Bethel church of Christ

Prior to 1894,  members of the church of Christ in the Bell, Florida area would have to commute via a horse or horse and buggy to the Midway church of Christ.  This ride would take 40 to 50 minutes to get to the building.  In 1894 a Brother Abbot homesteaded in the Bell area and began preaching in his home.  He also preached in Perry Connor's house.  Abbot built an arbor about year to two later.  Charles Holder of Tennessee held a two week meeting during the mid 1890's to help build up the work.  B.S. Hamilton also made stops at Brother Abbots home during this time period.  Brother Abbot then built a log meeting house on his property to accomdate the growth of the work.  At the request of Jim Walker, Jim Bathey, and Perry Perkins, he built a more centrally located meeting house in the summer and fall of 1895 on 2 acres of land donated by Harry "Hamp" Brooker. The building sat where the current Bethel church of Christ building sits now.  The lumber cost $125 dollars.  The congregation grew and was recognized for its faithfulness.  Elders were appointed in Perry Perkins, Harry "Hamp" Brooker, and Jim Walker.  Abbot continued to preach at Bethel until 1906 and subsequently moved to Columbia County.  

From 1906 until 1920 we currently do not have much information on the congregation. 

Visiting preachers did much of the occassional preaching during this time period.  Many times there was only singing, Bible Class, and Lord Supper obeservance on Sundays.  A second building was built in this time period, south of the original building, where the current cemetary is located.  

Cleve Moore preached his first gospel sermon at Bethel in 1920 and travelled around holding meetings at various congregations, but never preached at Bethel on a regular basis.  

L.B. Chastine, a carpenter, moved to Bell in the late 1920's, early 1930's and began preaching at Bethel on a regular basis.  

In 1936 Cleve Moore was elected school superintendent and recruited J.B. Copeland to move to Bell and serve as principal of Bell High School and serve as minister for the Bethel church of Christ.  

Through out the 1940's and 1950's various men would travel up from Tampa, Florida area to preach at Bethel church of Christ.  Many of these men had ties with Florida Christian College, which was founded in 1946.  Florida Christian College  is a independent college established in 1946, it is a place where children of the members of the church of Christ can get a good solid college education and be free of worldly influence while doing so.  The college did not and does not receive funds from the churches of Christ.  In 1963, the college changed its name to Florida College.

In the mid 1950's a third building was built back on the original site of the first building.  Harry Pickup Jr was the first to preach a sermon in the current building.  Other preachers continued to come up to Bethel from the Tampa area during this time to preach which included Roy Dicks, Bob Morris, and Dave Fraser.  Archie Kelly and Lon Roberts had been appointed as elders sometime during the 1950's.

The practice continued during the 1960's with Roscoe Knight driving up from Florida College with three other men in his VW Bug.  Dudy Walker being one of them.  They would leave Tampa in early morning hours on Sunday and make the rounds at 4 churches, dropping off the other preachers for a day of labor.

During the 1950's and 1960's, Bethel produced three gospel preachers, Frank J. Jamerson, Danny Roberts, and David Halter from their midst.   At this time they are the only three known to be raised up in the Bethel congregation.  

Paul Cavender was the first full time preacher at Bethel church of Christ in the early 1970's.  Paul Cavenders work was very fruitful in that he was able to get elders established in the congregation.  Bethel appointed C.D. Moore, Roy Roberts, and Leon Roberts during this time.

In 1978, the elders approached one of their own to return to Bethel to preach.  David Halter had moved back to the area from Tampa and had been preaching at Midway church of Christ for a few years.  David Halter was working as a local teacher at Bell High School and moved back over to Bethel.  David has been at Bethel now for 43 years.

Through out the 1980's, 90's, and 2000's Bethel church of Christ has hosted many gospel meetings.  Those who have come to Bethel to preach are:  Frank, Paul, and Tommy Andrews, Frank J. Jamerson, "Picky" Pickup, Harry Pickup Jr, Tommy Nelson, John Zellner, Kent Heaton, Everrit Heaton, Nathan Peeler, Rufus Meriweather, Al Sandlin, Bob Dickey, Lloyd Barker, Gary Ogden, Bob Owen, Seif Alsafer, and many more.

During this time period the congregation has been able to be apart of other works in the United States and around the world.  

Current membership is 47.

Contributors:  JC Townsend, Geraldine Thompson, C.D. Moore, Louetta Moore, Denise Johnson

Compiled by:  Aaron Halter