The History of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

 The African Methodist Episcopal Church Incorporated was organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and charted by the state of Pennsylvania in 1787 as the Free African Society and later on August 12, 1794 became the African Church of Philadelphia. After much discriminatory treatment of blacks, Allen remained faithful to Methodism and used his own savings to buy a former blacksmith’s shop and transplant it onto a plot of land he had previously purchased in Philadelphia. After renovations, Bethel African Church opened on April 9, 1794, and Allen was ordained its deacon. From the start of 1787 and eighty-two years later, under the charter of this parent body, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas was organized. Bethel was the first church of color in the city of Dallas. This organization or society was founded in 1869 by Pappy W.T. Love and Father Wilhite in a small box house on what was then known as the Dallas branch in North Dallas. Located on the vicinity of Leonard and Cochran streets. It was later moved farther up the branch to 1812 Leonard Street at Cochran to occupy a larger frame building. Since many blacks had been attending service at white churches, a church of color was welcomed.

Bethel A.M.E. Church has served under thirty-six Pastors, twenty-four Presiding Elders and twenty Bishops. The first brick church in Dallas was erected by Bethel’s membership under the pastorate of Rev. J. H. Armstrong in 1884. Rev. Armstrong later became a Bishop of the A. M. E. Church. The Rev. George B. Young, who served as pastor from 1924-1928, was elected Bishop of the General Church from the pastorate at Bethel A.M.E. in 1928. The first unit of the second brick church was built during the Young administration.

Since 1900, Bethel A.M. E. Church has made an Annual Report to the Annual Conference roll call through its pastors in support of missions, church outreach programs and the various departments of the general Church. Because of effective and dedicated community service through its members, several Dallas Public Schools bare the names of former Bethel members. They are B. F. Darrel, N. W. Harlee, J.P. Starks, C.F. Carr, Julia C. Frazier and Charles Rice.

In 1969, during the administration of Rev. Jno DeLeon Walker, Bethel changed locations for the third time in its history. This move from the Leonard Street location in the North Dallas area culminates in the membership occupying the present edifice in the South Oak Cliff section of the city at 1638 East Ann Arbor Avenue.

Under the Walker administration, the church purchased a 150-unit low rent-housing complex that has since been sold to private investors. Some of the outreach program that have been sponsored by Bethel are a Child Care Center, an Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Program, a Hot Lunch Program for the Aged and Disabled. The Food Pantry for the needy and a Juvenile Rehabilitation Program operated by the Concerned Citizens of Dallas.

During the administration of Rev. George Willis, the groundwork was laid for the purchase of a Church Parsonage. The final transaction was completed during the administration of Rev. E. F. Boyd. A magnificent accomplishment under the administration of Rev. Marshall S. Hobbs, Sr. has been to complete renovation and remodeling of the Church Sanctuary and parsonage. Pastor Hobbs with God on his side took the reins of a difficult financial situation that he found on the arrival at Bethel. In nine years because of his determination to succeed lead Bethel into financial freedom. In 1997 the Mortgage on the Church parsonage was burned in a Sunday Morning Worship Service by Bishop John Richard Bryant. In 1998 the demolition of three buildings on the church’s campus was completed, for the sum of $79,000.00. The purpose in making this move was to make room for additional parking on the south side of Ann Arbor, so the membership would no longer have to walk across Ann Arbor to get to the church. Bethel now owned free and clear four pieces of property with clear title deeds. This administration was all about reaching our community and with the help of the membership Bethel was able to purchase a fifteen-passenger van for membership and community usage and for the first time ever signed a major contract with the Children’s First Academy Charter School, which would be housed in the fellowship hall for grades kindergarten thru six grade.

After changing administration again in 1999 with a young vibrant leader, Rev. N. Jordan Mkwanazi brought a “new” sense of community involvement for the entire church. He taught on evangelism and helped form one of the first neighborhood evangelism teams. Affectionally known as the “African” preacher, he along with the Daughters of Naomi Ministry started the Good Friday Luncheon. Every year the church and its membership feed over 500 hundred persons who were either homeless or just hungry. Outreach abroad was no stranger to this administration. Continuously the body sent the Pastor and wife to various parts of Africa to spread the gospel and provide financial assistance to our adopted churches. The economic process of Bethel didn’t stop, as we were able to complete all the work on the parking lot with all areas being paved for durability.

After the major reorganization of the North Texas Conference and the Greater Dallas District, Bethel was moved to what is known as the Tyler District of the North Texas Conference of the Tenth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to serve as the leading church. Along with this drastic change, in the fall of 2004 the illustrative teaching and preaching came in the form of the current leadership of the Rev. Reginald J. Houston and “In the Bag Ministry”. Since his arrival he noticed the diversity of the church and decided it was time to meet the needs of all who worshipped together. Therefore, he established the first Wednesday night Church School and named it the “L.W. Muckelroy Church School”. This Wednesday night service has been a highlight of Bethel’s new ministries. Pastor Houston believes in prayer and therefore out of his God sought vision he also established the A.I.M. (Anointed Intercessory Ministry), PAM (Prison and Military Ministry), the Adult Liturgical Dance Ministry, the Shepherds Ministry and many others. With his unique style of preaching and teaching he is often sought after to serve as worship leader, workshop facilitator, teacher and preacher. His motto is found in the familiar scripture of Psalms 35:27…. Let the Lord be Magnified, in your life, in your home, Let the Lord be magnified!!!

Pastors Who Served Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church 1869-2006

1. W.F. Love
2. Joshua Goins
3. J.R. Bryant
4. Sandy Lewis
5. Sheron Lewis
6. B.L. Brooks
7. J.H. Armstrong
8. A.F. Jackson
9. W.C. Cole
10. W.D.F. Pyles
11. J.G. Grimes
12. D.F. Taylor
13. J.F. Bradley
14. J.R. Carnes
15. James A. Johnson
16. J.T.S. White
17. J.W. Anderson
18. C.W. Abington
19. H.A. Carr
20. J.H. Smith
21. G.B. Young
22. J.W. McDade
23. L.M. Samders
24. P.D. Saddler
25. H.A. Carr
26. B. Tyree Alexander
27. F.W. Grant
28. A.R. Nelson
29. T.L. Sanders
30. W.E. Carter
31. Jno DeLeon Walker
32. George S. Willis
33. E.F. Boyd
34. Marshall S. Hobbs, Sr.
35. N. Jordan Mkwanazi
36. Reginald J. Houston

1. B.T. Lee                     7. W. Sampson Brooks                       13. O.L. Sherman
2. J.H. Armstrong          8. George B. Young                             14. John Adams
3. Evans Tyree              9. H.Y. Tookes                                      15. Henry Murph
4. C.S. Smith               10. Joseph Gomez                                16. Rembert E. Stokes
5. J.H. Jones               11. H. Thomas Primm                            17. Robert Lee Pruitt
6. W.M.D. Johnson     12. William F. Ball                                   18. John R. Bryant

19. McKinley Young

20. Gregory G. M. Ingram

An excerpt from The Handbook of Texas Online is a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association and the General Libraries at UT Austin.

The religious composition of the city (Dallas) has changed considerably over the years. Early Protestant settlers looked to traveling missionaries for religious services. The first Episcopal parish was organized in 1856. Catholics celebrated the first Mass in Dallas in 1859. Permanent places of worship were built as the city began to grow: Lamar Street Methodist (later First Methodist), City Temple Presbyterian, and First Baptist, ^qv all in 1868 . Early black churches included Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (1869-72), New Hope Baptist (1872), and St. Paul Methodist (1873). The first Jewish synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, ^qv was built in 1873, and the first Catholic parish was established in 1872, when Dallas was still in the Diocese of Galveston. Congregationalists organized in 1875, Seventh-day Adventists in 1876, Lutherans in 1878, Unitarians in 1889, Christian Scientists in 1894, and Mormons in 1897. The variety of communions helped to make Dallas a religious stronghold by the turn of the century, and the continued growth of churches marked Dallas as a city of churchgoers. In the early 1980s, Dallas had six churches among the nation's 100 largest: First Baptist, Lovers Lane United Methodist, Cliff Temple Baptist, Beverly Hills Baptist, First United Methodist, and East Grand Baptist. Three more on the list were in suburbs: Highland Park United Methodist, Highland Park Presbyterian, and Park Cities Baptist. Subsequently, as the population has diversified, so have the religious faiths. Buddhists, Eastern Orthodox, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs are now found in Dallas. Southern Baptists have the largest representation in the Dallas area, followed by Catholics, black Baptists, and United Methodists.

*Updated by jrr 1/31/2006