History of Bethel Baptist Church

                 The beginning of Bethel Baptist was at a log cabin about one-half mile east of the present site. It was built sometime in the late 1840's and called 'New Salem.' It was pastored by a pioneer farmer and preacher named William Adkins Henry. He served the church before and during the civil war. In 1867, aided by another preacher named John Murdaugh, he persuaded the people to move the church to its present location, where they built another log cabin about 50 yards east of where the present church now stands and named it 'Bethel.'  this building served as a church, community center, and school until the 1890's. 

                   In the late 1890's a frame building replaced the log house, and the seats were made of sawed lumber, taking the place of the old 'punchers.' Through these years the church grew, although it met only one Sunday a month. In August 1929 the church sat in conference for the purpose of constructing a new church building. The location for the new church was set to be north of the railroad with front facing the road. Work was begun in early January 1930 and construction was completed by August 1930. By august 1931 the church was debt-free. In September 1945 Bethel joined the Madison-Chester Association of Baptists, having been member of the Unity Baptist Association until it's disbandment in 1943. 

                    Bro. E. C. McCord was called as pastor on January 6, 1957, and beginning in that year the church rented land and grew cotton for 5 consecutive years with the money from the crop forming the nucleus of a building fund. In August 1958 efforts were undertaken to purchase a building site from the state of Tennessee and Federal Government for the construction of a pastorium. After much correspondence and the passage of a bill through both houses of congress, Bethel Church was given the right to purchase half an acre where the pastorium now stands. Construction was done in the early summer of 1960 and the pastor and family moved into the new home on August 1, 1960. 

                     Bro. McCord resigned May 1965 and Bro. J. H. Patterson was called from Fort Necessity, LA to serve as pastor. Bro. Patterson became the first full-time pastor in the church's history. He served until 1967. This parsonage burned while being rented out and was never rebuilt. This church served the community until 1990. 

            In August 1990, the church building caught fire and burned to the ground after having completed recent additions for educational space. With funds from insurance and many friends the current facility was built with no debt and finished in 1991. In 1997 a triple-wide modular home was purchased and placed on the pastorium site. In 2003 a new pastorium was constructed at 2635 Pleasant Springs Road on property donated to the church by a member.

Current Facility

Ministers who have served at Bethel Baptist Church

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