A Century on South Hill Park Drive
Bethany Baptist Church sits on South Hill Park Drive in Puyallup, Washington, a single debt-free facility that draws roughly nine hundred people each week to two Sunday services. The congregation traces its story back more than a century, when fourteen believers began gathering for worship in a home near what is now the 7-11 store next to the Puyallup fairgrounds. In 1920 they organized as the Swedish Baptist Church, holding services in Swedish and, by the following year, constructing a building close to the Meeker Mansion in downtown Puyallup. Even in those early years they launched a ministry to Japanese-speaking children in nearby Alderton.
By the 1930s the congregation had shifted its services to English and changed its name to Pioneer Avenue Baptist Church. Growth led to a move to 3rd Street Northeast in 1962, and with that move came the name still in use today: Bethany Baptist Church. In 1993 the church purchased property on South Hill Park Drive and, after eight years of building, dedicated the current Worship Center and surrounding classrooms. The one constant through every change, the church says, has been a desire to follow where God leads in this city.
What Bethany Believes
Bethany holds to a classic Baptist statement of faith centered on the Bible as the inspired, error-free Word of God with supreme authority over faith and conduct. The church teaches one God eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection and distinct in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
The statement of faith affirms that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary atoning death, rose bodily, ascended to heaven, and will return personally and visibly. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, regenerates and sanctifies every believer, and serves as an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. The church teaches that all people are sinners by nature and choice, and that those who repent and trust in Christ are made new by the Spirit.
Bethany practices two ordinances: believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. The church holds a Baptist view of religious liberty, asserting that every person is directly responsible to God and that church and state must remain separate. Local churches are described as independent yet voluntarily cooperating with one another in a denominational family and with interdenominational fellowships. On marriage, the statement of faith defines it as the exclusive covenant union of one man and one woman, following the Bible's teaching. The church also affirms the bodily resurrection and final judgment.
Sundays at Nine and Ten-Thirty
Bethany gathers for worship on Sundays at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. First-time guests are welcomed with free coffee, engaging music, and an encouraging message from the Bible. No dress code, secret handshakes, or codewords are required; the church simply asks people to come as they are.
Children have their own environments during both services. Nursery and early childhood classes serve birth through kindergarten at 9:00 and 10:30. First through fourth graders meet at both services, and fifth and sixth graders have a dedicated gathering at 10:30. Older students in seventh through twelfth grade are invited to sit in the student section of the Worship Center during the second service as part of the church, not a separate program.
At 10:15 a.m., two Sunday Morning Groups meet between the two services. Young at Heart, the church's 50-plus community, gathers in Pioneer Chapel for prayer, hymns, Bible study, and fellowship. The Journey is a multi-generational class meeting in Room 114 downstairs that works through Scripture, doctrine, church history, and current cultural topics in discussion format.
Kids, Kids Club, and Vacation Bible School
Bethany Kids partners with parents to teach children from birth through sixth grade to follow Jesus through age-appropriate, Bible-based environments every Sunday. Elizabeth McGriff directs early childhood, and Michele Collins directs the older elementary ministry.
On Wednesday nights during the school year, Kids Club runs from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for children ages four through sixth grade. Quick meals are served from 6:10 to 6:30, followed by themed nights with games, fun worship, and Bible learning. The program follows a published calendar with nights built around favorite sports teams, superheroes, crazy hats, twin outfits, Christmas sweaters, and more, plus scheduled breaks for holidays and school vacations.
Vacation Bible School happens each summer for children in kindergarten through sixth grade, with fifth and sixth graders taking part in a separate VBX track. Crafts, games, music, and teaching fill a week centered on the love of Jesus.
Junior High and High School Students
Bethany Students is led by Jon Carothers and serves seventh through twelfth graders. The big weekly gathering is YTH Night on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the first-floor Student Center, where high school and junior high students hang out, worship together, and hear teaching from God's Word.
On Sunday mornings at 10:30, students are encouraged to take a seat in the student section of the Worship Center rather than head off to a separate program. The premise is simple: students are not the future church but the current church. Junior high students then break into gender-specific small groups from 10:25 to 11:30 a.m. in the Student Center. High school students can join Core Groups, gender-specific small groups led by vetted adults who help students study Scripture and grow in community.
Parents can sign up for text alerts by texting bethanyYTH to (833) 491-4279, follow a parent Facebook page, or join separate email lists for high school and junior high updates. The church also maintains a long list of recommended resources - books, devotionals, podcasts, and YouTube channels - covering apologetics, finances, mental health, and spiritual growth.
Women's Ministry
Women's ministry at Bethany is led by volunteer Erika Funk and aims to be a multi-generational community where women are rooted in Christ.
Two women's Bible studies run on different days. Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Pioneer Chapel is a seven-week study of Isaiah: Striving Less and Trusting God More, with childcare provided. Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Rooms 114-116 is a seven-week study of Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story.
A separate Wednesday Women's group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Pioneer Chapel for women looking for deeper connection with low to no homework. Betrayal & Beyond is a specialized ministry for women who have experienced sexual betrayal from a spouse and is moving toward true healing and restoration. MomCo (formerly MOPS) rallies mothers together around honest conversation and community, while Moms & Minis offers a drop-in play space on the first Friday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., with toys and coffee provided.
Men's Ministry
Men's ministry is led by Stu Collins on an interim basis and offers several weekly rhythms. A Tuesday morning group meets at 6:00 a.m. in the downstairs office entrance for in-person Bible study. A Wednesday morning group meets online via Zoom at 6:00 a.m. to start the day with encouragement and the Word. Once a month on Saturday at 8:00 a.m., men gather at the downstairs youth entrance near the playground for coffee, donuts, and fellowship.
Two recovery-oriented groups target men facing sexual temptation. Conquer Series walks men through the realities of everyday temptation. Pillar Group uses the Seven Pillars of Freedom curriculum to help men recover from unwanted sexual behavior alongside trusted peers. A Bethany Men's Facebook group keeps men in the loop on upcoming events and studies.
Community Groups and Sunday Mornings
Small groups, called community groups, are the main way the church builds relationships beyond Sunday services. Groups meet in homes and around the city to study the Bible, pray for one another, serve together, and share the love of Christ locally and globally. Anyone can join a group or start one with a few friends using the church's group starter curriculum.
On Sunday mornings, the church also hosts a coffee shop run by coordinator Taylor Berger, offering a place to linger between services and after the second gathering.
Missions Near and Far
Bethany invests in outreach through both hands-on projects and long-term partnerships. Each year the church takes a Community Impact Offering at Easter, returning one hundred percent of the proceeds to local organizations. A signature annual event is Live To Give, a multi-day service week when the congregation prepares meals for New Hope Resource Center, assembles homeless care kits, packs freezer meals for Olive Crest foster families, sorts donations at the Puyallup Food Bank thrift store, fills Weekend Backpack food bags, and serves at New Beginnings and a local independent living facility.
Through its school partnerships with Wildwood Elementary, Ferrucci Junior High, and Walker High School, Bethany supplies Weekend Backpacks filled with non-perishable food for students who might otherwise go hungry over the weekend. The church also runs food drives, a Giving Tree at Walker High School, and a Trunk or Treat community outreach each fall.
Missions partners are organized into three tiers. Local partners include Communities in Schools at Wildwood, Ferrucci, and Walker; Olive Crest; Care Net of Puget Sound; Greater Puyallup Young Life; the Puyallup Food Bank; New Beginnings Homes; and St. Francis House. Regional and national partners include Converge Northwest, the Flood the Sound church planting movement, and World Vision US Disaster Relief. International partners include Water4, Homes of Hope, Living Water, the Timothy Initiative, the Jonathan and Aime Cross family in South Sudan, Will and Katye Lowery in Birmingham, U.K., Vasiliy and Olga Keletmik in Moldova, Abraham and Spencer Lugo in Tijuana, Mexico, and Paul and Sharon Bowers in Papua New Guinea.
Worship, Music, and the Flood the Sound Movement
Bethany's Creative Arts Pastor, Ryan Berger, leads a worship team that records under the name Bethany Church Worship, releasing singles such as See the Savior, Holy, Worthy, and It's Jesus. The team serves in Sunday services, supports special events, and extends the church's reach through recorded music and videos.
Bethany is part of the Flood the Sound movement, a tightly knit family of churches working together to flood the Puget Sound area with the gospel of Jesus by making disciples, shaping leaders, and planting churches. Together with Converge Northwest, the church plants new congregations and develops leaders across the region.
Getting Connected: Growth Track, Baptism, and Serve
For people new to the church, Growth Track is an intentional four-step discipleship process. Step One covers membership and the basics of the Christian faith. Step Two focuses on spiritual habits. Step Three helps each person discover how God has designed them for ministry. Step Four equips them to make an impact through spiritual conversations and leadership development. Each workshop runs about two hours.
Baptism is offered as an outward expression of an inward decision to follow Jesus, celebrated by immersion in water. Anyone interested in being baptized can sign up through the church.
Serving is woven into Bethany's DNA. Areas include Kids and Student Ministries, Nursery and Early Childhood, Connections Team, Worship Team, Production Team, and Safety Team. The church provides both online sign-up forms and a printed volunteer training video.
Practical Information for Visitors
Bethany Baptist Church is located at 713 South Hill Park Drive, Puyallup, Washington 98373, just down the hill from the Washington State Fair Events Center. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone number is (253) 848-3556, the fax is (253) 445-4916, and the general email address is info@bethanysite.com.
Sunday services are at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m., with full programming for children birth through sixth grade. Dress is casual. Free coffee is available. Services can also be watched online through the church's livestream. A mobile app is available for both iOS and Android, and the church encourages members to stay connected through Right Now Media for additional Bible study resources.
Giving can be done online, through the app, in person at the giving boxes in the back of the Worship Center, or by mail to the church address. The church publishes an annual report that includes giving impact and ministry updates.