Mount Horeb pays off building debt in five years

By Jessica Brodie

LEXINGTON—The largest-membership United Methodist church in South Carolina and the fifth-fastest growing Methodist church in the U.S. is celebrating this month. Not only has it paid off in five years its $17 million building campaign and land debt, but it has also contributed more than $5 million above and beyond toward mission work outside its church.

“It’s truly remarkable the generosity and faithfulness of God’s people,” said the Rev. Jeff Kersey, Mount Horeb’s senior pastor, who announced the news in a letter to the congregation Aug. 25.

Now, the church is setting its sights on what God has next, which includes reaching out to the more than 130,000 unchurched persons living within a 10- to 15-mile radius of Mount Horeb.

“God has put a giant mission field right in our backyard,” Kersey said. “I know God has commanded His church to go and make disciples of all people. Mount Horeb is committed to fulfilling His command both near and far, in our backyard and across the world.”

Mount Horeb began its Above and Beyond Capital Campaign in 2014 to raise pledges and funds to pay off existing Promised Land debt and for what turned out to be a $17 million building project, which was constructed in 2016. The project featured an 82,000-square-foot expansion on its campus that included a 67,303-square-foot new dual-purpose building for the church’s contemporary services; a new 1,800-capacity auditorium for ministry and worship; a space for recreation ministry and children’s ministries; a kitchen for fellowship meals; and 15,293-square-feet of repurposed space in the former gym and family life center that has become a student room and café for the congregation.

The church now has four services on Sunday mornings: two contemporary services (9 and 10:45 a.m.) and two traditional services (9 and 10:45 a.m.).

Kersey said the purpose for the new facilities was proclaiming the Good News about Jesus, preparing people to reach the lost for Jesus and providing a space for people to connect with Jesus.

“Through His power that works in us, God has gone above and beyond to enable us to now completely pay off our debt on the new facilities,” Kersey said. “God has truly used the generosity of His people to go ‘above and beyond!’”

For more on Mount Horeb: https://www.mthorebumc.com/