Our Story: God’s Faithfulness in the Desert
Zion Bible Church began on June 9, 2024, but the story stretches back much further. Our roots trace through a line of faithful churches committed to planting gospel‑centered congregations where biblical preaching is scarce. Red Mesa Fellowship, our sending church, was planted seven years earlier by Laramie Valley Chapel in Wyoming. Their mission was simple: establish a church in southern Utah where the gospel was in short supply.
Church planting was part of Red Mesa’s DNA from the beginning. As the congregation matured, prayed, and grew, the Lord stirred a desire to plant again. When the time was right, Zion Bible Church was born.
A Small Beginning With a Big Vision
Zion started as a small group of believers gathering to pray, study Scripture, and seek the Lord’s direction for a new church in St. George. Sam Martin served as the sole pastor, with Rin Jenkins, Seth Minton, and James Hutton serving alongside him in leadership and ministry.
These early gatherings were marked by simplicity and dependence. There was no building, no budget, and no guarantee of what would come next—only a shared conviction that God was calling a people to plant a church grounded in His Word.
Through God’s provision, the Color Country Baptist Association supplied the funds needed to purchase land in the Desert Canyons subdivision. The land was secured before the church even had a place to meet, a reminder that God often provides the destination before He reveals the path.
Worship Under a Tent
With no building and no meeting space, the church borrowed a large tent from Red Mesa and set it up in a nearby park. Families brought their own chairs—along with extras for visitors—and worshiped faithfully each week.
The tent became a symbol of our early identity: simple, dependent, joyful, and committed. Children played in the grass, the wind carried the sound of singing, and the Word of God was preached under open skies.
But as summer arrived, the heat became unbearable. The church prayed for relief, and once again, God provided.
A School Gym Becomes a Sanctuary
The administration at Desert Canyons Elementary School graciously allowed Zion to rent their gymnasium. From August 2024 to the present, the school has been our gathering place. The gym has given us room to grow, space for families, and a stable home for worship, fellowship, and teaching.
During this season, Sam asked Rin, James, and Seth to step into the role of Elder Candidates. One year later, Rin and Seth were confirmed as elders, and James accepted a call to serve as Assistant Pastor of Providence Bible Church in Meridian, Idaho. The church laid hands on its two new elders and prayed for their leadership. Shortly afterward, the elders asked Brent Bellinger and Mark Greer to serve as deacons, strengthening the church’s ability to care for people and carry out ministry.
Growing Into a Faith‑Family
What began as a small congregation has grown into a genuine faith‑family. God has been at work in ways far beyond our size or resources:
Multiple Bible studies have taken root and flourished.
The church has given substantial financial support to global missions.
Members have gone door‑to‑door in the Desert Canyons community, introducing themselves and sharing the hope of Christ.
Families have opened their homes, friendships have deepened, and discipleship has taken root.
Our worship gatherings have become a place where Scripture is central, Christ is exalted, and people are welcomed with warmth and sincerity.
Every step has been taken with one purpose: to make Jesus Christ and His gospel known to those who need to hear.
Preparing for a Permanent Home
While meeting in the school, and through the faithful giving of our people, Zion has begun the process of building on the land God provided. The Lord has supplied a contractor and a bank eager to partner with us. Architectural plans, permits, and preparations are underway.
We wait patiently as our contractor navigates the building process, trusting that God’s timing is perfect. The future building is not simply a structure—it is a tool for ministry, a place for worship, and a home for gospel proclamation in our community.
Our hope is that this building will serve the mission Jesus gave His disciples from the beginning: to make disciples of all nations, starting right here in St. George.
A Story Still Being Written
Zion Bible Church is young, but our story is already marked by God’s unmistakable provision. From a borrowed tent to a school gym, from a handful of believers to a growing faith‑family, from prayer meetings to a future building—every chapter has been written by His hand.
We exist to preach the Word, love our neighbors, and make Christ known. And by God’s grace, the story of Zion Bible Church is only just beginning.