Celebrating The First Anniversary of The
21st pastor of zion baptist church Reverend Zion M.D. McGregor.
On Sunday, September 22, 2024, Zion Baptist Church, also known as Zion Cincinnati, will celebrate the first anniversary of Rev. Zion M.D. McGregor’s pastorate with two services. Our regularly scheduled 10:30 AM service features sermonist Rev. Samuel J. Doyle, pastor of Greater New Light Missionary Baptist Church of Waco, Texas; the special 4 PM service features sermonist Rev. Dr. Joshua Ward, pastor of Omega Baptist Church of Dayton, Ohio. For more information on anniversary activities, contact the church at 513-751-8608 or zioncincinnati.org.
Since his pastorate began in August 2023, Rev. McGregor’s mission has been clear, “At Zion Cincinnati, we are committed to connecting people to Christ and community. We want to invite all those persons who are longing, looking, and listening, or who may be saved but looking for a church home to give us a try. I want to be your pastor and we want to be your family.”
The Fort Worth, Texas native feels he was meant to be in Cincinnati. “Many preachers I’ve talked to said ‘It’s Providence that you’re at Zion. How many preachers named Zion have a church named Zion? God must have put that together.‘ ” Rev. McGregor’s greatest God-given desire is to lead God’s people as a loving and caring shepherd. He comes to Zion with respect for her 182-year history and zeal to re-energize her for the future. He aims to develop and strengthen Bible-based ministries, family enrichment, church missions, youth leadership, education programs, and community service activities. This first year has seen a mix of new and re-energized activities–Holy Week Revival, partnerships with the FreeStore Food Bank and Healthy Moms and Babies support van, a re-established emergency food pantry, participation in community events like the Day of Blessings, Flying Pig marathon, and Black Family Reunion parade, as well as material and spiritual support to the United Negro College Fund, international missions, local schools, and Lighthouse Youth Services.
He follows in the pastoral footsteps of his great-grandfather, the late Dr. C. C. Harper, former pastor of the St. John Baptist Church of Dallas, TX, and his father in the ministry, the late Dr. Caesar A. W. Clark, Sr., former pastor of the Good Street Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biblical Studies from Arlington Baptist College, his Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Homiletics and New Testament from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently completing a second Masters of Theology degree at Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. Additionally, he has studied at a scholar abroad program at Regent Park College, Oxford University, Oxford, England and at a research-intensive Urban Evangelism Practicum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Rev. McGregor has served on the ministerial staffs of the Church Without Walls in Houston, Crossover Bible Fellowship, and the Pillar Church in East Forth Worth. In 2020, he contributed to the best-selling book, Urban Apologetics: Restoring Black Dignity with the Gospel. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Urban Christian Writer’s Guild, an African-American Christian platform that advocates for and highlights African-American Christian scholarship. He has been a guest on numerous podcasts and various social media platforms to discuss urban apologetics, the state of the African-American church, and more. His essays, articles, and sermons have appeared in publications including The Evangelical Report and Publication, Cross Bearer E-Magazine, Gospelflava.Com, the National Baptist Convention USA website, and various blog sites.
Rev. McGregor is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. He is a loving husband and father of four children.
