The Sparta Church of Christ began meeting as a congregation in September, 1867. Worship services were first held in a brick building located on the top of the hill near the old cemetery.​

The building was co-owned and used by both the Cumberland Presbyterian church and the Church of Christ until 1883. This this point, the Church of Christ purchased the interest owned by the Cumberland Presbyterians for $50.00 and continued to worship at this location until 1892.​

 

 

William Howard Sutton was born near Trenton, Ga., in Dade, County, on August 21, 1852. He became a Christian while in his “teens”–in the seventeenth year of his age. He heard the sweet story of the cross and of God’s love for man; he heard and learned the plan of salvation and accepted it with all the fullness of his young and tender heart. In his early life he thus consecrated himself to the Lord and lived true to that consecration. His constant aim and steady purpose was to live the Christian life.​

While Brother Sutton was teaching in Burritt College he saw the need of preaching the gospel to the people in that mountain country. Many of them had heard but little preaching, and that which they had heard was so mixed with tradition and error that they did not understand the Bible and the way of salvation. Brother Sutton’s heart yearned for their spiritual welfare, and he preached the word of God to them for the sake of doing them good. He received little or nothing for his preaching among them. He was prompted by the lofty motive of saving souls. He also preached to the college students and the congregation in the town. He did not think at the time that he would give all of his time and energy to preaching the gospel, but preached from a sense of duty and a love of the salvation of souls. As he developed as a preacher, demands for his services became so numerous, and he felt so keenly his responsibility to preach the gospel that he finally decided to give up his position as president of Burritt College and devote his whole time to preaching the gospel. When freed from the responsibilities of the college, he dedicated himself to preaching and consecrated his life to that work, and few men ever accomplished more in the same length of time in the counties where he labored than did W. H. Sutton.​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1892, the church members purchased a lot 103’ x 105’ from C.C. Young for $1,000.00. This lot was located at the west intersection of North Main St and College St. A building was erected and used for worship services until it was destroyed by fire in December 1926.

Sparta Church of Christ worshiped in the White County Courthouse for nearly a year while the new church building was being constructed.

 

 

 

 

The courthouse was used for worship services for almost a year while a new brick building was constructed in 1927 at a cost of $40,000.00. This building served as a place of worship by the Church of Christ from 1927-1965. ​