by Craig Dyson
Fresh out of Baptist Bible College in 1963, a young preacher and his wife headed to their roots with a firm belief in something the late pastor John Rawlings said: “Find a city, drive a stake in it, and give your life to that city.” That desire, through the work of the Holy Spirit, lead James L. Upchurch to return to Raleigh, NC, and start Faith Baptist Church in 1963. Pastor Upchurch and his wife, Rennie, worked tirelessly to start this church; but as the church started to grow, some members began attacking the young preacher for his passionate words and soul winning. On December 8, 1965, Pastor Upchurch resigned as pastor, unaware of the future, yet still burdened for the city of Raleigh.
On a cold December night, just three days after he resigned, when the Upchurches saw everything they worked for be changed, 26 other people saw something different. Many of them experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ through the preaching of Pastor Upchurch and together they saw God leading to start a new work and reach the community. So that night, in the small home of the young pastor, vision became reality.
Through prayer and a simple willingness to be used, a mission was established. After it was commissioned by Pastor Thorton Hall, the first service was held. The first Sunday, the group met at a house located in the middle of a scrap yard, kindly offered by one of those faithfully attending. Eventually, the new mission held services at a local YWCA. However, after a few weeks Upchurch knew something had to be done. A couple of years before, when Faith Baptist Church started, they met at that same YWCA and the thought of going through that process again was discouraging.
Today, if you take a drive south out of Raleigh, you will come upon 6910 Fayetteville Road, which is the home of Mid-Way Baptist Church. In 1966, what you would have stumbled upon was much different. For years, a man by the name of Virgil Sorrell prayed God would send someone to reach those who lived close by. Sorrell kindly offered his small basement to be used for a meeting place. Upon moving the mission to that basement, people began to be saved and their lives were changed. Over 125 people would cram into that basement for services. On February 10, 1966, Mid-Way Baptist Church was organized calling James Upchurch to shepherd the new church. Later that year, two acres across the street from the house they were meeting in was donated to the church by the Sorrell Brothers Lumber Yard. On that land, the first building was built in 1966 and was dedicated in April 1967.
In 1976, God allowed Mid-Way to purchase the Sorrell Brothers Lumber Yard, which was adjacent to the donated two acres. Today, Mid-Way has over 80 acres used to help reach the surrounding area for Jesus. From a small basement across the street, to land and buildings worth over 14 million dollars, all is a testimony of the faithfulness of God.
In the 50 years of Mid-Way’s existence, lives have been changed, families have been restored, buildings have been built, and God’s Word continues to be taught. In spite of the many positive experiences, God has used difficult moments to grow the church. In 1974, a recession hit America. During the next seven years there were many times Pastor Upchurch did not know if the church would survive. A new 1,500-seat auditorium, office complex, and a large staff made the pressure more difficult. God used this to mold Pastor Upchurch and led him to teach the church the importance of stewardship. He began teaching this principle in 1969; however, in 1987, everything fell into place. That year, Mid-Way celebrated the first Chest of Joash stewardship service by giving $17,244 to continue the ministry of the church. Since that time, over $10 million has been received through the Chest of Joash to God’s kingdom.
Mid-Way continues their Gospel impact not only in the local community but also throughout the world. With a passion for missions, they have annually given over $240,000 to support missionaries and projects around the globe. In 2004, the Jeremy House was built as an encouragement to missionaries who need a brief rest as they travel. Through the faithfulness of God’s people, Mid-Way supports over 93 mission projects and has never missed a monthly support payment to those with whom they’ve partnered.
February 7, 2016, Mid-Way will celebrate their 50th anniversary. It is a rarity today to find a church still guided by its founding pastor, but God has blessed the faithfulness and leadership of James and Rennie Upchurch and their family. If you are able to celebrate the anniversary with Mid-Way, or if you drive past what was just a lumber yard back in 1966, we trust you see clearly everything that happened in 50 years is because of God’s faithfulness. Every life touched, both on earth and those in eternity, testify to what God did through the simple vision and prayer of a young preacher so many years ago. Truly, Mid-Way is a “miracle of its day,” and by God’s grace will continue to be for many years to come as God shows He is faithful.