Founder

1950-1969

Reverend Joseph Henderson Jones, Sr. came to New York in 1949 from Savannah, Georgia. Shortly after his arrival in New York, God revealed a powerful message to him in a great vision. God took him on a high mountain, told him to look across the horizon, and asked him what did he see? He replied, “I see a flock of sheep.” The Lord then said to him, “I want you to be the Shepherd, because they are wandering sheep.” As Reverend Jones continued to gaze at the sheep, they suddenly stood upright and appeared to be men, women, and children.

After his encounter with God, Reverend Jones informed his family of the new mission the Lord had assigned to him. In November 1949 he respectfully resigned from his three churches in Savannah and returned to New York City to fulfill his spiritual obligations as best he could.

In March of 1950, God began directing Reverend Jones through His guidance of the Holy Spirit of the work he had planned for him to accomplish. After his divine inspiration, he visited a fellow minister, Reverend L.A. Harty and told him of his revelation. Being a true man of God, Reverend Harty told him “My church is small, but I will share it with you, because I can see you are a real man of God..” He gave Reverend Jones permission to begin services at his church on Sunday, March 28, 1950 at 2:30pm

Mount Hermon Baptist Church was officially organized June 16, 1950. In 1969 God began to close the curtain on his life’s work of over forty years in ministry. Reverend Jones’ source of strength came from Psalm 121, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord.” He found solace in those words and chose them to become our responsive reading in the order of service.

On December 2, 1969, our founder and first pastor of Mount Hermon Baptist Church, a strong man, a religious man, a dedicated man, a man with a goal, a man with a dream that we still realize today, fell asleep in Jesus.

Reverend Jones was married to the former Rebecca Doctor. They were the proud parents of four sons.