BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DR. J. H. GRANT ? June, 2008
(More details on website at www.mtzionasheville.org)
Dr. Grant is a native of Cross Hill, South Carolina, born the tenth of ten children to Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Grant, Sr. on July 7, 1954. He was converted, baptized, licensed and ordained into the Gospel Ministry at a young age at the Bethel Baptist Church in Cross Hill. At the age of 19, he was called to pastor his home church and served there for seven years. He served as pastor of the Shoal Creek Baptist Church of Shelby, N.C. from 1980-1989. He has served as pastor of the Historic Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in downtown Asheville, N.C. since 1989, and the New Covenant Baptist Church of Shelby from 1999-2003. Since January 26, 1980, Dr. Grant has been married to the love of his life, the former Belinda Kennedy of Laurens, S. C., and they have two children, Kontia and John Jr.
From 1997 to 2003, Dr. Grant served as Founding President & CEO of the Mount Zion Community Development, Incorporated (MZCD). With 5 staff positions, MZCD currently operates four programs: (1) Project Nurturing Asheville and Area Families (NAF) working to help African American women have healthy babies and reduce the minority infant mortality rate; (2) Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) working to reduce the rate of teen pregnancies: (3) The Elizabeth Grant Hill Campus of Learners: Center for Health, Technology, and Entrepreneurship working to bridge the digital divide in our communities;? and (4) Real Estate Development for housing and office complex working to provide economic opportunities and eliminate blight. Since 1998, MZCD has raised and invested a million dollars for its community projects. Project NAF has been cited in Asheville as a national model and showcased again nationally. The Elizabeth Grant Hill Campus of Learners was made possible by the generosity of Dr. Grant's cousins former NFL Great Calvin Hill and wife Janet; and current NBA Phoenix Suns Star Grant Hill and wife, R&B recording Star Tamia. Campus of Learners was cited as the 2001 Faith-Based Initiative of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations.
Dr. Grant holds degrees from Benedict College (B.A.) in Columbia; Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (Master of Divinity) in Rochester, New York; and the Atlanta Theological Association (Doctor of Ministry) through Erskine Theological Seminary. Additionally, he is former Vice President At Large and Chairman of the General Board of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. He is the recipient of many honors and awards including, but not limited to, the following: (1) voted in August of 1995 as one of Buncombe County's 100 Most Influential People by an Asheville Citizen Times Survey, ranking number 55 out of 100; (2) voted 1993 Minority Enterprise Week Minister of the Year; (3) honored with Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition in 1993, 1995 and 2004 from the office of U.S. Congressman Charles Taylor for outstanding and invaluable service to the Asheville Community; (4) honored by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry with the Martin Luther King, Jr. 2001 Church of the Year award for reflecting the spiritual values of Dr. King's stand for social and economic justice, the empowerment of others, and the sacrifice of time and resources to benefit the impoverished and disenfranchised of our community; (5) City of Asheville Proclamation declaring October 5, 2003 Dr. John H. Grant Day; and (6) Recipient of the 2004 North Carolina NAACP Minister of the Year Award.
(More details on website at www.mtzionasheville.org)
|