Baton Rouge's Greater King David Baptist Church began in 1922 with thirty-two members meeting on Crane Street. A century later, that small gathering has grown into a congregation that fills two campuses across the city, supports a Pre-School Academy, and operates more than fifty ministries that touch every stage of life from the nursery to the senior center. The church has been shaped since November 1988 by the pastoral vision of Reverend Dr. John E. Montgomery, II, whose "Movement of Christ" gives Greater King David its rhythm and reach.
From Crane Street to Two Campuses
Greater King David grew out of a division within New Light Baptist Church. Its founding pastor, the Reverend Willie Wheeler, organized the first Deacon and Deaconess Boards and gathered the Benevolence Society with thirty-two charter members to establish a new church at 519 Crane Street. Until 1925 the body carried the dual name "New Light Baptist Church"; the Fourth District Association's refusal to register two churches with the same name forced the change, and the congregation became "King David Baptist Church and Benevolence Society." Under the Reverend Louis Brown, that partnership ended in 1940 and the church dropped the Benevolence Society name.
Growth pressed the body to build a larger Crane Street edifice in 1947. The Reverend A.D. Alexander, who led briefly in the late 1920s, organized the Senior Choir, Senior Usher Board, Floral Club, and Home Mission. The Reverend Isaiah H. Warner, elected in 1952, launched a building fund with a longer view. Ground was broken on a new sanctuary at 222 Blount Road in 1973, and the Blount Road facility was consecrated in 1975 - the year the church took the name Greater King David Baptist Church. Reverend Warner retired in 1988. Eight years later, in April 1992, the congregation extended its ministry into Baton Rouge's inner city at 7305 Harry Drive, and a new edifice there was dedicated on April 2, 1995. As the body grew, the Inner City sanctuary was enlarged, the pulpit redesigned, and an additional parking lot added ninety-two spaces at the North campus.
Sundays at the Inner City Campus
The Inner City location at 7305 Harry Drive opens Sunday worship at 7:30 a.m. Communion is observed on the third Sunday of the month, and Children Worship meets during the 7:30 a.m. service on the second and fourth Sundays. A Saturday Church School gathers at 10:30 a.m., and a Noon Day Bible Study meets at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesdays for those who want a midday option. Five 15-passenger vans and a handicap-equipped van bring members to and from services, and the Inner City office can be reached at 225-927-4035.
Sundays at the North Location
The North campus at 222 Blount Road is the main sanctuary of the church. Sunday School and the Foundation Class begin at 9:45 a.m., and the 11:00 a.m. worship service gathers the largest single crowd of the week. The Baptist Training Union meets at 5:00 p.m., and Children Worship follows at 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sundays, with baptisms scheduled on the same Sundays. Communion is observed on the third Sunday. A Wednesday Prayer Service gathers at 5:30 p.m. in the chapel, followed by the Wednesday Bible Study at 6:30 p.m. The North campus office can be reached at 225-775-2343.
The Movement of Christ Under Pastor Montgomery
Reverend Dr. John E. Montgomery, II grew up in New Orleans, was baptized at nine, accepted his call at thirteen, and preached his first sermon at fourteen. He was ordained by the Union Sixth District Missionary Baptist Association at twenty-one and later earned a Doctorate of Divinity. In November 1988 he was elected the sixth pastor of Greater King David, and he brought with him what he calls the Movement of Christ - a way of life "covering the total church" through the Master, His Mind, His Mission, His Means, and His Methods. The movement gave rise to Movement of Christ Worldwide Ministries, whose theme is "Circling the globe with the glory of the gospel," and has guided the addition of new programs and the revival of older ones.
The church's mission is "to minister to the needs of all people through the love of God with the message and method of our Master." Its vision is to bring glory to God by F.A.I.T.H.: Fellowshipping with God's people, Adoring the Savior through public worship and praise, Involving God's people in service, Training and equipping believers through teaching and preaching, and Harvesting souls for God's Kingdom. Pastor Montgomery holds membership in the Fourth District Missionary Baptist Association and the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Services and ministry content are shared on the church's YouTube channel.
Music That Reaches Every Generation
Music is everywhere at Greater King David. Lawrence Jackson leads both the GKD Orchestra - which the church playfully calls "the GKD Jukebox" - and the GKD Mass Choir, whose purpose is "to reach the spiritual needs of worshipers of all ages while giving praise and glorifying God Almighty." The Cherubim Choir trains children ages four to thirteen under Keshala Jackson. The Youth & Young Adult College Choir welcomes singers between fourteen and twenty-five, and the Male Chorus takes the second Sunday each month under Donald Gibson. The church's musical tradition reaches back through the Senior and Junior Choirs organized in earlier decades, the Young Adult Choir added during Pastor Warner's tenure, and instrumentalists drawn from across the membership.
A Schoolhouse for the Youngest
The Greater King David Nursery Preschool Academy, a Class A rated facility, opened on June 5, 1995. It was founded by church members who wanted a Christian child care center for the surrounding community, and Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go" - is the school's mission statement. Every staff member is CPR certified and receives annual continuing education through the Department of Family and Children Service and Volunteers of America. Children from two months old through pre-kindergarten are grouped by age, begin each day with a Bible-based devotional, and enjoy two meals and a snack daily. Story time at the East Baton Rouge Parish public library comes once a month, and field trips run throughout the school year. The Academy operates Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Director Rebecca Ferguson can be reached at 225-927-9804.
Christian Education Across the Week
Beyond the Pre-School, the church offers a full slate of Christian education for every age. Saturday Church School and Sunday School provide Sunday-style teaching on both weekend days. The Baptist Training Union, led by Bertha Wilcox, disciples believers through study and service. The Dean of Christian Education, Reverend Daniel Smith, oversees Vacation Bible School, the Summer Enrichment Program, and the church's Prison Ministry. Children have a dedicated ministry under Reverend Tony Robertson; youth and young adults gather under Lea Montgomery's Youth, Young Adult & College Student Ministry; and the Singles Ministry under Keshala Jackson reaches single adults with study, support, and fellowship.
Men, Women, Couples, and Family
The Brotherhood Ministry under Tyrone Dunn cultivates the Christian life of laymen through study, worship, and service. The Sisterhood Ministry under Jerrie Booker promotes spiritual growth through community and outreach for women twenty-one and older. The Christian Couples Ministry, led by Minister Chris and Deaconess Christie Hitchens, equips married couples with biblical principles for marriage and family. Seasoned Saints under Deacon Calvin Dees Sr. hosts activities for members sixty-two and older, and the Birth Month Ministry under Vera Hollins gathers members together to celebrate another year. Those with theatrical gifts find a home in the Arts Ministry under Toni Booker, which includes drama and liturgical dance.
Reaching the Community
Greater King David's outreach takes many shapes. The Food Pantry Ministry, led by Geraldine Myers and Adlena Gamble, distributes groceries to neighbors in need. The Clothes Closet, under Tisha Jackson, accepts donations and provides clothing for men and women. The Senior Center, led by Ann Clark, serves hot meals to adults sixty and older and offers flu shots. The Healthcare Ministry, led by Dr. Steven Kelly, focuses on health education. A Legal Ministry through Tatanisha Youngblood offers guidance, and a Mentoring Ministry under Miles Potier develops Christian character and life skills in youth and young adults. The Evangelism Ministry under Evangelist Edna Beardon seeks "to minister reconciliation, healing, and deliverance" through the gospel. The church also supports Boy Scout Troops, Cub Scout Packs, a Girl Scout troop, and the summer GKD Crusaders Track Team, and operates the Alpha Alpha Christian Sorority and Alpha Omega Christian Fraternity for fellowship and scholarship.
The Education and Multi-Cultural Center
Minutes from the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Southern University, and a ring of hotels and restaurants, the Greater King David Education and Multi-Cultural Center is the church's hub for large gatherings. The John E. Montgomery, II Auditorium seats 750 for worship or meeting and 450 for round-table banquets. The 200-seat Auxiliary Fellowship Hall, with its adjoining kitchen, hosts receptions. Six classrooms each seat forty-five to fifty; the conference room seats thirty at elongated tables; and the Annex seats 150 theater-style or seventy-five at tables, complete with a stage and risers suited to small dramatic productions. State-of-the-art sound fills every space. The Center hosts business conferences, wedding receptions, and community meetings, with rental inquiries going to Marlin Glenn at 225-810-8003. Online giving is available through the church's giving platform.
From a divided New Light Baptist Church on Crane Street to a two-campus ministry stretching across Baton Rouge, Greater King David has spent a century building one continuous story. Its choirs, classrooms, food pantry shelves, and scout troops all tell the same story: a congregation determined to "minister to the needs of all people through the love of God."