“Girl, get your money straight!” That was a sermon title at Goodwill Baptist Church. Goodwill Baptist Church started in 1946 with only 18 members. Since then, the church has steadily grown. It has outgrown many buildings. Goodwill Baptist Church now has about 800 members. Almost all of them are African American.
The current building of Goodwill Baptist Church was built in 1968. It looks like two boxes connected together. Stairs lead to the entrance from the parking area. The church plans to build an addition with classrooms.
Goodwill Baptist Church is located in a largely residential neighborhood. The church’s website calls the neighborhood multicultural. It sits northwest of downtown Seattle.
Bishop Garry L. Tyson is the pastor at Goodwill Baptist Church. Elder Nicole L. Tyson is the first lady.
When you arrive early at Goodwill Baptist Church expect a warm welcome. People introduce themselves. They make sure you are comfortable. They let you know when the service will begin.
Inside Goodwill Baptist Church you’ll find wooden pews. Red cushions make them reasonably comfortable. Services can last three hours. So, those cushions are appreciated. Before the service, pre-recorded gospel music plays. People chat and greet each other.
The service opens with a joyful noise unto the Lord. The congregation uses the New National Baptist Hymnal. They also use the King James Bible. A small combo plays music. It includes drums, a guitar, and an electric organ.
One visitor was distracted by the ladies’ hats. They rated each hat as it made its entrance. Some hats were beautiful. Some were outlandish. All were magnificent.
The worship at Goodwill Baptist Church is happy, clappy, evangelical, and Pentecostal. A talented gospel choir starts the service. It creates a rousing and heavenly atmosphere. There is also a baptism service. It takes place in a room behind the altar. The pastor opens the doors to reveal a mirror. You can see each candidate being dunked in a sunken bathtub.
Pastor Tyson is a charismatic speaker. He uses humor and personal stories. He also uses a call-and-response style. One sermon focused on financial security for women. Women should find their self-worth in themselves. As they become financially secure, they can give more to the church. They can also do more good work.
Elder Nicole gave a speech. She talked about how Christians pray for the community. However, she then spoke unpleasantly about Buddhists. This made one visitor uncomfortable.
Goodwill Baptist Church is deeply involved in the community. Bishop Tyson invited Aaron Fairchild to develop beloved community. This became the Nehemiah Initiative. The Nehemiah Initiative empowers economic development. It advocates for Black Church and African American community development.
You can support the Nehemiah Initiative by sending checks to Goodwill Baptist Church. The church ensures the soul of America’s march toward racial equality remains. The Black Church is the largest African American community landowner. It is also the largest service provider. Without the Black Church, the African American community would suffer.