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| the building Bethesda dedicated in 1949 on Van Dyke and Nevada Avenues in Detroit, Michigan |
Bethesda became the flagship church for what was called the Latter Rain Movement of 1948. Pastored by a woman - M. D. "Mom" Beall - it was one of the largest churches in America in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Today, it is pastored by the founder's granddaughter, Analee Dunn. [UPDATE - On June 12, 2016, Analee Dunn became pastor emeritus, turning over the senior pastorate to Patrick Visger.]
Mom Beall opened Bethesda as a Sunday School for children in her eastside Detroit neighborhood on June 17, 1934.
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| Mario Oliverio |
Back in the day, Bethesda had a great male quartet comprised of Bill Defibaugh, Pete Kyre, Bob Krause, and Ron Wein ... the Temple Tones trio of Joanna Jones, Linda Mayo, and Joan Gay were a blessing ... the Smith family also brimmed with talent ... soloists who ministered over the years were Bethesdans Buddy Mack, Steve Morrison, Cynthia Bailey, David Dahlstrom, Edward Stingley, Patricia Lynne Basch, and Cheryl Beisel ... plus, special music was often provided by the likes of Andrew Culverwell, Archie Dennis, Charles and Paula Slagle, or Jimmy and Becky Pearce.
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| Iverna Tompkins |
And I haven't even addressed the beautiful sound of voices raised in worship spontaneously - yet melodically (countless thousands have described the sound as a "heavenly choir")!
Briefly here is a history of the Bethesda Missionary Temple of Detroit (now Bethesda Christian Church in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights):
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| Macy and Phil Baer |
1936 ... the church moves into a portable building that seated 250 - cost: $800
1937 ... an addition to the portable building increased seating to 350
1939 ... the church constructs a basement building with seating for 500-600 (the building did not progress beyond the basement level because of World War II shortages)
1943 ... church begins a radio ministry, America to Your Knees
1946 ... Patricia Doris Beall marries J. Peter Gruits (June 15) ... James Lee Beall marries Anna Mae Broyles (July 3)
1948 ... James Lee Beall joins Bethesda's ministerial staff ... the church begins building a sanctuary to seat about 1,800 as a pay-as-you-go endeavor (no loans from a bank!) ... total cost: $350,000 ... Myrtle Beall travels to Vancouver to hear speakers associated with a revival that had broken out in North Battleford, Saskatchewan ... revival breaks out at Bethesda on December 5 upon her return to Detroit
1949 ... Pentecostal pioneer Stanley Frodsham visits Bethesda and recognizes that the church was experiencing a true revival ... the church dedicates the new sanctuary on February 13 ... the church, which had been prophesied to be an "armory," begins having services six days a week for three and one-half years as people from around the world flock to the revival
1950 ... Bethesda leaves the Assemblies of God, becoming an independent, non-denominational church ... The church also sponsors evangelistic meetings with teenaged evangelist Little David Walker; some of the meetings are held at the State Fairgrounds, drawing thousands
1951 ... Myrtle Beall speaks to the hundreds gathered from around the world at the Dixie Camp Meeting in Houston, Texas ... Bethesda begins publication of a magazine, Latter Rain Evangel, edited by Patricia Beall Gruits ... Harry M. Beall joins the ministerial staff as music director
1954 ... Harry Monville Beall marries Patricia June Criswell (September 25)
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| Harry and Patricia Beall |
1955 ... Patricia Gruits teaches the first youth catechism class; her teachings will eventually be developed into a book, Understanding God
1958 ... Bethesda is featured along with other Pentecostal churches in the June 9 issue of Life magazine
1959 ... Patricia Gruits teaches the first adult catechism class
1962 ... Lightning strikes and destroys the basement church ... Patricia Beall Gruits' catechism book, Understanding God, is published
1964 ... an educational building is erected to house a chapel, Sunday School rooms, and offices ... on the weekend of Bethesda's 30th anniversary, the Detroit Free Press runs a feature story with the headline, "She Turned a Tire Shop into a Church" (see article below)
1970 ... the M. D. Beall building is added to the sanctuary, facilitating a new platform for the sanctuary, as well as adding additional Sunday School rooms and a choir room
1972 ... the church acquires a 25,000-square foot building across Van Dyke Avenue ... this adds to the church plant a dining room, kitchen, and yet more Sunday School rooms ... purchased for $75,000 at public auction ... the building was named for Phil Baer, the long-time church treasurer
1973 ... Harry Lee "Pop" Beall, 86, dies ... church begins Bethesda Christian School (K-3, adding one grade each subsequent year)
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| James Beall at World Conference (1974) |
1974 ... James Lee Beall speaks at the World Conference on the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem (other speakers included Kathryn Kuhlman, Corrie ten Boom, David du Plessis, Pat Robertson, Jamie Buckingham, J. Rodman Williams, Gen. Ralph Haines, Costa Deir, Art Katz, Willard Cantelon, and Charles Farah)
1975 ... Peter and Patricia Gruits are called to pioneer a mission in Haiti ... Analee Beall and Dennis James Dunn marry
1977 ... high school addition built and includes classrooms, library, gym, kitchen, racquetball courts, sauna, and workout rooms ... Bethesda begins a television ministry that will end in 1982
1979 ... founder and pastor Myrtle Beall dies at 84 ... she is written about in the New York Times'
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| Myrtle Beall |
1980 ... The Gruits' RHEMA International opens a medical facility in Haiti
1982 ... church purchases 92 acres in Sterling Heights for $1.46 million
1986 ... Bethesda Christian School moves to Frazho Road in Warren
1988 ... church gets a new name, Bethesda Christian Church, as Sunday services begin at the Sterling Heights property
1989 ... dedication of the sanctuary and church plant in Sterling Heights
2000 ... Pastor Harry M. Beall retires ... Analee Dunn becomes associate pastor
2004 ... Pastor James Lee Beall retires and installs Analee Dunn as the senior pastor
2013 ... Pastor emeritus James Lee Beall dies at 88
2016 ... Analee Dunn retired from the senior pastorate, turning it over to Patrick Visger on June 12 ... Pastor Harry M Beall dies in Arizona
2019 … Patricia Beall Gruits dies at 96
BCC building trivia: exact seating capacity is 2,895 ... building size is 194,000 square feet ... baptismal pool is 20' x 6', using 1,500 gallons of water ... church has parking for 1,150 cars ... dining room and chapel both seat 500 ... the performing arts center seats 520
Bethesda's 30 anniversary · Sat, Jun 13, 1964 – Page 6 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) · Newspapers.com
Anniversary and dedication convention 1971 · Sat, Jun 19, 1971 – Page 10 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) · Newspapers.com
Pop Beall obit 30 Apr 1973, Mon Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Newspapers.com
Mom Beall's obituary 21 Sep 1979, Fri Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Newspapers.com |
| Youth choir practice in Bethesda's Sterling Heights sanctuary (circa 1990) |
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