Mount Zion Bible Church – Chapel Library

Doctrine

Our confessional standard is the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. Our confession is one of the historic confessions of the faith. It is almost identical to the great Westminster Confession of Faith adopted in 1646, but upholds believer’s baptism and congregational church government. It has been used by Baptist congregations worldwide for over 300 years.

Chapel Library and Differing Theological Views

We are often asked about how we select the titles that Chapel Library publishes. After prayer and careful reading, we have made regular additions over the years of tracts, booklets, and paperbacks to our catalogue that now number more than 850 titles. Chapel’s aim is to make available Christ-centered, grace-exalting literature without charge, publishing great teachers and preachers of the past, such as, Spurgeon, Calvin, Luther, Ryle, Bonar, Pink, Bunyan, the Puritans, and many more.

However, with such a broad selection from widely differing denominational and theological backgrounds, we add a disclaimer to our publications: “Chapel Library does not necessarily endorse all the doctrinal views of the authors it publishes.” We want our readers to know that our publishing an author on one subject does not necessarily mean that we agree with him in every doctrinal point. In fact, we may disagree strongly with a published author on other doctrinal issues. For instance, we love Calvin; but we do not hold his view of baptism. We love Ryle, but we do not hold his view of universal atonement. The list could go on for quite a while.

Furthermore, we generally avoid publishing modern or living authors; however, we occasionally publish a specific title on a much-needed topic, for which we have not found a sufficient older writing. We carefully review titles to add clarifying theological, historical, and biographical footnotes. The Word of God is the standard by which we judge our publications, while we also appeal to the London Baptist Confession of 1689 as a guide to most doctrinal questions. We are therefore confident that each title will be useful to Christ’s church, but we also realize that not all ancient or modern authors agree with us on every point of doctrine or practice.

An example of this would be our recent use of an article by a living, well-known president of an American seminary. Readers asked if we have become supporters of certain forms of Contemporary Christian Music because of our use of the article. We have not. Mt. Zion Bible Church practices hymnody, using psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs from the Trinity Hymnal Baptist Edition along with a collection of 48 classic hymns that we publish as Christ-centered Hymns (which is available from Chapel Library). We understand that our exclusive psalmody brethren will not agree with us here, though we do hope someday to add a psalter. Other readers asked if we have become supporters of “the New Calvinism” because of some of our authors. We are thankful that many young people have embraced the doctrines of grace, and we hope they will read the rich treasure of authors we publish; but we are not and have no desire to be a “movement” oriented ministry. Period. We are aware that some of our authors and readers differ significantly with us, and with other authors that we publish, in numerous doctrinal matters. But we believe making the best biblically orthodox teaching available to Christ’s churches is an important way of edifying them with sound doctrine. Christ prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (Joh 17:21). We attempt to find those areas of love for Christ and His Word in which we may walk with differing brethren. As Vincent Alsop said, “[Love] will lend us one safe rule—that we impose a severer law upon ourselves and allow a larger indulgence to others. The rule of our own [behavior] should be with the strictest; but that by which we censure others, a little more with the largest.” This is our methodology.

Ninety-five percent of our titles are from prior centuries, and many of these authors did not agree with one another in all doctrinal matters. We therefore encourage our readers to be discerning and to be as the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures to determine if what they were hearing was true (Act 17:11)

How to order

North America

Most titles are available in print free of charge and postage paid in small quantities. To request them, use the shopping cart, or e-mail or write us, mentioning the item code, title, and author. We also send large quantities without charge to chaplains, evangelistic ministries, and foreign missions. Large quantities to others are available at our cost (Literature Catalog in PDF, or email us for a printed copy). We are a faith ministry, relying solely upon the Lord’s provision to meet needs.

Procedure

• Be specific regarding quantity; avoid requesting ‘some’ literature
• Please write legibly
• Include your full name and complete shipping address
• For each item, list the four-letter item code, title, and author
• Limit free orders to a maximum of 15 titles
• Please order by mail, email, or online when possible, as our main phone lines stay very busy

International

History

In December of 1978, Lee Roy Shelton Jr. founded Mount Zion Bible Church in Pensacola, Florida. The printing ministry began with a mimeograph machine in the basement of a home until moving into our first building in June of 1979. The Lord gave the first offset press in June of 1986. Another press was added in February of 1988. All this time, God was moving to open doors for a wider ministry. In February of 1987 we inherited Chapel Library from the Nelson family in Venice, Florida. Then in June of 1988 we began publishing the Free Grace Broadcaster from W.F. Bell in Canton Georgia.

The mailing list kept growing until we were no longer able to put everything together by hand. God provided a computer system for handling the mailing labels, and a paper cutter, tract folder, and a 13-station booklet-maker with stitcher, folder, and trimmer

Now we could no longer use our first 40 x 42 ft. building for both worship and work. A second building was added in 1986 at 40 x 60 ft., which now houses three offices and our church meeting.

In 1991 the literature distribution more than tripled, outgrowing our storage space. We added many more titles and printed larger quantities. Answered prayer brought a third building in 1992, which more than tripled the work and inventory space at 60 x 125 ft.

Into the new building, along with all our other equipment, went a large sheet press, a perfector press, a large folder, a 12-station perfect binder to collate, glue, and trim books up to 252 pages, and all the necessary graphics and layout equipment to prepare our publications for the press.

The Prison Ministry began in 1984 with mailings to one prison in Huntsville, Texas. It has since spread by word of mouth to more than 3,500 facilities in Canada and all 50 states in the USA. We send free tracts, booklets, books, and correspondence courses to chaplains for their distribution, and directly to individual inmates.

1995 saw the addition of the correspondence school, Mt. Zion Bible Institute, which now has more than 70 courses and distributes thousands of courses each year, about half in North America and half overseas.

The audio tape ministry doubled in size in 1995, and was distributing more than 2,000 tapes per month before the advent of MP3. It has more than 8,000 sermon masters. We are converting these to MP3 as the Lord enables. The cassettes remain available in North America. 1996 saw the beginning of internet ministry, www.mountzion.org and johnbunyan.org, which features the complete works of John Bunyan (1628-1688).

On January 16, 2003 our founder, Pastor Lee Roy Shelton, Jr., passed away at age 79. He is succeeded by Pastor Jeff Pollard.

2004 saw the beginning of the international distributors, when Conrad Mbewe in Zambia began sending the Free Grace Broadcaster to pastors in his own country. Today pastors and missionaries in twenty-one countries serve as distributors, maintaining the subscription list for their own country and posting about 5,000 copies of the FGB each quarter.

2005 added distributors in Myanmar, Ghana, Philippines.

2006 added distributors in India, rest of Africa, Uganda.

2007 new website; resumed Canada distribution from USA; new distributors in Kenya and UK.

2009 Spanish FGB edition; new distributors in Nepal, Spain, Mexico; digital press installed; first Foundational Doctrines Conference for graders from the Bible Institute.

2010 first hardback: God’s Gospel of Grace; new website with searchable database.

2012 eBooks project started.

2013 new distributors in Colombia and Romania.

2014 second hardback: Theology of the Family.

2015 new distributors in Mozambique, Belize, Costa Rica, and Venezuela; Colombia begins printing locally.

2016 28 new courses added to MZBI; new distributor in Cuba, printing locally.

2017 new distributor in Singapore.

Donations

Chapel Library is a faith ministry that relies upon God’s faithfulness. We seek His glory in all things, depending upon Him to supply our needs through those who freely desire to give and pray. We therefore do not solicit donations; you will only hear from us when you request materials or receive your subscription. We also do not share our mailing list, so your contact information will remain secure with us. Chapel Library operates under the oversight of Mount Zion Bible Church, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. The elders of the church oversee Chapel Library, and most of the eight full-time staff are church members. Please give to your local church before giving to Chapel Library. We accept credit or debit cards through PayPal.

Having a PayPal account is not necessary; credit and debit cards work as well. All information is processed at PayPal’s secure website. PayPal charges a small processing fee; therefore, larger donations are more cost effective by check through the mail.

• Financial statement (last several years, PDF). Notes for Financial Statement (PDF)
• Financial separation: Chapel Library uses donations exclusively for worldwide literature, audio, prison, school, and internet ministries. We use 100% of funds to support these ministries. Gifts to the local ministry of Mt. Zion Bible Church and all local church expenses are kept separate from the worldwide Chapel Library ministries.

• Faith: Chapel Library depends on our sovereign God to meet all our needs. We are truly grateful for His providing so many supporters, and we are committed to the financial principles practiced since our founding in 1979:

  • We do not solicit donations
  • We do not share our mailing list with others
  • We do not send promotional mailings

• Accountability:

  • MZBC believes in and practices accountability. Two staff members open every envelope and verify all donations. We keep receipts for all expenses, and produce an income and expense statement monthly. The elders and deacons review these statements. We post these statements in the church for public viewing, and we send copies to those who request them. We send tax-deductible receipts at year-end to all who donate more than $250.
• Cash basis: MZBC and Chapel Library operate on a cash basis, paying all legitimate bills weekly in full. We do not incur debt, believing the Lord will direct our paths by providing funds before all expenses. Therefore, by God’s grace, all buildings and equipment are paid for. We keep our overheads to a minimum. Employees receive modest compensation for a basic standard of living.
• Accounting practices: We follow the most conservative accounting practices, operating on a cash basis, and paying all invoices weekly, D.V. CPAs have reviewed and approved our ministry practices for financial and legal integrity.

• Operational guidelines:

  1. We send large quantities of literature without charge for general use to those who request “as much as you can send”: chaplains, conferences, evangelism outreach, missions, and qualified native pastors and Bible colleges worldwide.
  2. We also receive requests for specific titles. We send up to $20 of materials once per month per household without charge in the USA and Canada. We also send limited quantities once per month via the online shopping cart, and to each inmate request. When individuals request larger quantities, we make them available at our cost.
  3. We always endeavor to fill each order for specific titles as requested (2 above). Additionally, when financial resources are abundant, we send large quantities for missions without charge (1 above). When financial resources are lean, we send smaller amounts without charge.
  4. Our main variable operational expenses are repairs, paper, and postage. When financial resources are lean, we suspend repairs that are not urgent, we buy less paper and postage, and we send out proportionately less literature for general use.

Mount Zion Bible Church

Mount Zion Bible Church is a Christ-centered local church established in 1979, now with about 100 attending, seeking to honor the Lord Jesus Christ in all things. We believe that the inspired Word of God is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Our worship services include prayer, the reading of the Scriptures, singing of hymns, Christ-centered preaching, and humble submission to the Word of God. While we are not affiliated with any denomination, our doctrinal statement is expressed in the London Baptist Confession of 1689 (see below); we therefore practice the baptism of believers. We are age-integrated, enjoying the fruits of whole families participating together in our worship services and the life of the church. We especially encourage expositional preaching, conservative hymns, evangelism, modesty, and Biblical manhood and womanhood.

Weekly Worship Services.

London Baptist Confession of 1689:Our confessional standard is the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. Our confession is one of the historic confessions of the faith. It is almost identical to the great Westminster Confession of Faith adopted in 1646, but upholds believer’s baptism and congregational church government. It has been used by Baptist congregations worldwide for over 300 years.

Directions:We are one hour east of Mobile, 3:15 south of Montgomery, and 3:30 west of Tallahassee, and in the Central time zone.

MZBC History:Pastor L.R. Shelton, Jr. (1923-2003) grew up in his father’s church, the First Baptist Church of Algiers, Louisiana. Although he did not attend seminary, he devoured the works of Spurgeon, Pink, and Lloyd-Jones. He was ordained and served as Associate Pastor before beginning a church, bookstore, and radio ministry in Litchfield, Minnesota. MZBC began in 1979 when he and Mrs. Shelton moved to Pensacola. They began meeting with three other couples, organized the church, and built the first building. The new church was focused on the historical doctrines of the reformation. It remained small, with most attendees also working in the literature ministry. The church was incorporated in 1984 as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. A constitution and by-laws were written in 1995 and membership was established with 9 charter members. Pastor Shelton passed away in 2003. Steven Frakes joined the Chapel staff in 1997, became an elder at MZBC in 2000, and faithfully served through 2014. Pastor Jeff Pollard came in 2002 from Providence Baptist Church in Ball, Louisiana, bringing a renewed emphasis on the 1689 London Confession, family, and ecclesiology and currently serves as an elder. In 2016, Clarence Simmons became an elder as well, having been a fruitful member of the congregation for almost fifteen years prior.