Our History
Mt. Zion's founder and first pastor, Rev. Yale H. Putney and a few devoted followers formally organized Mt. Zion Baptist Church on March 6, 1921 at Painters Hall on Main Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Pastors succeeding Rev. Putney were Rev. R. Joseph Redmond, Rev. Samuel Coleman, Rev. Agnew Cooper, Rev. Johnson, Rev. Theodore Roman, Rev. William F. Early, Rev. B.A. Roberson, Rev. A.E. Roberson; Dr. Otha Gilyard; and Rev. Addis Moore. Rev. Terry Mahone and Rev. Maurice Harley served as interim pastors during periods of pastoral vacancies.
The Church continued to grow under the various pastors. Under the leadership of Pastor Gilyard, the Mt. Zion Church family undertook a $1 million building program to accommodate the growth of the church. On August 3, 1980, and Chestnut Street was renamed Roberson Street in commemoration of Pastors B.A. and A.E. Roberson.
From 1975 to 1993, the membership more than tripled. The following outreach programs were initiated and administered under Rev. Gilyard’s leadership: Safe House, Pride Place, the Scout House, Family Institute, Parenting Classes, Northside Little League, a tutoring program, a radio ministry, and the Senior Ecumenical Center, in joint partnership with St. Augustine Catholic Church.
In January 1995, Rev. Addis Moore accepted the call to pastor Mt. Zion and was installed on February 19, 1995. Under the leadership of Pastor Moore, the church undertook a $2.5 million expansion project that more than doubled the size of the existing facility. The expansion would add a wing of classrooms, a larger conference room, a chapel for the Youth Church, a library, additional seats to the sanctuary, a fellowship hall, and additional office space and subsequently remodeled the Atrium area.
Mt. Zion currently has grown to a membership of approximately 2000 and continues to have as main focus, evangelism. This focus is evidenced by the vision and mission of the Church. The vision that God gave Pastor Moore for Mt. Zion is “A Church Living in Obedience to God’s Word”. The mission is “Growing God’s Kingdom According to His Word.” In line with the vision and mission Mt. Zion began a television broadcast in 2003 and is presently telecast daily for a total of 27 times per week.
Under the leadership of Pastor Moore, the Mt. Zion Endowment was initiated to provide funding for the future growth and sustainability of Mt. Zion. In February of 2007, Mt. Zion birthed a full service fitness center. The Fitness Center is named the Living Well Fitness Center to embody Pastor Moore’s vision of a holistic ministry that serves the spiritual and physical needs. The Living Well Fitness Center provides economic growth to the neighborhood and provides access to an undeserved population to improved health issues affecting the community.
The church staff has grown to a full time staff of 16 and numerous part-time positions. The church operates with over 94 ministries and continually evaluates and adds ministries as needed to meet the needs as known. As the Mt. Zion church family continues to grow in God’s Word, we are ever mindful of the purpose of the church to lead others to Christ.
Pastors succeeding Rev. Putney were Rev. R. Joseph Redmond, Rev. Samuel Coleman, Rev. Agnew Cooper, Rev. Johnson, Rev. Theodore Roman, Rev. William F. Early, Rev. B.A. Roberson, Rev. A.E. Roberson; Dr. Otha Gilyard; and Rev. Addis Moore. Rev. Terry Mahone and Rev. Maurice Harley served as interim pastors during periods of pastoral vacancies.
The Church continued to grow under the various pastors. Under the leadership of Pastor Gilyard, the Mt. Zion Church family undertook a $1 million building program to accommodate the growth of the church. On August 3, 1980, and Chestnut Street was renamed Roberson Street in commemoration of Pastors B.A. and A.E. Roberson.
From 1975 to 1993, the membership more than tripled. The following outreach programs were initiated and administered under Rev. Gilyard’s leadership: Safe House, Pride Place, the Scout House, Family Institute, Parenting Classes, Northside Little League, a tutoring program, a radio ministry, and the Senior Ecumenical Center, in joint partnership with St. Augustine Catholic Church.
In January 1995, Rev. Addis Moore accepted the call to pastor Mt. Zion and was installed on February 19, 1995. Under the leadership of Pastor Moore, the church undertook a $2.5 million expansion project that more than doubled the size of the existing facility. The expansion would add a wing of classrooms, a larger conference room, a chapel for the Youth Church, a library, additional seats to the sanctuary, a fellowship hall, and additional office space and subsequently remodeled the Atrium area.
Mt. Zion currently has grown to a membership of approximately 2000 and continues to have as main focus, evangelism. This focus is evidenced by the vision and mission of the Church. The vision that God gave Pastor Moore for Mt. Zion is “A Church Living in Obedience to God’s Word”. The mission is “Growing God’s Kingdom According to His Word.” In line with the vision and mission Mt. Zion began a television broadcast in 2003 and is presently telecast daily for a total of 27 times per week.
Under the leadership of Pastor Moore, the Mt. Zion Endowment was initiated to provide funding for the future growth and sustainability of Mt. Zion. In February of 2007, Mt. Zion birthed a full service fitness center. The Fitness Center is named the Living Well Fitness Center to embody Pastor Moore’s vision of a holistic ministry that serves the spiritual and physical needs. The Living Well Fitness Center provides economic growth to the neighborhood and provides access to an undeserved population to improved health issues affecting the community.
The church staff has grown to a full time staff of 16 and numerous part-time positions. The church operates with over 94 ministries and continually evaluates and adds ministries as needed to meet the needs as known. As the Mt. Zion church family continues to grow in God’s Word, we are ever mindful of the purpose of the church to lead others to Christ.
