From   the   begining

Where   we   are   now

In 1942, James E. Johnson came to Ypsilanti Michigan from Cypress, Alabama, and untied with Second Baptist church of Ypsilanti Michigan, the Late Reverend Garther Roberson Sr. was the pastor.  In 1951, Brother James Johnson united with St. John Baptist church where the late Frank P. Roberson was the pastor.  In 1954, James Johnson was called to preach.  In 1957, he was ordained by the above Pastor and brothers as Reverend Clergyman.
 
In 1961, Reverend James Johnson revealed to his wife, Pearline and their children that God had given him a vision to begin a new Baptist church body in Ypsilanti.  His wife suggested the church be called, Mount Olive Missionary Baptist church.
 
On February 14, 1962, the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist church was organized with fourteen members with the help of Reverend Ben Cartwright and the first church building at 948 Watling Boulevard was rented.  Officers elected at the first meeting were:  Reverend James E. Johnson, Pastor, Monica Fletcher, Church Clerk; Patricia Johnson, Church Secretary; Rose Swindle, Treasurer; Harry Fuqua Sr., Deacon and Chairman of the Trustee Board; Percy Tooson Sr., Secretary of the Trustee Board; James Walker, Trustee; Rosa Cartwright, President of the Pastor's Aide and Mission Society; and Claude Pringle. Reverend John Wells and Pearline Johnson, led the Youth Department; Rose Swindle, was President of the Usher Board; Johnny Donavant, Program Chairperson and Mattie Wade, led the Helping Hands Fund.
 
Pastor James Johnson worked for Central Specialty and many, many lunches were prepared and sold to employees at Central Specialty to help fix up the church building and raise a down-payment to buy the church building from Elder Horace Frazier.

In 1964, Reverend Willie Moses was called to serve as pastor.  On January 16, 1965, under Pastor Moses' leadership, the church was incorporated in Lansing, Michigan.  
 
In 1968, Reverend E. T. Thomas was called to Pastor and the church continued to grow for a number of years.  Reverend Thomas served as pastor for eight years at Mount Olive.
 
In 1976, Reverend Thomas recommended to the church that they receive Reverend James Wilks as Pastor.  During Pastor Wilks two years of service, many members joined under his leadership and are still here.  
 
GOD'S PROVIDENCE
On March 16, 1979, Minister Garther Roberson Jr. from Second Baptist Church, was called to pastor Mount Olive.  He was ordained on the same day he started his Pastorage. Pastor Roberson retired after 38 years of service on August 5, 2017, and continued as Interim Pastor. Until August 20, 2018 when Dr. Kevin Wade, LLC. was called to serve as our Pastor. His wife Callie Wade is the Minister of Music for the Youth, Women's, and Combined Choirs. 

Mt. Olive is a supporting member of the ​​Covenant Pastor's Fellowship. We are a Metropolitan Baptist District Church lining up with the Wolverine State Baptist Association in Saginaw, Michigan. Nationally, we are a member of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
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Members OF Mount OLIVE