On a Corner Where Two Highways Meet
Zion Baptist Church sits at the corner of Georgia Highway 20 and Georgia Highway 212 in Covington, just outside the square that gives Newton County its courthouse and its small-town rhythm. The address - 7037 Highway 212, Covington, GA 30016 - draws members and visitors from across the county. ZBC belongs to the Stone Mountain Baptist Association, partners with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, and adheres to the Baptist Faith and Message (2000). The congregation's own way of describing itself begins with Christ at the center: the church is "committed to the preeminence of Jesus Christ as the head of the Church, which is His body" and purposefully places "the gospel of Jesus at the center of every part of our life together."
Sunday in Three Movements
Sunday at Zion comes in three movements that span morning and evening. Life Groups meet first, at 9:00 a.m., with classes for preschoolers, children by grade, students, and adults. The morning worship service begins at 10:15 a.m. and is offered both in person and online. The service is intentionally blended, with the Celebration Choir and Orchestra leading a mix of classic hymns, gospel songs, traditional anthems, and praise choruses, while prayer, tithes and offerings, and a gospel-centered message from the pastor round out the gathering.
The afternoon quiets down for a few hours, then resumes at 5:00 p.m. with an evening service that runs alongside the children's program Kids in Action and the youth gathering called Relentless.
Wednesday Nights at the Church
Wednesday is the other hub of the week, and on most weeks it is busier than many congregations' Sundays. Children's programming for ages three through seventh grade runs from 6:00 p.m. until 7:45 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Youth in grades seven through twelve meet at 6:00 p.m. on the third floor of Building B, in a space known as "The Loft." Adults gather for Bible study and prayer at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. The Celebration Choir rehearses from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the Sanctuary, and the Celebration Orchestra rehearses from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. in the same room, giving the weekly calendar two rehearsal blocks that extend the evening.
ZKids and the Children of Zion
The children's ministry is called ZKids, anchored by 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." Director Gail Bemis leads a team of teachers who walk through Bible-based curriculum with each age group, with the stated aim of making "church a place where children want to be." Parents are invited to partner in the work through home leadership workshops, take-home Bible lessons, age-specific encouragement media, and ongoing family support.
ZKids programming includes Kids in Action and Bible Drill, Vacation Bible School, Life Groups by grade level, Bible study, summer camp, a children's choir, service projects, Children's Worship during the sermon (children in K5 through third grade are dismissed after the music portion of worship for "Kid's Jam"), and participation in Operation Christmas Child. Newborns through K4 receive childcare called Extended Teaching Care during every worship service. Gail Bemis, who taught in the Newton County public schools for 36 years before stepping into the children's ministry role in 2016, anchors the program.
Relentless: Students in Grades Six Through Twelve
The student ministry is named Relentless, after 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the idea that to be relentless is to be "steady and persistent; firmly, often unreasonably immovable in purpose or will." The youth of Zion, current sixth through twelfth graders, are to be unchanging and unwavering in their pursuit of God, just as God is unchanging in His pursuit of them.
Relentless meets every Sunday morning for Life Group at 9:00 a.m. and again on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Each gathering includes a time of worship and teaching, with the Wednesday worship led by the student ministry's own youth worship team. Timothy McNarry, who has served at Zion as Youth Director since 2017, walks alongside the students with the goal of meeting them "where they are in their walk with Christ in such a way that encourages them to grow closer to Him."
Women: Heart to Heart
The women's ministry at ZBC is Heart to Heart, named for Colossians 2:2. The ministry compares Christian community to a grove of Live Oak trees whose roots are intertwined - stronger together than apart - and seeks to do the same for the women of the church. Through Bible studies, prayer, accountability in Life Groups, and a calendar of both on- and off-campus events, Heart to Heart offers the women of Zion a space to grow in their faith and walk alongside one another. The annual Women's Brunch, the Stitchin' Sisters sewing group, Bible studies, outreaches, and mission trips round out the year.
Men: Rooted
The men's ministry takes the name Rooted, from Colossians 2:6-7: "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." At Zion, the ministry exists to train and equip men to be spiritual leaders in their homes, in the church, and in their places of work. Men are invited to engage through Bible study, discipleship groups, leadership development, accountability in Life Groups, mentoring, retreats, mission trips, and special events. The annual calendar includes a Men's Retreat, special breakfasts, fishing and golfing outings, outreaches, and mission trips.
Senior Adults and Widows
The senior adults of Zion are Young at Heart, an outreach to those age 50 and older in the church and in the wider community. The group meets regularly for fellowship and steps out together for day trips and joint projects that support other ministries of the church.
For widows, the Healing Hearts ministry walks alongside women who have experienced "life's greatest loss," helping them "maintain their joy of life through fellowship and lovingly help them address their mental and spiritual needs." Healing Hearts gathers regularly for fellowship, takes day trips, and offers spiritual encouragement through prayer. The ministry is led by Sue Hoover.
Celebration: A Blended Sound of Choir and Orchestra
Zion's music ministry carries the name Celebration, and the weekly rhythm of the choir and orchestra gives that name weight. The Celebration Choir is the worship choir for the Sunday morning service. Open to any adult who senses God's call to worship leadership, the choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The Celebration Orchestra, which rehearses from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights in the Sanctuary, plays for Sunday morning worship and joins the choir for anthems and for the Christmas and Easter musical programs. Middle and high school instrumentalists are welcome to be heard by the director.
Jeff Murdock serves as the Interim Worship Pastor. A native of East Point, Georgia, he felt called to music ministry in 1974 and has served Baptist churches in Georgia for thirty years. He has sung with the Sons of Jubal, the male chorus of the Georgia Baptist Convention, since 1985, and has traveled on mission trips with the group to Russia, China, North Korea, Israel, and England. The Celebration Choir has produced two recordings, "The Joy of Christmas" and "You are God Alone."
Life Groups and Doing Life Together
Life Groups are the connective tissue of Zion Baptist Church, and the church articulates their purpose around four commitments. Pursuit of God means that as a group members are actively growing in their relationship with God through worship, Bible study, and obedience. Transparent Connections means real relationships built over meals, trips, and shared stories. Authentic Service means tangible ways of living out and spreading Christ's love by serving the community. Natural Growth means groups that welcome new people and, in time, release members to start new groups of their own. Life Groups meet across every age and stage at Zion: preschool, children by grade level, students, and adults.
Reaching Out: The Community Clothes Closet
Zion's community outreach runs through the Community Clothes Closet, a clothing ministry of the church that welcomes donations and collaboration from the wider neighborhood. Additional details and the point of contact are available through the church office.
What Zion Believes
Zion adheres to the Baptist Faith and Message published in 2000, and the church summarizes its convictions around seven commitments. The Lordship of Jesus Christ places the preeminence of Christ as head of the Church and centers the gospel in every part of life together. Bible-Centered Teaching commits the church to preaching and teaching the whole written Word of God through expository preaching in its proper and complete context. Evangelism and Missions calls the church to go outside the walls and serve the community. Worship and Prayer sets corporate prayer as a worship priority and embraces both musical praise and a lifestyle of ceaseless prayer. Discipleship aims to help others grow closer to God through services, ministries, Bible study, and worship. Fellowship builds a family atmosphere where newcomers "become family" and prayer needs are shared. Membership encourages long-time guests to become active and vital members, plugging into the community and opening more volunteer and ministry opportunities.
A Pastoral Family
Senior Pastor Andy Daniel grew up in southwest Missouri and surrendered his life to Christ in 2014. He and his wife, Tabitha, married in 2015 and have three young children - Aaron, Benjamin, and Rose - along with Andy's eldest son, Bowen. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral and Biblical Studies (2021) and a Master of Arts in Church Ministry (2023) from Mission University (formerly Baptist Bible College) in Springfield, Missouri, Andy planted Mercy Gate Church in Box Elder, South Dakota, in partnership with the North American Mission Board. In May of 2026, the Daniel family answered the call to Zion Baptist Church, where Andy now serves as senior pastor. He is currently a doctoral student at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
What to Expect When You Visit
Zion describes its morning worship as blended, focused on encouraging the worshiper to encounter God in whatever way the Holy Spirit leads. Some arrive in coats and ties, others in jeans and sneakers, and most are somewhere in between; the church's only stated dress code is "wear clothes." Designated guest parking is available in front of the Worship Center and in the Family Life Center lot off Highway 212. Life Groups meet at 9:00 a.m. and the worship service begins at 10:15 a.m. Giving is available online through PushPay, in person during the offertory, and by mail. Sermons are also available on the church's YouTube channel.