The Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church has its humble beginning in the early 1900’s with a group of dedicated faithful Christians laying its foundation. The first pastor of The Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Reverend Blackman, secured a small unused building in the 4000 block of Scenic Highway. Now it became the task of the members to spread God’s word to every listener available. 

The church moved on....

As the faith and determination of this group of Christians grew, so did the members of this great ministry. In the 1920’s, Reverend Blackman led the congregation in purchasing land at 4050 Pontiac St. where a small white frame building was constructed. However, Reverend Blackman was called home to his heavenly reward in 1926. The church moved on....

The church continued to grow despite the hardships of economic depression, death and constant change. In a span of thirty years, The Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church continued to grow under the leadership of six pastors: Rev. Dan Smith, Rev. Dan Williams, Rev. William Grimbly, Rev. Wash Taylor, Rev. J.H Henderson, and Rev. David Matthews. The church moved on….

In 1957, Reverend J.H. Freeman was elected. During his tenure as pastor, the location at 4050 Pontiac Street was remodeled and additional land was purchased for parking and an educational/dining building.

The church moved on....

In 1978, Reverend Joseph Combs was ordained pastor of our great fellowship. As a proven leader and visionary, the congregation continued to grow and prosper. The ministry continued to grow in faith and vision also. By God’s grace and provision, we purchased 5.5 acres of land in 1985 and had our first worship service at the new sanctuary in December 2005. On July 11, 2018, God granted our beloved pastor, Rev. J.B. Combs, his heavenly reward after 40 years of pastorage. 

The church moved on....

On January 23, 2020, Reverend Lenny M. Young was elected and accepted the call to serve as pastor. Even though the COVID 19 Pandemic restricted inside worship services for over 18 months, teaching continued via dial in “Son Day” Sunday School, prayer meeting and bible study continued every Tuesday night via dial in and social media platforms, and the gospel continued to be preached by Rev. Young to the congregation and community during Sunday morning “Drive-In Services.”

The church moves on…

As the days have passed, God has kept His hand on this ministry. It has not been easy; many of our days have been filled with heartache; we’ve cried; we’ve struggled; but God has been faithful and He continuously proves Himself as the wonderful God that He is. We continue to stand in faith as we reflect God’s love and goodness like that famous “Star of Bethlehem” over 2000 years ago.