About Us

OUR HISTORY

In the summer of 1966, Carter and Myrtle Samples opened their home and welcomed a group of friends and family to have weekly church services in their basement.  Through God's leadership and much prayer, the people decided to constitute our church.  

Bethlehem Baptist Church was constitueed as a Missionary Baptist Church on August 27, 1967.  A presbytery was formed by three preachers and nine deacons to constitute our church.  Serving on the presbytery were Reverend T.A. Merritt Jr., Reverend Emory Cantrell, Reverend Charles L. Samples, T.H. Brumbalow, M.M. Motes, W.L. Holtzclaw, A.A. Brandrum, Harry B Johnson, Clearance Champman, J.E. Haulbrooks, Edward E. Causey and Marvin Clore.

The presbytery accepted the eighteen Articles of Faith and the people of the church that were presented in the decorum to the presbytery and were accepted.  Reverend T.A. Merritt Jr. was elected as pastor.  Brother Marion Motes, Brother Edward Causey, Brother Willie Holtzclaw and Brother Marvin Clore were voted in as deacons.  Brother Edward Steephens was elected as the church clerk.

In 1968, land was purchased for our church to be buuilt.  Our fellowship hall was completed in June 1988.  In the late nineties, our church was built on to and remodeled.

God has blessed our church through the years!  We have seen many souls saved and watched our church prosper.  We can truthfully report our church has not changed its beliefs, still has the King James Bible and the same decorum presented in 1967.

Currently, Reverend Tommy Young serves as our pastor.  We have eight active deacons, Brother Edward Stephens (Chairman), Brother Vernon Hall, Brother Henry Grier Jr., Brother Richard Chamness, Brother Jake Tatum, Brother Billy Murphy, Brother John Ward and Brother Verlon Reece.  God has blessed us with many, many members over the years.