South Mountain Bluegrass Church
Humble, Then and Now
South Mountain Bluegrass Church began as a bluegrass outreach ministry. Our first service was held on April 21, 2015.
We met at South Mountain Family Camp, twice each month, to share the gospel and our love of Jesus Christ.
When the weather turned cooler, we moved indoors to Heritage House and continued to bring the Word to the growing number of folks hungry for good news.
By 2017, we were holding service every Thursday and needed more room. Howard Newton’s old store on Casar Rd became our meeting place.
Our first Sunday service was Mother’s Day 2017.
We now have three services each week.
In 2020, we bought the property, gave thanks for our many blessings, and consecrated this space to the glory of God.
Our ministry is based on a vision shared by Rev Glenn Ward, who believed that bluegrass gospel music could bring the lost to hear God’s Word. We hope you will join us soon.
Meet Our Pastor
Preacher Jimmy McKee
Born and raised in Shelby, NC, Jimmy was called to preach at the ripe old age of 55. After answering God’s call on his life he attended a small bible institute in South Carolina for four years and was ordained into the ministry.
Jimmy was then contacted by an old friend, Rev Glenn Ward, about an idea to start a bluegrass outreach ministry at a local camp in Casar, NC, a ministry that would use bluegrass gospel music to try to reach the lost for Christ.
Six years later, as Pastor, God has led the ministry from two meetings a month at the camp to three meetings a week at the church located in Casar.
Jimmy gives all the glory to God for what He is doing in this ministry. Jimmy is joined in ministry by his wife of 37 years, Denise Harris McKee. They have four children and six grandchildren that they cherish.
Statement of Faith
Our Beliefs
The Bible – God Wrote a Book
We believe that the Bible is God’s authoritative, inspired Word and is without error in all its teachings. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6.
The Trinity – God: 3 in 1
We believe in one God, Creator, Redeemer, and Lord of the universe, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
The Father – God is Great, God is Good
We believe that God is great: He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move, and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16, 4:24, 5:26, 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4.
The Son – God Became Man
We believe that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death on the cross, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, as truly God and truly Man. He is the only mediator between God and Man. Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13.
The Holy Spirit – God is Always Present
We believe in the necessity of the Holy Spirit in calling sinners to new birth, being the presence of Christ in believers’ lives, and for spiritual growth and guidance in each believer and the church. Every believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit at salvation and is called to remove all obstacles to the influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, so they will bear fruit to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18.
Eternity – Somewhere Forever
We believe that people were created to live forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. John 3:16; John 14:7; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15.
Man – God’s Image Bearers
We believe that people are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23.
Salvation – God’s Only Way
We believe that Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are born again. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith as Savior and Lord. Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5.
The Church – God’s Design for Community
We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the church which is made up of believers who are called to be members of His body and instruments of his love to others through sharing His Good News of eternal and abundant life, making disciples, and compassionate service to the needs of people. Acts 2:40-47; Ephesians 4:11-16.