In accordance with the pattern laid down in God's word, the Citrus Missionary Baptist Church of Inverness, Florida was organized on Saturday April 6, 1974, by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ vested in the Calvary Baptist Church of Tampa, Florida in the home of Elder and Mrs. Virgil Davis with seven charter members. Other churches participating at the organization were Gardenville Baptist of Gibsonton, Florida and Naples Park Baptist of Naples, Florida. Baptist ministers participating were Elders W. W. Wilkerson, J. H. Mattox, Bill Mayes, E. W. Hall, Wayne Crow, M. E. Wacaser, and John L. Wade. Baptist Deacons participating were Francis M. Simmons, and C. J. Weeks.
After the church was formally organized into a body of Christ she voted to call Brother Virgil Davis as her pastor and then called for his ordination. Brother Davis was interrogated by the above mentioned council and after being satisfied of His soundness in faith and practice, the council ordained him to the full gospel ministry with the laying on of hands. Elder Crow offered the ordination prayer; Elder Mayes presented a Bible to Brother Davis; and, Elder Mattox preached a charge to the new church and her pastor.
On Wednesday April 10, 1974, the newly formed church held her first formal business meeting. At that time she chose to be known as the "Citrus Missionary Baptist Church".
On April 5, 1977, the church purchased an acre of land from Mr. Wilcox on the corner of S. R. 581 (Turner Camp Road) and Entwood Court and soon had it cleared and built a house of worship. The church met in the home of Brother and Sister Davis until it moved into its newly erected meeting-house in the early part of 1979. In 1982 the church built a fellowship hall. In May of 1999, the church purchased additional land. In the fall of 2016 the church expanded the fellowship hall and in summer of 2018 the church expanded the sanctuary. The church continues meeting at its location on Turner Camp Road, thanking God for a pleasant place to meet to worship our precious Lord and fellowship with each other.
In obedience to the Great Commission given by our Lord in Matthew 18:18-20, the church has a rich history of being mission minded. In addition to her own ministry locally, she has supported the spread of the gospel and church planting abroad. She has supported Baptist mission efforts in many places including Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Nigeria, Alaska, St. Johns Island, and the Yukon. Presently the church supports her pastor full time, has an online presence, engages in public open air preaching, has a nursing home ministry, and supports gospel outreach and church planting efforts in Romania, Guyana, and Thailand.
In March of 1995, Elder Virgil Davis resigned as the pastor of the church and the church began to seek the Lord's leadership for a new pastor. Contact was made with Elder William Troy Sheppard and on May 7, 1995 he preach as a candidate for pastor. The following Sunday the church voted to extend a call to Brother Sheppard to come and pastor the church. Brother Sheppard accepted the church's call and then officially took the office of pastor July 9, 1995, having moved his membership to the church a few weeks earlier from the Grace Baptist Church of Rincon, Georgia. Brother Sheppard is the current pastor of the church.
The church has been blessed over the years to have ordained ministers laboring with her in addition to her Pastor including Elders Robert F. Clark, Virgil Davis, Andy Proctor, Justin Meier, Howard Sheppard, and Herb Wilson. For many years she was blessed to have Brother John A. Wolfertz faithfully serve her as a deacon. Presently she is blessed to have Elder Donald Vaughan serve as part of her ordained ministry and to have Brothers Lewis F. Posey and Joseph G. Maccri serve as her deacons.
The Lord has been pleased to bless the Citrus Missionary Baptist Church with spiritual and physical growth without a compromise to the truth of God's Word. At present the membership is endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as they labor in the love of Christ with each other for the Glory of God.
Our prayer is that the Lord's gracious and merciful favor will continue to be extended unto us until He comes for us. We desire that the God of all grace will continue to use us for the advancement of His kingdom, for the salvation of the lost, and for the edification of saved; and, that all our endeavors will magnify and glorify Him, for He is worthy!