Bethel Church (Jacksonville, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Bethel Church |
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The historic building that is part of the church's campus.
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| 30°20′9″N 81°39′30″W / 30.33583°N 81.65833°W | |
| Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Country | USA |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| Website | thebethelexperience.com |
| History | |
| Founded | 1838 |
| Founder(s) | James McDonald and Ryan Frier |
The Bethel Church, which used to be called Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, is a very large and historic African American Baptist church in Jacksonville, Florida. It was started way back in 1838, making it the oldest Baptist church community, or congregation, in the city.
Today, the church has about 12,000 members. Its main leader is Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick Jr. One of its old church buildings is so important to American history that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Church's Beginnings
The Bethel Church was founded in 1838 by co-pastors James McDonald and Ryan Frier. When it started, it was very small, with only six members. Four were white, and two were Black. At that time in American history, the two Black members were enslaved by the white members.
The first church meetings were held on a plantation. But the church grew quickly. Most of the new members were enslaved African Americans whose owners gave them day passes to go to church services. In 1840, the congregation built its first meeting house.
A Time of Change
In 1861, the church built a more permanent building. Back then, both Black and white members worshiped together. This changed after the American Civil War ended and slavery was abolished. The white members decided to create separate churches for white and Black people.
The white members tried to make the Black members, who were now free, leave the church. The disagreement went to court. The court decided in favor of the Black members because they were the majority of the congregation. The court said they were the rightful owners of the Bethel Church name and property.
After the court's decision, the white members left to start their own church, which they eventually named the First Baptist Church. The Bethel Church, led by its first Black pastor, Cataline Simmons, moved to a new building in 1868.
Rebuilding and Growing
In 1895, the congregation built a large brick church. Sadly, this building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1901, which burned down a large part of Jacksonville.
But the church community did not give up. In 1904, they built the beautiful building that still stands today. It was designed by an architect named M. H. Hubbard. The style is a mix of Greek Revival and Romanesque Revival architecture, which use features from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. Because of its historical importance, this 1904 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The church continued to grow. By 1890, it had 1,200 members. In 1894, the state of Florida officially recognized it as an "Institutional Church." This meant it was allowed to do social and educational work to help the community.
The Church in Modern Times
The church kept expanding. In 1988, a new, larger complex was built next to the historic 1904 church. This three-story addition is used for education and offices.
In 2000, the church campus grew again with a new $7.5 million building. This building has a new main worship hall, called a sanctuary, a conference center, and spaces for youth groups. It also has a bookstore. By 2023, the church had grown to about 14,000 people attending.
