About us
Founded in 1926, during the Great Migration, Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church hosted
their first meetings in the basement of 467 East Bowen Avenue (demolished). By 1962, the congregation had outgrown their previous space and acquired the former Sinai Temple and social settlement house. Over the previous thirty-six years, the church had expanded their religious training and community engagement programming. The new space housed additional programming including the Baptist Theological and Education Center, the Baptist Training Union, and a number of other religious activities. On October 29, 1962, the 3000-member congregation, led by Reverend Joseph Wells and the Sunday School Band of Ebenezer Baptist Church, marched from their space on Bowen Avenue to their new home on Grand Boulevard The morning service was led by Dr. Herbert Brewster and featured performances by famed Gospel singers Roberta Martin and Dolores Barrett Campbell. The evening service was conducted by Reverend Ernest F. Ledbetter, of Metropolitan Baptist Church, grandfather to the current reverend of Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Ernest Ledbetter III.
our Pastor
Rev. Dr. Ernest F. Ledbetter III is a third generation Pastor. He accepted his calling into the ministry at the tender age of 7 years old and at 12 years old preached his first public sermon. He received his Bachelors in English Studies with a Biblical Studies minor from DePaul University, graduating in the spring of 2010. Shortly before that, he was ordained and accepted his first pastoral role as Co-Pastor of the Greater Mt. Hebron Church.
In March of 2014 Rev. E.F. Ledbetter III would make history by becoming the youngest Pastor of the historic Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church located on the southside of Chicago in the Bronzeville community. Later that year in June 2014 he would receive his Masters of Divinity in Urban Community
Development from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Awarded the prestigious John Perkins Scholarship, Rev. Ledbetter III was granted a full ride for his Masters Degree. He is currently in his Doctoral program, also at Northern Theological Seminary, studying New Testament Context and will receive his Doctorate of Ministry in 2021.
Within nearly 6 years as Pastor, over 1500+ new members have joined and 500+ have been baptized. With both a youthfulness and contemporary flair in addition to his strong Biblical knowledge and respect of church history, he takes pride in being able to bridge the gap for both young and old who want to get closer to Christ.