Church History

Family Life Conference

"Look where He has brought us from"

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple has a long and illustrious history. Founded in 1900 in a private home in Newport News VA, the Church experienced many transitions and had 19 pastors from its inception through 1911.

In 1966 the Rev. Dr. M. Ivory Jefferson was called to lead SMZBT and served faithfully until declining health caused him to retire in 1996.

In January 1997, Rev. Dr. Jerome Anthony Barber was called by the church as senior pastor. From that date until the present the rolls of SMZBT have grown from 300 members to 4000 members. We give glory to God that most of that number have been new converts. Rev. Barber is instrumental in establishing ministries in this local assembly that meet the needs of the church and the community at large. He has a special passion for education and those who have chosen education as their career field. His yearly recognition of educators has evolved into a bi-annual gathering of what he has coined, “Educarers,” a ministry established to bring attention to the needs of educators and students and which stresses the caring and compassionate aspect of the teaching profession.

Outgrowing our edifice at 2003 Kecoughtan Road (pictured above), we relocated to our new location at 3100 Butternut Drive in 2002. The Six House, Inc., our non-profit community outreach organization now occupies the old site. The Six House serves the community by offering counseling, computer training, financial literacy, the Back to School Festival, Christmas outreach and many other activities.

Since July 2000, Pastor Barber has been involved in mobilizing the 4000 member congregation of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple to take the gospel to the world. In addition, he has mobilized teams from the United States of pastors, medical professionals, educators and youth to conduct revivals, crusades, bible seminars, youth and women’s conferences, teacher workshops, and medical clinics throughout the Nairobi area. SMZBT is linked with the Harvest Fellowship Center, Bishop Philemon Wachara of Nairobi, Kenya, Pastor Isaac Kiwewisi of Uganda, Pastor Mackson St vil of Cape Haiten, Haiti, Pastor Ecclesias Donatien and Bishop-elect Manas R. Kabelo of Rustenburg, South Africa. .We also have a connection with Pastor Keith Jefferson in Salvador Bahia, Brazil.

Pursing the vision that God has given to Pastor Barber, we are a soul-winning church who will go into the entire world to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; baptizing men, women and children in the name of our Lord, and teaching them to obey all things that God has commanded.