In the year 1880, under the leadership of the late Rev. Tibbs, with the officers and trustees, a church was organized at Clay Village, Kentucky on US 60. After a while, the members began to move away and the membership got so scarce that the church decided to move, this time to Benson, Kentucky about 1.5 miles from Waddy. Rev. George Butler and Rev. Thomas Butler helped with the service. Many people joined the church, later they began to move away. The members again got scattered and the church was forced to move again. This time there was no ground to build on so Bro. Claude Wade talked to Mr. Tom Waddy and he gave the church a spot of ground measuring about one acre. The church location was moved to Waddy, Kentucky. A tent was put up to have service and the first Basket meeting was served in 1906. This spot of ground was on the Waddy Road near the railroad by Jepta Creek.
A lot of work was involved in building the church at Waddy. Lumber had to be hauled from the church in Benson to help with the building. After the building was finished Rev. Owens worked with the people and many members were added to the church.
The ministers that were called to the church:
| Rev. J.A. Baker, 1919-1920 Rev. Roberts, 1921-1928 Rev. Lloyd, 1929-1931 Rev. Owens, 1932-1933 Rev. Brisco, 1933-1935 Rev. Humphrey, 1939-1940 |
Rev. Sullivan, 1941-1942 Rev. Weaver, 1943-1945 Rev. Boggs, 1946-1947 Rev. Young*, 1947-1970 Rev. L. Brown, 1971-1975 Rev. Bryant*, 1975-1982 |
| * Until his death |
Rev. Edward J. Bryant was a God sent, he started us on a mission on June 6, 1975. Under his pastorage we had 31 members to join. While he was with us, he helped us to have faith in God and to tithe. We came a long way under Pastor Bryant. In April of 1977, we moved from Waddy to where we are now. When Rev. Bryant passed, it was a sad day for the New Mt. Zion church family, but we stuck together. Rev. Samuel Mack took over as Interim Pastor until Rev. Derrick Span was called in 1983 until 1985. Rev. Span started the Nurses Guild and the Orientation Seminary to familiarized members with the doctrine, Teachings of Faith.
Rev. Kilen Gray was installed, September 29, 1985. Under his pastorate, he reorganized the Youth Department, Outreach, improved the music department, a church bus was purchased and in 2005 a van. Under his guidance a spiritual awakening began and continues to this day. The church continues to grow numerically, resulting in the implementation of an additional 8 am service in 2004.
On July 22, 1990, NMZ returned home to Waddy, KY (Sonrise Valley Church) for their Homecoming & Family Day. Rev. H.M. Humphrey, Jr., Shiloh Baptist Church was the guest. Also, on Easter Sunday, 1991, the church’s lower level renovation was completed and the baptismal pool was raised.
The NMZ church family purchased 10 acres of land on Harrington Mill Road and paid it off on March 21, 1996. On April 6, 1997, the church adopted a 5 Year Strategic Plan and on April 15, 1997, NMZ signed a contract with Whitaker2 to begin a Master Plan to develop the 10 acres of land so we can build a new church building in the near future.
In 1996, NMZ established a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation named GGT, Inc. (God’s Grace Today), through which the church fulfills it’s community outreach and missions work. Through GGT, Inc., NMZ has developed successful programs in the areas of
tutoring/mentoring, dropout prevention, summer education/arts enrichment, home ownership/finance, chemical dependency prevention ad job skills/training.
On June 6, 1999, Sister Thosha Alexander was the first female to do a trial sermon at the church. During the fall of 1999, NMZ was blessed to purchase the historical Mulberry Building (NMZ Community Development Center) located at 701 Main Street.
In 2004, NMZ developed C.R.U.N.K.Fest (Christ Raising Up New Kids), a youth conference that has quickly grown into, and become recognized across the nation as a radical youth movement aimed at reaching the youth of the 21st century. Over 500 youth attend annually to receive spiritual, health, education and motivational resources to impact family life.
NMZ has developed other noted conferences such as the Prayer & Intercessors’ Gathering, “Beauty For Ashes” Women’s Conference, “Seasons of Love” Marriage Conference, Men’s Conference and family conferences.
On July 31, 2010, the church was blessed to host Ground Breaking Ceremony on the Harrington Mill Road Property.
2012 is the year that NMZ anticipates moving onto a new ministry campus on Harrington Mill Road in Shelby County. The campus will be the new worship home for the congregation and house a new community development center and music/arts center. The church will have the needed space to continue its core mission in addition to providing community ministries such as daycare, after-school care, seniors’ care and support, enhanced youth educational/mentoring support, entrepreneurial incubation, re-entry programs for those released from incarceration, family economic development, family counseling/therapeutic support, community conference & meeting space and spiritual development programs.