Rev. Dr. John H. Grant is a native of Cross Hill, South Carolina and has served as pastor of the historic Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Asheville, Inc., in downtown Asheville, N.C. since 1989 (www.mtzionasheville.org). From 1997 to 2003, he served as Founding President & CEO of the Mount Zion Community Development, Incorporated (“MZCD”), which currently facilitatates two 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;” and (2) Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (“TPPI”)—“working to reduce the rate of teen pregnancies
Since 1998, MZCD has raised and invested millions of dollars for its community projects, as well as provided part and full-time jobs with benefits. Project NAF has been cited in Asheville as a national model and showcased nationally.
Another signature accomplishment of Grant’s Christ-centered vision for up-building and transforming our community was the organization of the Eagle-Market Streets Development Corporation, another 501(C) (3) non-profit, where he served as Founding President, Chairman, & CEO. This corporation has completed construction of Eagle Market Place, a $12 million project which provides 62 affordable-workforce apartments, over 6,000 SF of community and neighborhood space, and almost 7,000 SF of commercial, retail, and office space. Visit info@mtnhousing.org for more details on the project.
He is Vice President At large of the National Save the Family Now Movement (www.savethefamilynow.com). In October, 2011, he led in organizing Asheville’s first chapter of the Movement, whose purpose is to “save, strengthen and sustain the black family in particular and all families in general” with official Proclamations of Support from both the city and county of Buncombe.
Dr. Grant has been married to the love of his life, Belinda Kennedy Grant, for 39 years and they have two children, Kontia and John Jr, and one grandson, Koby Josiah. He holds degrees from Benedict College (B.A.) in Columbia, SC; Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (Master of Divinity) in Rochester, New York; and the Atlanta Theological Association (Doctor of Ministry) through Erskine Theological Seminary.
He is the recipient of many honors and awards including (1) Buncombe County’s “100 Most Influential People;” (2)“Minority Enterprise Week Minister of the Year;” (3)“Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition” for three years; (4) Martin Luther King, Jr. “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 Proclamations in 2003 and 2009 declaring “Dr. John H. Grant Day.” He has traveled the state, nation and various parts of the world preaching, teaching and representing Jesus Christ his LordSavior and Mt. Zion.