A History of Faith.
A Future of Blessing.
For over 110 years, Bethany Christian Church has worshiped, served, and shaped lives in Houston. Today, we celebrate that legacy and share how it lives on through millions given to mission partners here in Houston and around the world.
For over 110 years, Bethany Christian Church has worshiped, served, and shaped lives in Houston. Today, we celebrate that legacy and share how it lives on through millions given to mission partners here in Houston and around the world.
A History of Faith.
A Future of Blessing.
Legacy Celebration and Dedication of Permanent Fund
Final Worship, November 16, 2025
1915-1930
History
In the spring of 1915, a handful of faithful disciples gathered at the corner of Brazos and McGowen in Houston’s South End. They didn’t have much — just enough to lease a small residential lot and raise up a simple wooden building with an auditorium that could hold 300 people if every seat was filled.
They named it South End Christian Church and dedicated it on May 2, 1915. In those first years, families came together shoulder to shoulder, sharing potlucks, prayers, and dreams for what God might do next through their faithfulness.
By 1920, the little church needed more room — the spirit was willing, but the space was small! So they packed up again and moved a few miles to Main and Isabella, where they built a three-story concrete education building with classrooms, gathering spaces, and even a rooftop garden. They soon added a gym and community center, hoping one day to build a grand sanctuary alongside them.
But when the stock market crashed in 1929, the sanctuary plans were set aside. Through the Great Depression, the congregation did what they always did — they stayed, they prayed, they gave what they could, and they trusted that God wasn’t finished yet.
1930-1950
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, South End Christian Church pressed on through tight budgets and wartime uncertainty. Even when money was scarce, they kept the lights on, paid off debts, and gave to missions far beyond their walls.
By the end of World War II, the little concrete building on Main and Isabella was bursting at the seams. The congregation knew it was time to move again — to find a place big enough to hold what God was doing in Houston.
In 1945, they sold the old property for $100,000 and bought a new tract of land on the 3200 block of Westheimer for just $20,000. Under the steady leadership of Dr. Elmer D. Henson, they broke ground in 1946 for a limestone-gothic sanctuary, complete with stained glass, classrooms, and a central steeple rising over the neighborhood.
The building was finished in 1947 and the congregation became Bethany Christian Church - the first congregation in Houston to have air conditioning!
1950-1980
By the 1950s, Bethany was alive with families, Sunday School rooms overflowing, and the sanctuary full each week with voices raised in song. Membership topped 950 by 1954, and the church school counted more than 500 every Sunday morning. The congregation built new children’s classrooms, added a west sanctuary wing, a covered entrance, and a gym — all for about $200,000, a huge step of faith at the time.
Through the 1960s and 70s, Bethany didn’t just grow inside its walls. They gave boldly, too — half of their annual budget went out the door to help neighbors and mission partners in Houston and beyond. They helped launch Memorial Drive Christian Church, backed new outreach ministries, and raised generations of young people to know that faith is something to be shared, not kept quiet.
During this time, Bethany kept finding ways to answer God’s call with a simple word: yes.
1980-2000
By the 1980s and 90s, Bethany was known not just for its beautiful sanctuary but for its open hands. They helped found the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) in 1980 as a tangible expression of their heart for feeding the hungry and helping neighbors find work and stability. A few years later, they helped launch Amazing Place to walk alongside adults facing memory loss and dementia, showing the same compassion that shaped Bethany’s early years.
Even as membership started to shrink with generational changes, Bethany stayed steady. They retired all debt, repaired and refreshed the church building, and marked their 75th anniversary by adding a new pipe organ — a gift that would fill the sanctuary with music for decades to come.
They sent a mission team to the Southwest Good Samaritan Ministry on the border and invested in young leaders, producing new pastors, chaplains, and church servants.
2000-Present
In 2006, Bellaire Christian Church joined with Bethany, bringing their pastor, 75 new members, and a passion for missions like The Micah Project in Honduras and Hospitality Apartments near the Texas Medical Center. The merger strengthened old bonds and sparked new ones, showing again that Bethany was never about buildings alone. It was about people gathered and sent to serve.
In 2015, our congregation marked 100 years of ministry with gratitude for all they had seen and done: 20 senior pastors, 19 associate pastors, and 8 “Timothies” called into ministry from Bethany’s pews.
When Hurricane Harvey struck Houston in 2017, we felt the storm’s weight. Homes were damaged, families were displaced, and our neighbors were in need. In that hard season, Week of Compassion stepped in to help our own members recover, just as we had helped fund Week of Compassion’s work for others over the years.
By 2020, our congregation faced hard choices. With an aging congregation and an aging building, we chose to listen for God’s next call. So when the chance came to sell the property in 2022, we said yes one last time. The sale provided $23 million to be donated to mission partners that feed, shelter, teach, and heal: carrying our congregation’s heartbeat far beyond Westheimer for generations more to come.
LeadershipHonoring the pastors & leaders who have guided us over the years.
-
Found pastor instrumental for launch and first building
Return to shepherd the congregation during first years of the depression.
Dr. W. S. Lockhart
-
Oversaw expansion of 2nd Southend facility with innovative community center
Significantly expanded members
Dr. William Dunn Ryan
-
Moved congregation to Westheimer site and oversaw construction of sanctuary
Capitalized on post-war boom, tripling the size of the congregation
Completed ministry by becoming distinguished Dean of Brite Divinity School
Dr. Elmer D. Henson
-
Expanded Houston mission partnership and doubled world outreach giving.
Oversaw membership growth for 100 additions a year
Completed facility for 50th anniversary.
Dr. Lewis H. McAdow
-
Celebrated the 75th anniversary with sanctuary remodel and pipe organ installation.
Encouraged congregation to be founding church of Amazing Place
Rev. Joe N. Lacy
-
Fostered a spiritual renewal and oversaw needed building improvements.
Encouraged congregation to be founding church of Amazing Place
Rev. Dr. Tommy Thompson
-
First served church as an associate pastor 1996-2001
Celebrated 100th with recognition of historic mission partnership and honored ministers, associates and Timothies.
Rev. Brad Stagg
-
Merged Bellaire Christian with Bethany Christian Church
Brought a commitment to Micah Project
Rev. Herschel Moore
-
Provides pastoral care for the Bethany congregation.
Rev. Blair Parker
-
Engaged congregation in creating a mission investment plan for legacy giving.
Rev. Randy Spleth (Interim)
-
Guided congregation in decision to sell property to The Story
Rev. Don Tuttle
LeadershipHonoring the pastors & leaders who have guided us over the years.
-
Found pastor instrumental for launch and first building
Return to shepherd the congregation during first years of the depression.
Dr. W. S. Lockhart
-
Oversaw expansion of 2nd Southend facility with innovative community center
Significantly expanded members
Dr. William Dunn Ryan
-
Moved congregation to Westheimer site and oversaw construction of sanctuary
Capitalized on post-war boom, tripling the size of the congregation
Completed ministry by becoming distinguished Dean of Brite Divinity School
Dr. Elmer D. Henson
-
Expanded Houston mission partnership and doubled world outreach giving.
Oversaw membership growth for 100 additions a year
Completed facility for 50th anniversary.
Dr. Lewis H. McAdow
-
Celebrated the 75th anniversary with sanctuary remodel and pipe organ installation.
Encouraged congregation to be founding church of Amazing Place
Rev. Joe N. Lacy
-
Fostered a spiritual renewal and oversaw needed building improvements.
Encouraged congregation to be founding church of Amazing Place
Rev. Dr. Tommy Thompson
-
First served church as an associate pastor 1996-2001
Celebrated 100th with recognition of historic mission partnership and honored ministers, associates and Timothies.
Rev. Brad Stagg
-
Merged Bellaire Christian with Bethany Christian Church
Brought a commitment to Micah Project
Rev. Herschel Moore
-
Guided congregation in decision to sell property to The Story
Rev. Don Tuttle
-
Provides pastoral care for the Bethany congregation.
Rev. Blair Parker
-
Engaged congregation in creating a mission investment plan for legacy giving.
Rev. Randy Spleth (Interim)
LegacyIn 2023, we sold our building .
Here's how we have donated the funds:
$14,375,000
in major gifts split between 8 hand-selected organizations.
$8,250,000
invested in a permanent fund to make gifts in perpetuity.
$155,000
to 23 nonprofit organizations nominated by our congregation.
See how God is using our major gifts to transform
Amazing Place
-
Amazing Place empowers families facing dementia and memory loss. Bethany was one of the founding churches of Amazing Place nearly 30 years ago and has nurtured its growth every step of the way. With Bethany’s $3 million gift, the “Amazing Together” campaign is now complete — doubling capacity to serve adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and opening a new campus in Katy. To honor this legacy, Amazing Place’s original campus will carry a new name: Bethany — a living reminder of the church’s compassionate care for neighbors in every season of life.
$3 Million
Disciples Historical Society
-
With a $1.5 million gift, Bethany is helping build a permanent home for the Alexander Campbell Collection at the Disciples Historical Society in Bethany, West Virginia — the birthplace of the Disciples movement. This gift preserves the roots that inspired Bethany’s own founding and includes a commitment to write and share Bethany’s own book-length history, ensuring future generations remember how faithfulness here shaped lives far and wide.
$3 million
Brite Divinity School
-
Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth has long been part of Bethany’s story. Pastors, students, and leaders have flowed back and forth between Brite and Bethany for decades — Dr. Elmer D. Henson, who helped build Bethany’s Westheimer sanctuary, later served as Dean at Brite. With a $3 million gift, Bethany is establishing the Bethany Program for Chaplaincy Studies, preparing chaplains to bring spiritual care to hospitals, hospices, campuses, the military, and workplaces. This gift ensures that people trained at Brite will keep carrying Bethany’s spirit of presence and compassion into places where it’s needed most.
$1.5 million
Micah Project
-
For years, Bethany has walked alongside The Micah Project, helping street-connected youth in Tegucigalpa, Honduras find hope and a future. This $500,000 gift will build and equip new vocational training spaces through Micah Works and Micah Cooks — programs that teach woodworking, welding, plumbing, and culinary skills. These new facilities mean more young people can stand on their own two feet and build meaningful lives. Bethany’s bond with Micah started through the Bellaire Christian Church merger — and this gift continues that promise to lift up every child and young adult who longs for freedom, family, and a future.
$500,000
Week of Compassion
-
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, Bethany felt the storm’s weight — and Week of Compassion stepped in to help Bethany families recover. That partnership goes back decades: Bethany has long supported this ministry that brings disaster relief and recovery to overlooked places across the U.S. and Canada. Now, with a $1.5 million gift, Bethany is paying that help forward — strengthening Week of Compassion’s ability to stand alongside communities when disasters come and to transform suffering into hope.
$1.5 million
Southwest Good Samaritan Ministry
-
Along the Texas border, Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries has spent nearly 40 years helping refugees and the poorest of the poor find safety, reunite with family, and build new beginnings. Bethany has been a faithful supporter for decades — sending mission teams, supplies, and prayers. Now, with a $1.2 million gift, Bethany is investing in a fund that will provide stable support for refugee work, family reunification, and programs for vulnerable children in the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico. It’s a promise that Bethany’s legacy of welcome and mercy will carry on for generations to come.
$1.2 million
Christian Community Service Center
-
Bethany gave $3 million to help CCSC launch a new vision: expanding their programs so they can serve 50% more families in central and southwest Houston by their 50th anniversary in 2030. CCSC has always been close to Bethany’s heart — Bethany helped found it 45 years ago and has stood by its mission to feed the hungry, provide basic needs, and offer pathways to success. This gift helps CCSC grow its Barnard Street campus and ensures Bethany’s spirit of “heart to heart and hand in hand” will keep touching lives right here in Houston.
$3 Million
Hospitality Apartments
-
Since 1968, Hospitality Apartments has offered free housing to out-of-town medical patients and their families near Houston’s Texas Medical Center. Volunteers run all 46 units, making it truly a ministry of kindness and care. Bethany’s $675,000 gift will renovate the building’s exterior, modernize the elevator, and install a backup generator — practical help that keeps this home-away-from-home safe and welcoming for people in some of life’s hardest moments. Many Bethany members have long volunteered here, and this gift makes that quiet partnership visible for years to come.
$675,000See how God is using our major gifts to transform
-
Bethany gave $3 million to help CCSC launch a new vision: expanding their programs so they can serve 50% more families in central and southwest Houston by their 50th anniversary in 2030. CCSC has always been close to Bethany’s heart — Bethany helped found it 45 years ago and has stood by its mission to feed the hungry, provide basic needs, and offer pathways to success. This gift helps CCSC grow its Barnard Street campus and ensures Bethany’s spirit of “heart to heart and hand in hand” will keep touching lives right here in Houston.
Christian Community Service Center
$3 Million-
Amazing Place empowers families facing dementia and memory loss. Bethany was one of the founding churches of Amazing Place nearly 30 years ago and has nurtured its growth every step of the way. With Bethany’s $3 million gift, the “Amazing Together” campaign is now complete — doubling capacity to serve adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and opening a new campus in Katy. To honor this legacy, Amazing Place’s original campus will carry a new name: Bethany — a living reminder of the church’s compassionate care for neighbors in every season of life.
Amazing Place
$3 Million-
For years, Bethany has walked alongside The Micah Project, helping street-connected youth in Tegucigalpa, Honduras find hope and a future. This $500,000 gift will build and equip new vocational training spaces through Micah Works and Micah Cooks — programs that teach woodworking, welding, plumbing, and culinary skills. These new facilities mean more young people can stand on their own two feet and build meaningful lives. Bethany’s bond with Micah started through the Bellaire Christian Church merger — and this gift continues that promise to lift up every child and young adult who longs for freedom, family, and a future.
Micah Project
$500,000-
Since 1968, Hospitality Apartments has offered free housing to out-of-town medical patients and their families near Houston’s Texas Medical Center. Volunteers run all 46 units, making it truly a ministry of kindness and care. Bethany’s $675,000 gift will renovate the building’s exterior, modernize the elevator, and install a backup generator — practical help that keeps this home-away-from-home safe and welcoming for people in some of life’s hardest moments. Many Bethany members have long volunteered here, and this gift makes that quiet partnership visible for years to come.
Hospitality Apartments
$675,000-
With a $1.5 million gift, Bethany is helping build a permanent home for the Alexander Campbell Collection at the Disciples Historical Society in Bethany, West Virginia — the birthplace of the Disciples movement. This gift preserves the roots that inspired Bethany’s own founding and includes a commitment to write and share Bethany’s own book-length history, ensuring future generations remember how faithfulness here shaped lives far and wide.
Disciples Historical Society
$1.5 million-
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, Bethany felt the storm’s weight — and Week of Compassion stepped in to help Bethany families recover. That partnership goes back decades: Bethany has long supported this ministry that brings disaster relief and recovery to overlooked places across the U.S. and Canada. Now, with a $1.5 million gift, Bethany is paying that help forward — strengthening Week of Compassion’s ability to stand alongside communities when disasters come and to transform suffering into hope.
Week of Compassion
$1.5 million-
Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth has long been part of Bethany’s story. Pastors, students, and leaders have flowed back and forth between Brite and Bethany for decades — Dr. Elmer D. Henson, who helped build Bethany’s Westheimer sanctuary, later served as Dean at Brite. With a $3 million gift, Bethany is establishing the Bethany Program for Chaplaincy Studies, preparing chaplains to bring spiritual care to hospitals, hospices, campuses, the military, and workplaces. This gift ensures that people trained at Brite will keep carrying Bethany’s spirit of presence and compassion into places where it’s needed most.
Brite Divinity School
$3 million-
Along the Texas border, Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries has spent nearly 40 years helping refugees and the poorest of the poor find safety, reunite with family, and build new beginnings. Bethany has been a faithful supporter for decades — sending mission teams, supplies, and prayers. Now, with a $1.2 million gift, Bethany is investing in a fund that will provide stable support for refugee work, family reunification, and programs for vulnerable children in the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico. It’s a promise that Bethany’s legacy of welcome and mercy will carry on for generations to come.
Southwest Good Samaritan Ministry
$1.2 millionMeet the 23 nonprofits our congregation nominated for grants.
In addition to the 8 organizations who received major gifts, our congregation nominated 24 additional nonprofits to receive a portion of our $155,000 one-time grant fund.
What's next for
Bethany?
We’re so grateful for every person who’s been part of our story. We're grateful for every prayer, every gift, every step of faith. We trust that God will use these gifts to bless many generations to come.