Our History – 3rd Era

History – Third Era

 

In 1985, Bethlehem extended the call to Reverend William S. Wilson, Jr. to become
her fifth pastor. Under his leadership the church membership and Sunday School grew, the New Members Club was strengthened and the external grounds lighting was improved. Pastor Wilson also licensed several new ministers. He resigned in 1987.

 

 

 

Succeeding Reverend Wilson was Reverend Anthony A. Parrish, an associate
minister, who served as our interim pastor in 1984. Reverend Parrish accepted the
call as pastor in 1987. Under Pastor Parrish’s leadership:
  • several new ministers were ordained;
  • the Sunday School enrollment increased from 125 members to 450 members;
  • and the following were established:
      • a Family Ministry (Families United for Divine Change);
      • Stewardship Auxiliary; o a church newsletter was established;
      • The President’s Council was reorganized;
      • the Laymen’s League;
      • the Youth Ministry; and
      • a Director of Music was added.

In 1990, we broke ground for a new church building and in 1993 our current edifice was built. In 1994 Bethlehem took over responsibility for overseeing The Snowden Cemetery. Bethlehem also joined the Northern Virginia Aide Training and Baptist General Convention under Pastor Parrish’s leadership.

In 1996, Pastor Parrish resigned after having served the Bethlehem family for nine years. The church then elected one of her former pastors, the Reverend James A. Kearse to serve as interim pastor. Two years and 10 months later, the Lord answered the prayers of His people and sent to Bethlehem a Shepherd, a Teacher, a Pastor.

 

 

On June 24, 1999, Reverend Darrell K. White was elected as the seventh pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. The Lord has equipped and empowered Pastor White to lead the congregation in kingdom work in this new millennium.

Soon after Pastor White’s arrival, we shred our mortgage (seven years after we obtained it) and we moved from the concept of auxiliaries and clubs to organized ministries such as:

  • Generational Ministries (Children, Youth, Young Adult, Middle Adult, Golden Years);
  • Intercessory Prayer;
  • Evangelism;
  • Deacon’s Kinfolking Ministry;
  • Barnabas Ministry (Ambassadors);
  • Bethlehem Institute of Lay Leadership (BILL);
  • Bethlehem Institute of Theological Studies (BITS);
  • Christian Education, inclusive of the Lay School, Sunday (Church) School, BTU, and Bible Study; and a
  • Technology Ministry.

Under Pastor White’s teachings, and as disciples of Christ, we have restructured our ministry umbrella to represent the following areas of ministry, which each ministry now operates from: Missions, Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, and Christian Education. The spiritual growth of the congregation has birthed under Pastor White’s guidance:

  • ordination of Bethlehem’s first female Deacon;
  • five licentiate ministers were added to the ministry bringing the present total to 16 associate ministers; and
  • mid-week Bible Study attendance has grown to 250 disciples.

Always seeking ways to improve upon our praise and worship, our order of service was restructured. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pastor White combined the four adult choirs of the church into one Mass Choir. Ever seeking to offer unto God Bethlehem’s best, the Music ministry has been further enhanced to include:

  • a Dance Ministry;
  • a Bell Choir; and
  • a Gospel Step Team.

Bethlehem’s presence has also increased in the community and state as well as in other parts of the world through:

  • audio and video technology (tapes) of Bethlehem’s services and the establishment of a church website;
  • a restructured food bank, which serves over 50 individuals/families each week; and
  • Virginia Union University’s Evans-Smith Leadership Training Institute now relocated back at Bethlehem with Pastor White serving as the Coordinator.

All of this has been done to increase our service to the community as we minister to God’s people. As Pastor White seeks to further equip himself for ministry we can only conclude that we are on our way to fulfill the “greater works than these” referenced by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:12.

Back to History – Second Era