Our Past
Sixth Mount Zion enjoys a heritage of dynamic
fellowship and extraordinary leadership that dates to 1867, when the renowned
Reverend John Jasper founded the church. Typical of the desperate conditions for
many African-Americans in Richmond immediately after the Civil War, Sixth Mount
Zion was originally organized in an abandoned confederate horse stable on
Brown's Island along the shores of the James River.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has recognized the
church with two historical highway markers--one at the church site in downtown
Richmond, and another in Fluvanna County near the birthplace of John Jasper.
Residing within the historic Jackson Ward District, the church is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. In
2004, the Richmond City Council honored the church with a special designation as
a local "historic district," encompassing the 3 acres of land on which it
stands, the only black church in Richmond to receive this distinction.
For over a century, Sixth Mount Zion has served as
a center of spiritual and community life, addressing the social concerns of the
city's residents. Sixth Mount Zion was one of the first black churches to have
an organized charity with a staff social worker to administer to the indigent of
the community and city. This tradition has continued up to the present time
through the work of the Gilpin-Jackson Center, organized in 1994 as a powerful
tool to assist individuals and families with the resources necessary to overcome
obstacles that prevent them from achieving personal, social and economic goals.
Please click here to view a more
detailed history of
Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Our
Present
In
April 2005, Reverend Tyrone E. Nelson was elected as pastor of the church, and
under his short tenure, the church has undergone a total transformation in its
worship services, daily administrative activities and spiritual focus. With his
leadership, Sixth Mount Zion has doubled in membership, reinvigorated
itself and stands ready to meet the many challenges of an urban 21st-century
church with renewed faith and service. He has charged our congregation with
a great mission that we seek to accomplish. Today, over 50 organizations and
ministries work together to fulfill this goal and to enrich the lives of
individuals from children to young adults and senior citizens.
Our
Mission
The mission of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church is to look for
and disciple the unsaved and disenchanted. We are here to receive all who are
seeking a relationship with God and God’s people. We believe that through our
understanding of God’s Word and the liberating love and lifestyle of Jesus the
Christ, we are to love ourselves, our neighbor, and our community. We do this
by: exalting God through worship, equipping ourselves through discipleship,
enjoying each other through fellowship, exposing the unsaved and disenchanted to
God’s love through evangelism and experiencing the joy of meeting the needs of
others through ministry. We are committed to excellence through our service
and stewardship. We are a focused and liberated people of God seeking to serve
our community.
Our
Future
We
believe that God has great things in store for the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist
Church. God has given Pastor Nelson a vision of what we are to be. With God’s
help, this vision will one day be a reality.
Our
Vision
o
Becoming dedicated and faithful disciples
o
Developing strong and healthy families
o
Loving
God and each other
o
Participating in active worship experiences
o
Creating
financially responsible disciples
o
Having
an evangelistic perspective and presence
o
Engaging
in holistic educational training
o
Involving ourselves in civic, social, and community improvement
o
Focusing on the growth of
the “total” person (Mind, Body, and Soul)
