Our Church History - Ebenezer Ministry Website

Our CHURCH HISTORY

Thirteen praying Christians founded Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886 during the Reconstruction Era in the South. The Reverend John A Parker, born into slavery, was the first pastor. He served as pastor from 1886 until 1894.

The original church site was in a box like structure on Airline Street, NE. Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams succeeded Reverend Parker March 14, 1894. One of his first achievements was to add approximately 65 members to the church the first year. His next achievement was to build a church on McGruder Street. That church later became known as Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.

The membership moved from there to Bell and Gilmore Streets; from there the membership worshipped in a storefront structure at 444 Edgewood Avenue from 1912 to 1914 while the basement of the structure of the building now known as the Heritage Sanctuary at 407 Auburn Ave. was under construction. In 1914 the congregation moved into the basement of that facility and in 1922 that sanctuary was completed.

Reverend Williams married Jennie Parks. Their daughter, Alberta Christine Williams, married Martin Luther King Sr. To this union were born Christine king Farris, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Alfred Daniel Williams King.

Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. served as Assistant Pastor to Reverend Williams from 1926 to 1930, and assumed full pastorate in 1931 following the death of Reverend Williams.

In 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. joined his father as Co-Pastor of Ebenezer. Following the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 the Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams King joined his father as Co-Pastor. His tenure came to a close at his untimely death in 1969.

In 1971, Dr. Otis Moss became the third Co-Pastor of Ebenezer. He served as Co-Pastor until the end of 1971.

When Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. retired in 1975 after 44 years of service to Ebenezer and the world, Dr. Joseph Lawrence Roberts Jr. became the fourth full-time pastor of the church.

With the lasting fame of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the popularity of the King Center, Dr. Roberts realized that the church had a problem accommodating up to 350 visitors a week to its Sunday services in a sanctuary that only seated 700 people. Therefore, he envisioned the construction of a much larger sanctuary across the street from the Historical Sanctuary.

On Sunday March 7,1999, the children of Ebenezer helped Dr. Roberts to realize his vision as they led the congregation from the historic 76-year old church to the new Horizon Sanctuary, which is a magnificent 2000 seat auditorium costing 8 million dollars.