A Southern Baptist Congregation on Mount Zion Road
Mount Zion Baptist Church sits on Mount Zion Road in northwest Huntsville, Alabama, in Madison County. The church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, works through the Madison Baptist Association and the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, and partners with the North American Mission Board, the International Mission Board, and Alabama WMU. From a sprawling campus that includes a sanctuary, a fellowship hall, a chapel, a Christian Ministry Center with gym and weight room, and a weekday preschool wing, the congregation runs a full week of ministries for every age group, from birth through senior adults. A long-term capital project called Project 18|28 is underway to add more than 22,000 square feet of new space, a second covered entrance, and 62 additional parking spaces.
Sunday Mornings: Three Services, Three Sunday School Hours
The Sunday schedule at Mount Zion is built around three morning hours. Sunday School classes meet at 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. for adults, while children's Sunday School for first through sixth grade meets at 9:45 a.m.
Two blended worship services fill the Sanctuary at 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., with congregational singing led by the Worship Choir, adult ensembles, and the orchestra. A contemporary worship service follows at 11:00 a.m. with a volunteer worship band. The 9:45 a.m. blended service and the 11:00 a.m. contemporary service are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel.
Children have their own schedule alongside the services. Preschool Sunday School for birth through kindergarten meets at 9:45 a.m., with Extended Teaching Care for the same ages at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. so parents can attend worship. Kids Worship for kindergarten through second grade runs at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and a Special Buddies ministry welcomes children with special needs at 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. On Sunday afternoons, a GriefShare support group meets at 2:00 p.m. in Room S104 for thirteen weeks at a time.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday nights at Mount Zion start with a church-wide supper at 5:00 p.m. in the gym. From 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. children move into Music and Missions programs, with preschool music for three-year-olds through kindergarten at 5:45 p.m. and preschool missions at 6:45 p.m. Awana runs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for children ages three through sixth grade. A staffed nursery is open for birth through two-year-olds during the Wednesday evening hour.
Adults gather for Z-Groups from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The fall studies have included Know What You Believe led by Don Reed and Dr. George Foust, a study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians led by Adam Landers, and Church History, Part I led by Brian Schneider, which traces Christian history from 90 A.D. through the Protestant Reformation. No one is turned away due to financial difficulty.
Middle and high school students meet for Greenhouse, the student worship service, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The evening combines music, games, teaching, and adult-led small groups in the East Worship Venue, with pickup by 8:00 p.m.
What to Wear, Where to Park, and What to Expect
Visitors are welcomed into any service. In the blended services, members typically wear business to business-casual attire. The contemporary service ranges from jeans to business casual, with ties rarely seen. All other events at Mount Zion tend to be casual. Members will receive and love visitors regardless of what they wear.
The Christian Ministry Center gym and weight room are open to members and guests. Hours run 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Pickleball is played on Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Giving is available online through the church's PushPay portal and through the MZBC mobile app on Apple and Android devices. Members can also set up recurring gifts or give to special offerings like Project 18|28 and the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering.
Preschool and Weekday Education
Mount Zion's preschool ministry cares for children from birth through pre-kindergarten on Sunday mornings and during Wednesday evening programming. Parents check children in at the Preschool Welcome Desk, complete an information card, and receive a security name tag; returning families use one of the Quick Check computer stations near each entrance. A nursing room is available in the downstairs preschool area for mothers who want to feed their child privately.
Mount Zion Weekday Education is a licensed preschool program open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., August through May, following the Madison County School System calendar. The program serves children from six weeks through kindergarten with two-day, three-day, or five-day options. Teachers focus on the whole child through the basic concepts of God, Jesus, family, and church. Parent-child dedication services are scheduled for families who want to make a public commitment to raise their children in the faith. MOPS, a Mothers of Preschoolers group, meets twice a month for community, coffee, and conversation.
Kids Ministry
The children's ministry serves first through sixth grade with the goal of helping every child come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior in a safe, caring environment. Sunday mornings include Sunday School and Special Buddies at 9:45 a.m., and Kids Worship at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Wednesday nights include children's choir and missions organizations at 5:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Awana runs on Sunday afternoons from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Child Protection Policies and Procedures are in place, including required medical release forms and adult background checks for volunteers.
Students: Junior High, Senior High, and College
The student ministry helps junior high and high school students grow in their relationship with God, each other, the church, and the world. Sunday morning small groups meet at 9:45 a.m., with student worship at 11:00 a.m. and Greenhouse worship at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. The tech team lets students serve on sound, lights, and media during Greenhouse. A podcast version of the teaching is available on Spotify. Hunter Smith and Braxton Blankenship help students who want to take the next step of baptism.
The College and Young Adult ministry gathers on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the East Worship Venue near the coffee bar for worship, Bible teaching, small groups, and fellowship. On Sunday mornings, college students join age-related adult Bible studies. The ministry is led by Patrick Collins, J T Matthews, and Will Trautman, with a presence on Instagram and Facebook under the name MZBC CYA.
Adults: Bible Studies, D-Groups, and Sunday School
Mount Zion's adult ministry encourages men and women in their pursuit of God through Bible study and community. Sunday morning Bible study classes meet at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. across the campus. Wednesday Z-Groups, men's Bible studies, and women's Bible studies offer midweek options. D-Groups are gender-specific groups of three to five believers who meet weekly for about an hour and a half for Scripture reading, journaling, Scripture memory, and accountability, with the goal of replicating disciples who make more disciples.
The men's ministry runs two ongoing Bible studies. Man Up meets on Monday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, and Biscuits & Brothers meets on Thursday mornings from 6:00 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. with breakfast. The Man Church Discipleship Strategy brings men together for quarterly large group gatherings that funnel into small group Bible study, including Replicate D-Groups and Man Church D-Groups.
The women's ministry disciples women of all ages through Strong Bible Studies, Firm small-group discipleship and mentorship, mentorship pairings, Women in Prayer, Women of Zion, YP Women, MomCo, MOPS, and the annual Women's Conference. The WMU groups include Doris McMichael, Agnes Douglass, Women of the Word, Vera Hogan, Heart to Heart, and Mary-Martha Women on Mission, meeting in homes and on campus at various times each month.
Hope Ministry: A Network of Support Groups
Hope Ministry at Mount Zion is a network of Christ-centered, Bible-based support communities for people walking through specific kinds of pain. Each group is led by facilitators who have personal experience with the struggle they serve. The umbrella covers eight distinct ministries.
re:generation is a Bible-based mentoring ministry that meets on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., offering healing and freedom from addiction, past hurts, and destructive patterns. With Joy is a private support ministry for couples in a season of infertility. Held is a private support ministry for parents who have experienced miscarriage or infant loss. While We're Waiting is a bereaved parents support group for those who have lost a child of any age, meeting the first Thursday of each month from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at a home near the church. We to Me is a monthly group for those who have lost a spouse, meeting at a local bakery. Caregiver Support offers private meetings for those caring for loved ones with chronic illness. Divorce Support and the Choosing Wisely Before You Divorce program provide a five-week private course for couples considering divorce. GriefShare is the thirteen-week curriculum-based grief support group meeting on Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
Senior Adults: SonShiners and Beyond
The SonShiners ministry reflects the conviction that growing older does not mean becoming less active in the Lord's work. The SonShiners meet monthly on the last Thursday of each month in the CMC Gym at 10:30 a.m. for a program and a covered-dish lunch, and a monthly newsletter keeps members informed of upcoming trips and events. The SonShiners Choir rehearses on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Choir Room and takes regular ministry outings to local retirement homes and nursing centers. The group also participates in a monthly hymn sing at Madison Village Assisted Living, provides transportation for Merrill Gardens residents to a monthly luncheon, supports the C.A.R.E. Ministry (Connect, Assist, Respond, Encourage), and joins with WMU and the men's ministry on missions and Bible study efforts.
Missions: Local, State, National, and International
Missions are woven through every ministry at the church. IN-DEED meets physical needs inside the church and across the community by building wheelchair ramps, doing roofing, moving, maintenance, disaster relief, yard clean-up, painting, IT support, and transportation. Conversational English classes are offered free of charge on Monday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with entrance through the South door near the playground. Love Packages is a missions ministry that collects and ships Bibles, Sunday school literature, Christian books, and other teaching helps to countries around the world, and Mount Zion sends volunteer work teams to the Decatur facility to pack shipments.
Children's missions organizations include Royal Ambassadors for boys in grades one through six, Girls in Action for girls in grades one through six, and Mission Friends for two-year-olds through kindergarten, all meeting on Wednesdays from 6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Women on Mission groups are open to any woman who wants to learn about and participate in missions. The church partners with several church plants beyond Huntsville and maintains a disaster relief team ready to respond when needed.
Music: Choir, Orchestra, Bands, and SonShiners
The music ministry supports both blended and contemporary worship. The Worship Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Choir Room and presents weekly specials in the blended services. The orchestra rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary and provides weekly preludes and accompaniment for choir anthems. Adult ensembles are mixed groups of ten to twelve vocalists that rotate through the special music in blended services and perform at community events. The contemporary worship band rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and leads the 11:00 a.m. contemporary service. Cross Winds is a student orchestra for band and orchestral instrumentalists. Children's choirs meet on Wednesdays at 5:45 p.m. for ages three through kindergarten and for first through sixth grade. The student worship band leads Greenhouse each Wednesday.
Project 18|28: Building for the Coming Generations
Project 18|28 is a two-year capital campaign named for the passage in Matthew 28 where the risen Christ sends His disciples to make disciples of all nations. The project will add a 22,000-square-foot, two-story building to the east side of the existing facility. The first floor will include a student worship venue seating more than 300 people, a coffee bar in the new commons area, and a centralized staff office suite. The second floor will include fourteen classrooms for adult Sunday School and student ministry small groups, accessible by a new elevator. A second covered drop-off entrance and a new parking lot with 62 additional spaces, improved traffic flow, handicap parking, and adequate lighting will make arrival easier for senior adults, families with young children, those with mobility issues, and first-time guests. The two-year fulfillment period runs from November 2024 through November 2026, with a $4 million goal that members can support through cash, stock, real estate, and online giving.
What We Believe
Mount Zion's statement of faith begins with the Holy Bible, written by men divinely inspired and entirely true and trustworthy, with all Scripture testifying to Christ. The church confesses one living and true God, infinite in holiness and all other perfections, who reveals Himself in three persons: God the Father, who reigns in providential care over His universe; God the Son, the eternal Son who took on human nature, died on the cross for sin, rose again, ascended to the right hand of God, and will return in glory; and God the Holy Spirit, who inspired Scripture, illuminates truth, convicts of sin, regenerates believers, baptizes them into the body of Christ, and seals them unto final redemption. Humanity was created in God's image but fell into sin through free choice, leaving every person in need of grace. Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through personal faith. Election is the gracious purpose of God, and all true believers endure to the end, kept by the power of God. Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Lord's Supper is a symbolic memorial of the Redeemer's death. The church looks for the personal, visible, glorious return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, final judgment, and the everlasting reward of the righteous.
Pastor Kevin Moore and the Leadership Team
Dr. Kevin Moore shepherds the congregation. He earned his Master of Divinity and PhD in Old Testament from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and has authored Holy Rebellion, Relentless, Sex is..., Ink, and Your Baby. Pastor Kevin and his wife Stephanie have four children. His pastoral team includes Greg Stringfield as Executive Pastor, Jonathan Moore as Missions and Outreach Minister, an unnamed Senior Adult Minister, Braxton Blankenship as Junior High Student Minister, David Henderson as Children's Minister, Beth Henderson as Preschool Minister, Mark Jacobs as Music and Media Minister, and Joey Collins as Contemporary Worship Minister. Steve Price directs the orchestra and Cross Winds student ensemble. Kenya Jernigan directs WMU. Danny Terral is Financial Administrator, K. Humphrey serves as Accountant, and ministry assistants include Lynell Aycock, Mandy Godbehere, and Amy Schultz.
Membership and Baptism
Becoming a member of Mount Zion means committing to be a fully engaged part of the church family, loving, giving, and serving sacrificially. Every member has trusted Christ as Savior and followed that decision with baptism by immersion. Anyone who has trusted Christ but has not yet been baptized is invited to come forward at the end of any worship service. A Member Information Class is offered periodically at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for those considering membership, with childcare provided. Wedding policies and a request form for facility use are available for members planning weddings and other events at the church.