November 8, 2025
LEXINGTON, Ga. — Small churches occupy a significant place in American history, and their value is still noteworthy today. Southern Baptist statistics reveal that 43% of the churches in the SBC have fewer than 50 people in their weekly worship service. Small churches have given great preachers their start, much older pastors a place to serve in the sunset years of their lives, and bi-vocational pastors the opportunity to fulfill their divine calling.
On the north side of US Highway 78, about five miles east of Lexington, there is a small country road that bears the name Stevens Grove Church Road. There is a sign indicating that the church is 3.5 miles down that road.
George Smith and his wife, Nancy, who serves as the church’s song leader, may very well be the catalysts that help the church continue to serve the community and touch lives for good and God. He is a deacon and has served as the Sunday School teacher at Stevens Grove for more than 40 years. He also serves as the chaplain of the Oglethorpe County Gideon Camp.
George is very familiar with the church’s history. “My grandfather, Oscar Lameontine Smith, moved to the 'flatwoods' section of Oglethorpe County from Madison County in 1903," he said. "He had been a member of Moon’s Grove Baptist Church there, but the nearest Baptist church to his new environs was Salem Baptist Church. So, in 1912, he and some of his neighbors determined that a church was needed in their community."
George continued, "They began meeting in a local schoolhouse and formed the Stevens Grove Baptist Church, named for the man who donated the land for the building (A.P. Stevens). The building we still use was erected in 1913.”
The Smith family became intricately involved in the new church. Oscar Smith was one of the first deacons and served the Lord faithfully at Stevens Grove until his death in 1959. His brother, Ambus, became the clerk and treasurer. His sister, Willie Mae, was the organist, and he had another brother who was a deacon.
George stated, “My grandfather and my grandmother, Evie, had 12 children, ten of whom survived; and all were members of the church at one time. My father became a deacon and took on a leadership role much like my grandfather.”
George was saved and joined the church in 1960 and has perpetuated the legacy of his father and grandfather.
“Down through the 113 years of the church’s existence, the Smith family has been instrumental in keeping the church alive in challenging times,” declared George.
Neither George nor his deceased brother had children of their own, and his sister’s children no longer live in the area, so George is the last Smith of that lineage involved in Stevens Grove.
For many years, the church averaged between 25-35 in worship on Sundays. Until 2005, the church held a homecoming service every 1st Sunday in August, with between 75-125 people attending.
George explained, “Back in the 50s and 60s, homecoming was generally followed by a 3- to 5-day revival. In 2006, we suspended the homecoming when it became obvious that we did not have the cooks in our small congregation to physically hold the long-standing observance."
The church has waxed and waned over its history. “There were seasons of energy and activity, but a lot of that depended on who the pastor was, his leadership, and hands-on involvement. Stevens Grove has never had anything except a bi-vocational pastor, most of whom lived a great distance from the church.
The current pastor is Matthew Smith, no relation to George. "Matt is 34 years old, served as a youth pastor at another church in the county, and felt the call to be a pastor," George said. "He and his wife, Kathy, make their home in Comer, Georgia, about 30 miles from the church. They have two young children."
For Pastor Smith, George said, leading Stevens Grove is a new experience. "Stevens Grove is his first church, and he is learning to be a pastor and beginning to realize that some facets of his calling can only be learned by being exposed to them. I think he relates well to the younger people in our church, and he has a heart for ministry. He has been open to visiting in the community as well as with the church family.”
Starting a pastoral career at Stevens Grove, George said, is not uncommon. “Our church has been the first church for quite a few of the 26 men who served as our pastors, and most of them have continued their ministry for many years after leaving our church." Three of those men went on to serve as chaplains in the Armed Forces.
David G. Smith, George’s first cousin, grew up in the Stevens Grove Church and says the Lord grabbed his heart while he was there. He is now a pastor of a thriving church in Bartlett, Tenn.
In his testimony, called “One Man’s Journey,” David writes, “I was introduced to missions, missionaries, and mission organizations such as the Home Mission Board and the Foreign Mission Board (now called the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board). I learned about denominations and denominational structure. I learned about how churches can accomplish more together than they can separately through things like the Cooperative Program and local associations of churches like the Sarepta Baptist Association.
“But more important than anything, it was at Stevens Grove that it was solidified in my heart and mind that Jesus loves me and that He wanted to have a personal relationship with me.”
George also holds dear to his heart the learning, worship, and fellowship afforded him by his church, and explained, “Since the church has been so much a part of the life of my family for over a century, I have a vested interest in seeing it continue and prosper."
While Stevens Grove is a small church, the people still give 15 percent of their income to the Sarepta Baptist Association and the Cooperative Program. They also take up special offerings each year for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for mission work in North America.
To continue to make an impact, George said, the church needs to grow. “Our greatest need is people. We regularly visit to meet the residents within a 3-4-mile radius of our church. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, we have not seen much fruit yet."
In an age when the allure of mega-churches and high-tech worship experiences, Stevens Grove stands as a monument to faithfulness. There, the gospel has been proclaimed for over a century, lives have been shaped by Scripture, and generations have answered the call to serve. As long as there are men and women like George Smith who cherish the church, there is every reason to believe that Stevens Grove will continue to be a light to its community.
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