A 147-Year-Old Anchor in Houston's Third Ward
For nearly a century and a half, Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church has stood at 2603 Anita Street in the heart of Houston's Third Ward, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in the same neighborhood where its founders first gathered in a two-room shotgun house in 1879. The congregation carries a motto that doubles as a statement of purpose: "The Church Where the Love of Christ Is on Display." Members shorten the name to "The Grove," and the building's Texas Historical Landmark marker recognizes its standing as one of the oldest Black congregations in the city.
Worship at The Grove is rooted in a traditional Missionary Baptist rhythm - responsive readings, preaching from the expository pulpit, choirs and praise teams lifting the service in song, and a Sunday School hour that runs before the main worship gathering. Yet the rhythm extends well beyond Sunday morning. The church operates a food and clothing ministry every Wednesday, a Tuesday Bible Study offered twice in one day, a Thursday lineup that pairs a midday devotional on Facebook Live with evening Brotherhood, Women's Ministry, and GriefShare meetings, and a Scholarship Committee that walks alongside high school and college students. A staff of ministers, deacons, trustees, musicians, and volunteers keeps the calendar turning.
Visitors are greeted at the Anita Street campus, with parking on the adjacent lots the church has acquired over the years. The morning service is broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturdays by appointment, and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Weekly Worship and Bible Study
Sunday is the heart of the week at Jordan Grove. Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 10:30 a.m., with separate departments for Children, Youth, and Adults, and eleven adult classes covering a range of ages and stages. At 10:45 a.m. the doors open for Sunday Morning Worship, the service streamed live online for those joining from home. The service includes congregational singing, choir and praise team selections, scripture reading, prayer, and a sermon preached by Dr. Danny Davis.
Midweek study is offered twice on Tuesdays so members can pick the time that fits their lives. A midday Bible Study meets at 11:30 a.m., and an evening Bible Study gathers at 7:30 p.m. The two-session format is one of the additions Pastor Davis has made during his tenure. Pastor Davis also broadcasts a short Thursday message at noon on Facebook Live under the name "Thankful Thursday," inviting viewers to gather online for a word of encouragement to start the lunch hour.
Thursday evenings stack three gatherings at the church. Brotherhood, the men's ministry, meets at 5:45 p.m. The Women's Ministry meets at the same hour. GriefShare, the church's partnership with the national GriefShare grief support program, gathers at 6:30 p.m. for its 13-week sessions. Wednesday mornings belong to the Social Service ministry, which opens its doors at 8:00 a.m. to distribute food and clothing.
From Shotgun House to State Landmark: A Walking History
The story of Jordan Grove begins in 1879 with the Reverend W. W. Navigan, who organized the first members and held services in a two-room shotgun house at the corner of St. Charles and Pierce. The first deacons to serve were Brothers Gilbert, Moses, Merritt, and Washington. As the congregation grew, the church moved to a lot at 2017 Dowling Street, where a proper edifice was built.
Over the next several decades a procession of shepherds came and went. The Reverend Lorenzo Williams followed Navigan but served only briefly. The Reverend J. R. Lofton, affectionately called "Father Lofton" and remembered as an uneducated man rich in the word of God, led the church for more than forty years, retiring after a tenure marked by love for the congregation and the wider Third Ward community. In 1932 the Reverend W. Joshua was called; he resigned ten years later, known for his soul-winning sermons built around the Sunday School lesson.
March 1942 brought the Reverend William Hayward Banks, a young pastor from Kendleton, Texas, whose tenure was the era of greatest growth. Membership swelled from 200 to 1,500, the church moved from the Dowling Street location to its present Anita Street campus, and many young men answered a call to ministry under his leadership. Banks resigned after twenty-six years. In May 1969 the Reverend Murphy H. Peterson became pastor and ushered in a new order of ministry: the Deacon's Family Ministry and the Social Service Program for food and clothing distribution took shape under his guidance, the church burned its mortgage, and additional land was acquired. Pastor Peterson went home to be with the Lord on June 24, 1986. After the Reverend Jesse Jones and the Reverend Carlos Washington each served as interim pastor, the Reverend David M. Roberts became the seventh pastor on March 1, 1987, tendering his resignation effective May 31, 1992.
On June 13, 1993, the Reverend Danny Davis was installed as the eighth pastor. Under his leadership Jordan Grove was recognized as a State of Texas Historical Landmark and received its official marker. Phase I and Phase II campus construction and renovations - projects totaling more than two million dollars - were initiated and completed. The church continues to acquire adjacent properties, some of which have been paved for additional parking.
Pastor Danny Davis and His Flock
Dr. Danny Davis grew up in Dallas, Texas, and once seemed destined for the football field rather than the pulpit. He starred at Carter High School in Dallas and went on to play at the University of Houston, accumulating a string of "firsts" during his playing career. Even so, he answered a call that runs through his family and stepped onto a "praying field" instead.
Pastor Davis holds a Doctor of Divinity from St. Thomas University, received in August 2016, and is certified in Expository Preaching from both the E. K. Bailey Institute and the WHW Expository Institute. He was inducted into the Texas Black Football Hall of Fame in November 2014 and the Texas Football Hall of Fame in February 2021. He has served as chaplain for both the Texas Southern University and University of Houston football teams.
Beyond his own congregation, Pastor Davis serves as President of the Third Ward Fellowship of Churches, a coalition of ten neighborhood congregations that join together for revivals, musicals, holiday worship services, workshops, and other activities that enrich the lives of their members. The fellowship is one of the ways Jordan Grove extends its reach beyond its own walls.
A team of ministers supports Pastor Davis on the rostrum. The roster includes Rev. Jordan Treadville, Rev. Larry Washington, Rev. Ricky Campbell, Rev. George Reed, Rev. Terrance Bullard, and Rev. Dorothy Randle. Together they lead various services and assist the Pastor with leadership duties across the life of the church.
The Many Arms of the Church
Jordan Grove is organized into a wide network of ministries, each with its own mission statement and leadership. The Deacon Family Ministry assigns a deacon to each church family, with the objective of helping those families reach their God-given potential through proclaiming the Gospel, caring for one another, and leading them into Christian fellowship. The current board is chaired by Deacon William Denson and includes Ronald Brazier, Kenneth Coleman, Elliot Gould, Everett Johnson, Daniel Nellums, Loston Smith, Mark Chriestmon, Freddie Gould, Jack Johnson, Patrick Sias, Lynwood Smith, Franklin Clark, Joe Dotson, James Harrison, Vincent Moss, Wayne Sneed, and Frank Washington.
The Women's Ministry, led by Rev. Dorothy Randle as Mission Leader, Janelle Sails as Assistant, and Marietta Sudds as Secretary, supports the leadership and ministries of the church as a whole, anchoring its work in 1 Peter 4:10 - "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." The 2025 theme is "Living A Life Anchored In Prayer," and the ministry focuses on information, planning, opportunities, awareness, and service.
The Brotherhood union gathers consecrated Christian men to undergird the programs of the church and the denomination, drawing its biblical basis from Exodus 18 and Acts 7:38. Its mission is to win souls to Jesus Christ and strengthen Christian men to become better husbands, fathers, and churchmen. Ushers keep worship services orderly and extend a host spirit to parishioners and visitors alike, working in two adult boards plus a Junior Usher unit. Trustees - James Harrison, Frank Washington, Samuel Pratt, Sarah Beverly, Dan Nellums, Larry Powell, Patrick Sias, and Arthur Jackson Sr. - oversee church property, vehicles, buildings, grounds, and security.
Feeding the Community and Caring for the Bereaved
The Social Service Ministry is one of the most visible arms of the church in the neighborhood. Every Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., the ministry distributes food and clothing to neighbors who walk through the doors. The work is sustained by the monetary gifts and canned-good donations of Jordan Grove members and friends. The Social Service Ministry was founded under Pastor Peterson's leadership and remains a defining expression of the congregation's call to meet practical needs.
The Nurse and Care Ministry complements the food and clothing work with a focus on health and comfort. The team offers encouragement for the bereaved, limited first aid, and physical and mental health information, partnering with other ministries to care for members and visitors. Their "Knowledge Tablescape" on the Live Oak side of the church (to the right when facing the altar) carries subject-matter information for parishioners. The ministry can be reached at care@jordangrove.org.
For those walking through grief, Jordan Grove partners with GriefShare to run a 13-week support group on Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. Each session offers a safe and compassionate space to share, listen, learn, and heal alongside others who understand the challenges of loss. The program is open to anyone in the community, regardless of how recent or long ago their loss occurred.
Music, Multimedia, and the Sunday School Engine
The Music Ministry at Jordan Grove is built around a staff that includes Sharon Richard as Minister of Music, Willadene Glover as Accompanist, Jerald Ned as Organist, Terrance Bullard as Percussionist, Jordan Treadville on Bass, and Chelsie Blackmon as Saxophonist. The ministry fields several ensembles: the JG Praise Team, the Inspirational Choir for adults, King's Kids for children in K-5, Joyful Noise for youth in grades 6-12, the Men's Chorus, Voices of Praise for young adults, the Mission Choir for women, a Hand Bell Ensemble, and the JG Drama Ministry. The Ambassadors for Christ, the church's praise dance ministry under Director Gloria Russell, opens services through movement that proclaims the gospel without words.
The Multimedia Ministry supports all of this with audio, video, and graphics. Its stated commitments include enhancing worship through thoughtful integration of technology, spreading the gospel creatively beyond the church walls, supporting spiritual growth with multimedia resources, fostering community, and equipping other ministries with the tools they need. The ministry also manages the live online broadcast that brings Sunday Morning Worship to viewers on YouTube and Facebook.
Behind the scenes of every Sunday is a Sunday School program led by Superintendent Deacon Ronald Brazier, Assistant Superintendents Deacon Kenneth Coleman and Rev. Ricky Campbell, Children's Director Sandra Dotson, Youth Director Lisa Waddell, and Secretary Jacqueline Zeno. The school is divided into three departments - Children, Youth, and Adult - with eleven adult classes providing choices for all adults. The mission is to provide each member with a flexible, progressive biblical program that stimulates the intellect, encourages the spirit, and enhances spiritual growth, anchored in the mandate of 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The Scholarship Ministry and Children and Youth
The Scholarship Ministry, run by a committee chaired by Lisa Waddell alongside Alma Bigby, Drucilla Bolden, Venita Coleman, Travis Johnson Sr., Shannon Treadville, and Deborah Washington, awards funds donated by members and friends of Jordan Grove to eligible high school graduates and currently enrolled college students. Recipients must maintain a minimum course load of 12 semester hours and a 2.5 GPA at an institution of higher learning. Scholars are expected to continue on a trajectory of spiritual growth by uniting with a Christ-centered church while in school and attending worship and church functions when home. Beyond managing the application and award process, the committee shares information on other scholarship opportunities, encourages college and career readiness exposure, and connects youth to higher education resources.
The Children and Youth Ministry educates young people from kindergarten through 12th grade in the knowledge of Christ, encouraging Christian living in the home and school. The Children's Ministry works to bring children into an age-appropriate worship atmosphere where they can belong to the family of God, serve, and share Christ with others. The Youth Ministry partners with families to engage students in extensive training that teaches them to live independently in Christ, then sends them out as godly men and women of integrity who can change their homes, schools, churches, and workplaces.
A team of Sunday School faculty and staff supports this work: Felicia Sneed as Director, alongside Jacqueline Zeno, Valerie Jackson, Robbin Duplessis, Timothy Patterson, Cheryl Grass, Gloria Russell, Deborah Smith, Sarah Beverly, Phillip Frear, Kristy LeRoy, and Lisa Waddell.
What the Church Believes
Jordan Grove's statement of faith is short and direct: "At The Grove we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and was born from Virgin Mary. We believe he was crucified and died for our sins on a cross. We believe he was resurrected on Sunday morning. We believe he has gifted us with the Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Bible. We believe Jesus Christ will return." The Bible, the work of the Holy Spirit, the crucifixion, and the resurrection form the center of the church's teaching and preaching.
How to Join In
Sunday morning is the natural starting point for a first visit. Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday Morning Worship begins at 10:45 a.m. at the Anita Street campus, with the service livestreamed for those at home. Visitors who want to study can return on Tuesday for the 11:30 a.m. or 7:30 p.m. Bible Study. Those in need of food or clothing can come on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. Those grieving a loss can join the GriefShare group on Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Men can attend Brotherhood at 5:45 p.m. on the same night; women can join the Women's Ministry at the same hour. Prayer requests can be submitted online, and the deacons and ministers lift them up in prayer.
Giving can be done online through Tithely, by texting (833) 404-0693, by dropping a gift off at the church office at 2603 Anita Street, or by calling (713) 522-8000 to schedule a pickup. A monthly newsletter carries announcements, and the Jordan Grove MBC app is available on Apple and Android devices for staying up to date with news and events.