same work expressed in its founding and in its theme of Ministries for Mankind: bringing people to faith, growing them in the Word and sending them into service.