Our Story

The autumn breezes of 1991 carried something unique that year. Specifically, the prayers of eight people who were seeking the Lord for discernment to plant a church. Dan and Charlene Cramer were part of that eight. After many months filled with prayers and meetings, the beginnings of Zion Christian Church held its first service in a Howard Johnson hotel during the Christmas season. Howard Johnson’s hotel was the church’s location for seven years. Zion rented the ballroom for worship and several other rooms for Sunday school. 


After seven years, the hotel management notified Dan that the building had been sold and would soon become a Senior Care Center. He was told that the church body may have two weeks or two months, but they needed to find another place regardless. Dan called the whole church to a time of prayer and fasting. Before long, someone from Union Baptist Church in Carrick contacted Zion. They had a building they weren’t using at the time due to a current merger and invited Zion to hold a service in their building to see if it felt like their new home. Zion has been here ever since!


Eventually, Union Baptist Church asked Zion to buy the building from them, so both agreed on a price. After they held their congregational meeting to ratify the sale, they came into Zion’s service to let the congregation know the results of the vote to sell the building. After the first song ended, their speaker took the stage and announced they voted to not sell the church and parsonage. Everyone gasped! Another person from their congregation came to the stage right after to announce a second vote had been taken and that they voted unanimously to sell the church, parsonage, and everything in it as a gift. The service that followed that morning was anything but normal! People from both congregations were laughing, crying, hugging, rejoicing, and praising God. Union Baptist Church could have confidence their building would remain a house of God and Zion officially had a home. God has done incredible things since then.


After that, Zion began the process of becoming established as a church in the Carrick neighborhood and enjoyed an outpouring of God’s Spirit. In 2007, another wonderful event had taken place. South Pittsburgh Assembly of God, located a few blocks away from Zion, found themselves without a pastor. Although not credentialed with the Assemblies of God, Pastor Dan applied to become their pastor to merge the congregations and turn South Pittsburgh’s church into a community outreach center. Both congregations and leadership teams viewed this as “a God thing”. The merger was approved by both congregations.


The other building became “The Oasis Coffee Center”, now used by Youth with a Mission to help with their outreach throughout Pittsburgh. 


God has been faithful throughout the history of Zion Christian Church and He continues to amaze us through the outpouring of His blessings and goodness. Come join us Sundays at 10 a.m. and see what the Lord is doing! 


Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).

What We Believe

We are Evangelical, depending on the message of God’s redeeming love in Christ’s death at Calvary as the only provision of salvation and forgiveness that is freely extended to a lost and dying world.


We are Biblical, honoring the authority of the Holy Scriptures and working to apply its teachings in our daily lives, our homes, our work, and our relationships.


We are Spirit-filled, knowing that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was extended on the Day of Pentecost for the duration of the Church Age and that the power of this experience remains God’s purpose in this and every dispensation. We believe in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in the glorification of Jesus, in charismatic gifts, in the “Five Fold Ministry” offices, and in His fruit produced in the lives of believers.



STATEMENT OF FAITH


  • We believe in one God Who is infinitely perfect. He is eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ: in His Pre-existence, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His death and atonement for sins through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the Father’s right hand, in His present Priestly ministry, and in His return to earth at the time appointed by the Father.
  • We believe the Bible to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God; the only infallible guide to life, faith, doctrine, and conduct.
  • We believe that for fallen men to be saved that repentance, faith in the atoning blood of Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are essential.
  • We believe that sanctification and holiness of the heart remain God’s enduring design for the church.
  • We believe the Baptism of the Holy Sprit was given on the Day of Pentecost for the duration of the Church Age, and that the power of this experience remains God’s purpose in this dispensation.
  • We believe in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in the glorification of Jesus, in charismatic gifts, in the “Five Fold Ministry” offices, and in His fruit produced in the lives of believers.
  • We believe in Christ’s personal, bodily return to earth in power and great Glory, and in His present and everlasting dominion.
  • We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and bliss in heaven, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal punishment in hell.