Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church
Minneapolis MN

The mission of Bethesda church is to further advance the Kingdom of God. We seek to attain this end through:

Ø Public worship of God, our Father and creator

Ø Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Ø Consistent Christian living

Ø Corporate and personal Evangelism

Ø Missionary Endeavors

Ø Christian Education

Ø Sacrificial giving

 

http://www.bethesdamnonline.com  

Located in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis, just blocks from H.H.H. Metrodome , Mpls Convention Center & a shuttle bus away from the Mall of America.  

Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church

Still a Covenant Church After 112 Years

In the late 1880’s, a group of waiters from the West Hotel, along with approximately twenty other African-American families desired to study the word of God. These workers and their families had been teaching their children about God for nearly three decades by attending “Colored Mission School” in St. Anthony Village of Minneapolis. Upon deciding they needed to do something more for themselves, their families and their communities, they set out to form a church.

The families represented in the group came from many backgrounds. Some were professionals; some were seamstresses, record clerks, bank messengers, sheriff’s deputies, firemen, waiters, laundry owners, and even entrepreneurs. Some in the group had been attending worship service with others at First Baptist Church in the 500 block of Nicollet and later in other places along Washington Avenue. Seeing their ministry grow, they decided it was time to call upon the services of their first official pastor, the Reverend John William Dunjee.

Born a slave in February of 1841, in Virginia, Rev. Dunjee escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad at the age of twenty-seven. He lived in Canada until after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1963. After returning to America, he was educated at Oberlin College and at Eastern Freewill Baptist College.

After accepting the call in 1889 to pastor the group, a public meeting was held, officers were elected and the congregation was named Bethesda Baptist Church. Soon after, the church purchased the land at 1118 South 18th Street to build a sanctuary. That sanctuary, a large brick structure of Grecian Architecture with stained glass windows and a chandelier, had a myriad of lights nestled among dozens of glass prisms and was known for it’s towering steeple, which could be seen from almost anywhere.

The beautiful structure stood on the same lot for sixty-nine years until Palm Sunday in 1961, when the church burned. Bethesda held on to its religious principles established by the church founders and the dedicated congregation worked for nearly three years while holding service at another site until they saved enough money to rebuild what is now the current sanctuary.

Reverend John J. Younge was the shepherd of Bethesda for nearly 34 years. His time at the church exceeded that of any other leader by more than 24 years. Reverend Younge passed away in January 1991 leaving the office to assistant pastor Walter Hatchett. Shortly after assuming the responsibilities as pastor, the church formed a seven member Pastoral Search Committee tasked with developing a process that would produce worthy pastoral candidates.

With the help of the Lord, the committee accomplished the mission assigned, and in November 1992, the church elected Reverend Arthur Agnew to the office of Pastor.

Reverend Arthur Agnew, a native of Chicago Illinois, is a man of many talents including a background in business and accounting. He and his wife, Bobbie Jean, graciously accepted the church’s offer to serve.