Founder Interview
Anita Lovell
The church is both an organism and an organization. If someone wants to start a church, they must have a call from God to do so. They must have a mission and a vision that is in…
So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.
My name is Anita Lovell, and I am the Pastor of a small church in Canonsburg, PA. I am originally from Canonsburg, and I grew up in the church that I now pastor. I am also a registered nurse, recently retiring in 2022 after working for a major university hospital for 37 years.
Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.
I love the small-town atmosphere. Relationships are easy to develop, and we work together for the good of the community.
Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?
Mt. Olive Baptist Church will celebrate her 125th anniversary in November of 2026. The church started with just a few members and has grown spiritually and numerically over the years. We love God and do our best to live according to His word. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and we love to share that message. We work to serve the community of Canonsburg by partnering with other ministries and organizations.
If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?
The church is both an organism and an organization. If someone wants to start a church, they must have a call from God to do so. They must have a mission and a vision that is in alignment with the word of God. They must have a place to meet for studying the word of God, prayer, fellowship and the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42). Most churches of the New Testament began in houses. It worked then, so it should work now.
What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?
A visitor once shared that when she entered our church, she "felt like home."
Where do you see your company in the future?
I see Mt. Olive Baptist Church continuing to grow both spiritually and numerically. I see opportunities opening for us to partner with other entities that we might better share the message of Jesus Christ and serve our community in a greater way.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry?
There is a misconception that God is not who He says that He is. There is a misconception that His church is not authentic.
What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?
There have been many struggles over the 11 years that I have served as Pastor at Mt. Olive. The biggest one was to prove that a woman could lead the church with the aid of God's Holy Spirit. There are still many that believe that women should not preach or Pastor, despite the Bible clearly stating that God used women to lead His people many times. I am the first female Pastor of this church. Getting the people to accept me in this capacity was very difficult. Despite the challenge, I continued preaching and learned how to lead God's people through some very stressful times. Eleven years later, the church is thriving on many levels. The people follow their Pastor as their Pastor follows God. I am grateful!
What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?
Michael Jackson was my favorite music artist and Michael Jordan was my favorite athlete.
Any shoutouts you want to make?
Shout out to the best people in the world, Mt. Olive Baptist Church!
Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?
They can visit our website, www.mobccbg.com. They can also visit our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/share/19ZYhPJy8r/.
