Igreja Batista Betel

In 1937 a musical evangelist named Taylor Crawford Bagby arrived in Santana Sao Paulo. He and a group of women established the Igreja Batista Betel. The following year on January 1st the Igreja Evangelica Batista Betel was officially organized. Pastor Dr Rubens Lopes and members from the Igreja Batista de Vila Mariana were present. Twenty-eight baptized members from other Baptist churches in Sao Paulo joined. Pastor Bagby served as the first pastor-moderator. Initially services were held in a rented hall on Rua Dr Cesar 33. Soon the congregation outgrew this space. They moved to a larger more welcoming location at Rua Voluntarios da Patria 409. Within three years this space proved too small. The church relocated again to Rua Voluntarios da Patria 1837. This location offered more amenities including a baptistery and housing for the caretaker. In 1941 the Igreja Batista Betel established its first daughter church Igreja Evangelica Baptista Ebenezer in the Mooca neighborhood. Twenty-one members formed this new congregation. The following year Pastor Bagby and his wife Frances left Betel to serve as missionaries in Goiania for the Junta de Missoes Nacionais. Pastor Jose Furtado de Mendonca took over pastoral duties at the Igreja Batista Betel. The Igreja Batista Betel’s history is one of growth and expansion. It’s a testament to faith and dedication. Its legacy continues to impact lives in Sao Paulo and beyond. The church remains a vital part of the community a beacon of faith and hope. This is the enduring story of the Igreja Batista Betel.