Mike McClure
Michael DeWayne McClure Jr (born June 15, 1983 in Birmingham) is the founder and pastor of The Rock Church in Forestdale and a gospel musician.
McClure is the son of Pastor Michael McClure Sr and Angela Woods McClure of Revelation Church Ministries. His brother, Darius, is Senior Pastor of Christ Church in Fairfield, and his sister, Angelique, is a graduate of Stillman College.
McClure graduated from Minor High School and attended University of West Alabama to play college football, but dropped out after three years after to pursue a ministry. More recently, McClure completed a diploma of Theology from Ashland Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Ashland.
McClue and his wife, JaQuetta have three sons,: Xander, Michael III, and Mason.
McClure founded The Rock Church in 2009 at Miles College in a college ministry known as Royal Nation Movement, then moved the congregation to L. R. Hall Auditorium in downtown Birmingham. In 2010, the church purchased the former West Birmingham Christian School's 12-acre campus in Forestdale. Since 2012, the church has also operated separate campuses in the historic Carver Theatre and at Center Point High School.
McClure is featured on a daily weekday broadcast on My68. The church, associated with the Cleveland, Ohio-based Shepherds Connection, has grown to nearly 10,000 members and is one of the area's fastest growing churches.
In 2011, McClure was listed in Who's Who in Black Alabama. In the same year, McClure held Easter services for 7,000 people at Boutwell Auditorium. Over 10,000 pounds of food and $9,000 worth of gasoline was distributed to the community during the weekend, which was capped by an adult Easter egg hunt.
In 2013, McClure erected a series of controversial billboards labeled "Strip For Me" near the Palace Gentleman's Club. The billboards reference Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, strip off every weight and sin..."
In December 2018 McClure presided at the funeral of police shooting victim E. J. Bradford Jr. In January 2019 he released his fist single as a vocalist, a praise song entitled "BIG", and the first single from his debut album, Live Free.
References
- Garrison, Greg (February 12, 2011) "Rocking the Rock: Forestdale church emerges as magnet for young families." The Birmingham News
- "Church gives away $9,000 worth of gas" (April 6, 2012) Fox 6
- Shaw, Alexis (March 27, 2013) "Ala. Church Raises 'Strip for Me' Billboard" ABC News
- Johnson, Roy S. (December 12, 2019) "From basement to ‘Big’ -- a Pastor’s one-year chart-topping musical journey." The Birmingham News
External links
- About Pastor Michael McClure Jr at therockcity.org