Our History: 1869- Present

Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church is one of the oldest churches built by Black-Americans in Mobile, Alabama. In November 2019, we celebrated 150 years. 

Commodore Reed a freed man organized Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in November 1869. The Church was constructed on Dauphin Street near Tacon Street. Mobile, being mostly Catholic, did not allow other denominations to build within eight miles of Mobile. When the other denominations came into existence, they didn’t allow a colored church to build within four miles of them. Later the Founding Fathers were forced to move due to the four mile limit law.

The wooden church building was then torn down and moved piece by piece by the Founding Fathers and Mothers to Crichton on the corner of Bayshore Avenue and Old Shell Road under the pastorate of Reverend Colston where it served the community from 1916 to 1960. From 1960 to 1963, the same wooded building served as a multi-purpose building. Recognizing the need and value of education, the church constructed a two-room school building next to its edifice and provided educational training for children in grades one through seven. The school was the first public school in the Crichton community for “colored children.”

Shiloh prospered under the tutelage of many great leaders. In November 1959 Reverend George Harris was called as the pastor. Under the leadership of Reverend George Harris, the building was completed. Reverend Harris established a kindergarten and organized the Youth Fellowship Division and a Foundation School, which was an extension of Birmingham Baptist College. On March 27, 1977, the mortgage of the church was burned.

Reverend Clinton L. Johnson, Sr. was installed as the 13th pastor on September 14, 1988. Under his leadership property was purchased for the expansion of the church and many administrative changes were made to adequately address the immediate and future growth of the church. Also, under Pastor Johnson, several community-based ministries were organized.

On May 23, 2010, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new church and on Sunday, November 6, 2011 the Dedicatory Celebration for the new church edifice was held.
For almost one and one-half century, the church continues to reach for the high calling in Christ Jesus. It is our desire to make a difference in the lives of men and women.

Our Pastors

Commodore Reed 1869 -1882
*Rev. Jim Henderson
*Rev. George Gordon
*Rev. Forman
(*Lengths of Service Unknown)
Rev. H. D. Parker 1892 – 1911
Rev. E. Bizzell 1911 – 1928
Rev. B. W. Lovett 1928 – 1934
Rev. T. H. Walker 1935 – 1938
Rev. P. J. Willis 1938 – 1942
Rev. S. R. Lee 1942 – 1954
Rev. William Pitts 1954 – 1959
Rev. George Harris 1959 – 1988
Rev. Clinton L. Johnson, Sr. 1988 – Present