At Mount Lebanon Methodist Church, Pastor Tony Watson leads with steady compassion and a simple aim: reach the community, nurture the church family, and help people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Tony was born in Mullins, South Carolina and grew up in Chesterfield, where faith wasn’t just something you talked about on Sundays—it showed up in everyday life. He attended Clemson University (and still jokes he graduated “not Magna Cum Laude, but ‘Thank the Laude’”), then spent years serving others through agricultural work—first with the peach program at the Sand Hills Experiment Station, and later as a regional peach agent across parts of South Carolina.

As the years went on, Pastor Tony began to sense the Lord drawing him deeper. While living in Columbia, he found a church home at Rehoboth United Methodist Church, where he says an “old country boy” felt welcomed and grounded. His path into ministry included serving as a local lay servant, later a lay servant at Edgefield Methodist, and eventually District Lay Leader. When that season ended, he prayed, waited, and trusted God to open the next door. That door led him to Mount Lebanon—initially as a fill-in pastor. What he expected to be temporary became a lasting work the Lord has clearly blessed. What began with a handful of folks on Sunday mornings has grown into regular gatherings of 80–100, along with Sunday School ministries.

What you’ll find in Pastor Tony is the same thing many people say they’re looking for when they walk into a church: warmth, steadiness, and truth—without pressure or pretense. His vision is simple and strong: build a welcoming church culture where scripture is central, Jesus Christ is enough for salvation, and nobody has to walk alone. He often says accepting Christ isn’t the finish line—it’s the beginning—and the church family is meant to strengthen and support one another along the way.

If you’re visiting Mount Lebanon for the first time, Pastor Tony’s hope is that you experience Christ in worship and feel a real sense of peace and comfort—like you’re not just attending a service, you’re being welcomed into a family. He stays grounded through “good old-fashioned” prayer, studying God’s Word, and praying for discernment as he reads.

Pastor Tony and his wife, Mary, have been married for 47 years. They have two daughters, four grandchildren, and two sons-in-law. Outside of church, he enjoys photography, the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and golf. He truly enjoys being around people, but he’ll also tell you he values a little “Tony Time”—often outdoors, somewhere quiet, maybe on a creek bank. And if you want to know the quickest way to make him smile, ask him about good food: his favorite places to eat are just about anything in Edgefield, and he’ll take shrimp and grits or barbecue any day of the week.

In Pastor Tony’s words: “Welcome… Mount Lebanon is a place where you can grow in your walk with Christ, and this congregation will help nurture you, grow with you, and support you.”

Contact: Pastor Tony can be reached at twatson@gmcofsc.org or 803-480-2938. He welcomes emails anytime and is generally available 8am–7pm any day.