April 1892 Bethel Missionary Baptist Church was organized and conducted its first Worship Service in Strongman’s Hall on Dunbar Street. For two years, this was the church home of the small, but resolute band of members who had been asked to plant a new church when Zion Baptist Church became overcrowded.

Reverend J.B. Jentrence served as Bethel’s first pastor. The combined efforts of Rev. Peter Everett, and Rev. C.M.J. Clarke, Bethel’s second and third pastors, resulted in the completion of a new church building at the corner of Dunbar and Fitch Streets. Following a seven-year period where Bethel had several pastors Rev. J.B. Anderson served the congregation for 19 years. Mr. M.A. Wilson served as the first full-time church clerk for 44 years and deacon for 68 years. Ms. Emma F. Richardson was the first full-time office secretary.

Rev. R.T. Tillman became the pastor in 1926 and led the Bethel congregation up the hill to its present church building located on what is now the corner of Home Avenue and Paul Laurence Dunbar Streets.

Rev. Charles T. Isom was called to Bethel in 1933, and during his ten-year pastorate, the entire church building was renovated, and the mortgage was burned. Rev. Isom passed in 1943.

In 1945 Rev. G.W. Lucas was called as pastor, serving for 36 years until his untimely death in May of 1981. He organized the Isom Memorial Fund, Credit Union, and the completion of the chapel. In 1982 Rev. Charles S. Brown, a son of Bethel, was called to pastor. In 2011 he announced his intentions to retire after 27 years as pastor. During the remaining two years he guided the congregation’s process of organizing to call a new pastor, working with the officers and members to foster a stable and constructive transition to the succeeding pastoral administration. In 2013 Rev. Xavier L. Johnson was called to shepherd “the beautiful church on the hill”.

The church staff consists of: Pastor, Business Administrator, Administrative Assistant, Secretary II, Minister of Music, Instrumentalists.  Church officers include Deacons, Trustees, Church Clerk, Treasurer.

We carry out our mission statement through the following church ministries: Altar Guild, Culinary, Brotherhood/Men’s Fellowship, Chapeliers, Dramatic Guild, Greeters, Missionaries, Transportation, Music Ministry (Male Chorus, Children’s Choir, Sanctuary Choir), Ushers, Church School and Sisterhood.

Bethel’s evangelistic ministry has involved Boy Scouts, a Basketball Team, Young Men with a Future, Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton (L.E.A.D.), Ecumenical Neighborhood Development Corporation (ENDC) and continues with the Annual Holy Week Caravan, The House of Bread, Mercy Manor, The Foodbank, Flint , MI water project, Coats for Children, holiday food baskets, hosts the Renaissance NA and AA meetings. 

The mission statement of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church is to be a body of baptized believers sharing Christ, showing compassion, and serving the community through the power of the Holy Spirit.