For many years (1882-1913), Mooresville had only one Baptist church. The history of that church and the history of Southside Baptist Church are inseparably united. The Mooresville Baptist Church, now known as First Baptist Church, was a vital part of the community and is mentioned often in the early editions of the local Mooresville newspaper, THE ENTERPRISE. It is never pleasant when misunderstanding and difficulties creep into a church. However, the story that unfolds here shows how God can take the unpleasant and make it work out for His glory and for the advancement of His kingdom. Out of division in a church came two strong churches that have since labored for many years to win the lost and extend the boundaries of God's kingdom in this community and around the world.
In 1912, Rev. J. W. Whitley of Matthews was called as pastor of the Mooresville Baptist Church. He was to divide his time between the church at Matthews and the church at Mooresville. In 1913, the Mooresville church, having secured subscriptions sufficient to pay a pastor for full-time service, voted to go on a full-time basis. The call was extended to Rev. A. W. Wilcox of Mooresville who, at that time, was serving the Berea and Shady Grove Baptist Churches in the South Yadkin Baptist Association. It is at this point that we must rely altogether on the memory of those present for the events which followed. Unfortunately, the records of First Baptist Church were destroyed by fire a number of years ago and the actual organizational minutes of Southside in written form have never been located. But from the memory of those who were present at the time, it seems that when the Mooresville church called Rev. Wilcox, he did not receive a clear majority of favorable votes. When they were tabulated, he received only five or six more than half the total votes cast. This was not enough to give him resounding approval. As a result, he did not officially take up the work as pastor of the Mooresville Baptist Church. Instead, a group withdrew from the church and formed the nucleus of what is now Southside Baptist Church and asked Mr. Wilcox to come with them as pastor.
Eager for a place of their own in which to worship, the group found a meeting place in a small, wooden building known as the Band Hall which was used to store the local band's instruments. There were no class rooms and all age groups mets in different corners of the one-room structure. Interest and enthusiasm grew and the building was soon filled. The church authorized its trustees to find a lot suitable for the location of a church building. A lot was found on South Academy Street and purchased on February 11th, 1914 from J. Y. Templeton of Mooresville for $300.00. Construction on the first church building began in the fall of 1914. It was painfully slow work - on a pay-as-you-go basis - but the fact that it was actually underway gave new courage to the congregation. The frame building was completed and ready for use in May of 1915.