Our History

On July 25, 1961, Roy and Laverne Westmoreland were used of the Lord to start and pastor the Bethel Baptist Church. The church was organized and met in an unfinished addition to the carport at 4655 Apple Cove in Memphis, TN. This property was used as the pastor’s home and the Sunday School facility for the first sixteen months. God greatly blessed and the church began to grow in a tremendous way. In 1971, the Bethel Baptist School was founded and in 1973 Tri-State Baptist College opened its doors to train men and women for full-time Christian service.

In 1987, Dr. Ron Westmoreland became the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church. In 1988, the church purchased 96 acres of land on which our current property sits today. In 1995, under the leadership of Monty Westmoreland, the church began breaking ground on the new church facilities and opened its doors for its first services in August of 1997. Under the leadership of Pastor Westmoreland, the Lord blessed with growth and thousands of souls being saved and baptized.

In 2017 the Lord moved Dr. David Sexton and his family back to Bethel Baptist Church to become co-pastor. He was brought on staff in 2003 and served in a variety of ways before being called to pastor the LaMarsh Baptist Church in Mapleton, IL, in 2011. Pastor Sexton was called to become the lead pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in August of 2019. We are excited to see what the Lord has in store under his leadership.

In almost 60 years of existence, God has allowed the church to undergo many building projects for the church and college, to see thousands of souls walk the aisles for salvation and baptism, and to experience many lives being changed. We thank God for His blessings and say “To God be the glory, great things He hath done”!