CHURCH HISTORY
Over fifty years ago a few friends met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Gillespie to seek God’s guidance in developing a place of worship for West Pontotoc. After this meeting, with the leadership of Brothers James Henry and Robert Ray, a tent revival was planned, underwritten by First Baptist Church. The pastor of First Baptist Church, John W. Cook, was evangelist for the revival.
Following that experience a mission of First Baptist Church was begun in an old West Reynolds Street service station building which had been donated. On benches of blocks and planks, using song books from gospel singings and a piano donated by Royal Bevill, Sunday worshippers heard Brother Cook at a ten o’clock service to enable him to hold the First Baptist service at 11:00 a.m. Through the added leadership of Pontotoc and Calhoun Counties’ Associational Missionary, 31 charter members were organized into a church on March 9, 1947. The donor of the property suggested the name West Heights Baptist Church.
Since that time, West Heights has expanded in size and mission opportunities. God has richly blessed West Heights Baptist Church through these past years with a present membership of over 1500 and an average Sunday School attendance of over 500. From concrete blocks and planks for seats to the state of the art computers, technology, and internet, one thing has been the goal of West Heights people and may it always be kept as the main focus—WINNING PEOPLE TO JESUS