The birth of gospel drama ministry through Mount Zion Faith Ministries began with the name Mount Zion Christian Productions, some 38 years ago. It was borne out of burden and vision in the hearts of Evangelist Mike and Gloria Bamiloye to evangelize the world through the medium of drama and film productions.
This Ministry took off with Mike Bamiloye and Gloria Obembe (now Gloria Bamiloye) and another sister, Grace Adeyemi (Now Grace Femi-Akintunde) who joined the ministry the day another Sister member withdrew. The Sisters were then students of the College of Education Ilesha in Osun State, Nigeria. The President of the Ministry, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye was also a student of the Institution but had graduated two years before that time.
People with same visions and calling began to join the ministry between 1985 and 1986 which was primarily devoted to spiritual preparations of prayers, fasting and searching of the word of God. On 11th July, 1986, the ministry had the first drama presentation at St. Margaret Girls Grammar School Ilesha, during the first Nigerian Christian Teachers Conference. The first drama was musical theatrical presentation titled: “HELL IN CONFERENCE”. In August 1987, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye resigned from his teaching profession to work full-time in the ministry.
On October 8, 1988, Mike and Gloria got married to combine their zeal, attentions and efforts on the growing ministry and in August, 1989, the entire members of the ministry went on full time service unto the Lord in the Ministry. From then, the ministry went on outreaches to Kano, Zaria, Kaduna, Jos, Calabar, Benin, Warri, and many places in Nigeria. The live drama tours have taken the ministry to other African nations like Ghana, Cameroun and Kenya.
In the year 2003, the Lord opened the door to Europe with drama outreaches in London. From the year 2003, the Lord has opened a new chapter in the volume of the ministry and given us a priority vision of film and T.V. serial productions. Hence, in the year 2004, the ministry was on film locations thrice for the production of “The Haunting Shadows” and “Busy But Guilty”
Thus between 2005 and 2010, within a space of 5 years, six TV serials were produced by Mount Zion Films Production, Nigeria: “Blood on the Altar:”, “The Forgotten Ones”, “One Careless Night”, and “The Stormy Seas” in addition to more than 11 feature films. By the end of August 2014, the Mount Zion Faith Ministries Int’l, had produced 100 Christian movies.
The ministry later expanded into many evangelistic arms: Drama Outreaches, Film Production, Drama Institute, Production Studios, T.V. Production Outreach and Publications. And on May 1st 2016, the Africa’s first Christian Movie Channel was launched called: Mount Zion Television. It launched in Nigeria on CONSAT-TV in Nigeria and came forth in the USA on June 1st, 2016 on TVAFRIQUE.
Evangelist Mike Bamiloye was born on 13 April 1960, in Ilesa, a town in Osun State South-West Nigeria but hails from Ijebu-Ijesa in Osun State.
He lost his mother when he was four, left to be cater to by his elder sister, Felicia Adepeju now Pastor Mrs. Felicia Adepeju Adesiyan.
He had his early education at Osun State. He studied at College of Education, Ilesha, Osun state. He later proceeded to Divisional Teachers Training College, Ipetumodu, Osun state where he began his career as a drama minister.
He has featured, produced and directed several Nigerian gospel films over the years.
Mike Bamiloye got married to Gloria Bamiloye, who is also a Nigerian film actress and evangelist, in1988, three years after Mount Zion was launched.
Celebrating their union which was blessed with three children, Mike Bamiloye took to his Instagram page to share how his wife has been calling him “Bro Mike” for 35 years, he also promised to break the “jinx” before their 40th anniversary.
He wrote: “Before we married, when we were in courtship, she has been calling me what the brethren in the Campus Christian Fellowship used to call me: “Bro Mike”.
“That is what everybody in the Christian fellowship called me. And when we got married, she didn’t stop calling me Bro Mike! Then we got our first son and we were shocked when the one-year-old boy called me: “aa-aa-yite!”
“We both tried to begin to call: sweetie! Honey! Baby! sweetheart! MD!” It didn’t work out! One day, before my mum (big sister) who had been fighting this, my wife wanted to prove to my big sister that we had tried our best to adjust. I was upstairs and she called me in the presence of my mum: “honey!, sweetie!!, sweetheart!!” She called and called and it didn’t register that I was the one she was calling.
“I was hearing her voice but it never registered. Then she just called “Bro Mike!” And I responded very loudly. And my mum laughed! And that was it. And now, our marriage has been 35 years and all our children are married with children, she has not stopped calling: “Bro Mike!” And I have not stopped responding!
“But I am going to break this jinx one day before our 40th wedding anniversary! I promise you all, I will break the jinx before the grandchildren begin to call me: “braaa-hightee!.