Mount Zion Baptist Church stands on Cajah's Mountain Road in Hudson, North Carolina, a Southern Baptist congregation known for the motto "Knowing God's Love and Sharing It!" The church describes itself as a family with a history of reaching out into the community and the world to share the gospel, and its week fills with gatherings of every kind: Sunday School for every age, worship in the sanctuary, children's and youth Bible study on Wednesday, four music ensembles, monthly gatherings for men, women, seniors and widows, and outreach that includes feeding the hungry.
Sunday School at 8:45, Worship at 10:00
Sunday begins at 8:45 a.m. with Sunday School, where a class is offered for every age. Greeters help visitors find the class that fits them, which makes a first Sunday easier for anyone who does not yet know their way around. At 10:00 a.m., the church gathers together in the sanctuary for worship, and the whole congregation is invited to join in at that hour.
The service is carried live online at 10:00 a.m. through the church's live stream, and past services stay available on the church's YouTube channel and its MZBCNC channel on Roku, so someone who cannot attend in person can still hear the service or return to it later. A service bulletin is offered for those who attend. The church also notes that people present at services may appear in the livestream and in recordings unless they let the church know they would prefer not to be included.
Those two Sunday hours sit at the center of a much larger rhythm of church life, with groups for children, students, adults and seniors meeting throughout the week between Sunday morning and Sunday night.
Bible, Baptist Faith and a Covenant of One Body
Mount Zion affirms the Holy Bible as the basis for its beliefs and accepts the doctrinal statements of the Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000. The church says plainly that it is a Southern Baptist church.
Its covenant gives that identity a personal shape. Members enter it believing they have been led by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, they most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
The purpose that holds all of this together is stated in specific terms: to be a fellowship of baptized believers in Jesus Christ, experiencing the love and leadership of God, sharing the gospel at home and around the world, ministering to persons in the community in Jesus' name, providing opportunities for Christian worship and service, and nurturing the members through a program of Christian action. In short, the church describes itself as a body of baptized believers who want to live out their lives in fellowship with one another while seeking to love and serve God and those around them.
The mission closes with the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Wednesday Suppers, Then Study and Song
Wednesday is the busiest evening of the week. A supper for families begins at 5:30 p.m., and at 6:30 p.m. the church splits into groups by age and interest.
- Children up to kindergarten meet for Mission Friends in the children's building.
- Royal Ambassadors, for grades 1 through 6, and Girls in Action, for grades 1 through 6, meet in the children's building as well.
- Students in grades 7 through 12 gather for Youth Bible Study in the youth room.
- The adult choir rehearses at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.
Sunday's 8:45 a.m. class time is the anchor for children and youth, who also meet on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The children's ministry opens with Jesus' invitation in Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." The youth ministry leans on 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
Four Ways to Sing
Music runs through the week at Mount Zion, and every ensemble is a volunteer group open to people who want to take part. The music ministry opens with Psalm 150: "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!"
- Praise Team rehearses Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary and is open to anyone.
- Adult Choir rehearses Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary and is open to anyone.
- Senior Adult Choir rehearses Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. in the sanctuary and is open to everyone age 55 and older in the community.
- Handbell Choir rehearses Sundays at 4:30 p.m. and is open to anyone.
The senior adult choir and the XYZ ministry both welcome people 55 and older from the surrounding community, and the music ministry welcomes anyone interested in joining to make contact and meet the team.
College Students and Young Adults
The college and young adult ministry opens its doors to everyone "18-25ish," with a Sunday meeting at 9:00 a.m. that falls between Sunday School and the 10:00 a.m. service. Its charge comes from Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Monthly Gatherings for Men, Women, Seniors and Widows
Beyond the weekly rhythm, several ministries meet on a monthly schedule, and each one opens with a verse that shapes its purpose.
Baptist Men Ministry gathers for Bible study and speakers on the last Friday of each month, working from Proverbs 27:17: "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Women's Ministry has four women's groups that meet monthly to dive deeper into God's word together, under the name Women of Joy. The ministry describes its community as diverse and welcoming, made up of believers from all walks of life, young or old, single or married, and from different backgrounds, and it roots its work in Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
XYZ, Xtra-Years of Zest, is the senior adults' ministry. It holds monthly events that bring seniors together for fellowship, and the invitation extends to everyone age 55 and older. Psalm 92:14 is its verse: "Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green."
Widowed Friends' Ministry meets monthly as well, giving male and female widows a place to support and fellowship with one another. Romans 12:12 guides it: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Sharing the Gospel at Home and Around the World
Outreach is part of the church's identity rather than an occasional project. The women's ministry describes involvement in a variety of local and global outreach programs, from feeding the hungry to supporting missionaries around the world, and that spirit matches the church's stated purpose of sharing the gospel at home and around the world while ministering to people in the community in Jesus' name.
The church also carries its teaching beyond the building through RightNow Media, a library of faith-based videos that members can watch on a phone, iPad, computer or television at home. The selection covers kids, youth, parents, married couples, college students, single adults and working professionals, all aimed at helping people grow in faith at home, at work and in their neighborhood. Church members can sign up for access through the church's invitation.
Giving can also be made online through the church's online giving, with donations handled through a third-party payment provider.
The Pastors and Worship Leadership
Senior Pastor Zach Kennedy grew up in the Triad area of North Carolina and became a follower of Christ as a child. He has been married to Kelly since 2010, and the couple has three sons. He graduated from Emmanuel College in Georgia and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, and in his spare time he reads and follows sports, particularly the Carolina Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Notre Dame football.
Ed Ford serves as Associate Pastor of Discipleship and Education. Born in Michigan and raised on the Jersey shore, he graduated from Ocean County College and Liberty University. He has a wife, two young adult sons, a grandson and three dogs, and he spends his free time with family, playing guitar, reading, hiking and hunting.
Gary Harris is Associate Pastor of Families, Youth and Children. A Caldwell County native, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he enjoys spending time with his wife and children and traveling.
Jayden Norman, a Caldwell County native who has been a member of Mount Zion since 2010, serves as interim worship leader. A graduate of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, he enjoys time with family and friends, reading and trying new foods.
Finding Mount Zion in Hudson
Mount Zion Baptist Church is at 1787 Cajah's Mountain Road, Hudson, NC 28638. The church answers at (828) 396-1241, and email reaches the office at office@mountzionhudson.org and info@mzbcnc.org. Office hours run from 8:45 to 11:00 a.m. A short connect form collects a name, email address and phone number, and directions to the church are available for those coming from Hudson.
From the 8:45 a.m. Sunday School to the 10:00 a.m. service carried live, and through the choirs, Bible studies, supper nights and monthly gatherings in between, the church's week is built around one idea: knowing God's love and sharing it. Mount Zion Baptist Church gathers at 1787 Cajah's Mountain Road in Hudson, North Carolina, to worship, to study, to sing and to serve.