Mount Olivet Church

Can you imagine a church that began in the front parlor of a home? Mount Olivet Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, started in just such a humble fashion. It was 1901. A small group of members, seeking a new spiritual home, gathered in the home of John T. Richie. They yearned for a place to worship together. The church had no official name at first. The congregation grew so large that they soon found themselves needing a larger location. In 1903, they purchased property. The church remained there until 1912, when it merged with the Provident Baptist Church. The name was officially changed to Mt. Olivet Tabernacle Baptist Church at that time. The church continued to prosper. They purchased the land where the church stands now, and they began digging the foundation of the building. The original church in Philly was constructed by the members themselves. The congregation even moved down into the basement of the new church in 1924. The church was completed at the expense of the health of their beloved pastor, Napper Hester. He said that he was not building this church for himself, but for some young man who would come after him. On Easter Sunday in 1925, he delivered his final sermon, a rousing message of hope and faith. His prayer was that the Lord would keep his little flock together. A few days later, Rev. Hester passed away. At Mount Olivet Church in Philadelphia, you can feel the presence of his legacy; in the strong walls of the church, in the love for community, in the unwavering faith of those who came before.