An Inner-City Pentecostal Church in Kansas City, Kansas
New Bethel Church sits on Walker Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, a few blocks from the heart of the city's downtown neighborhoods. The congregation has chosen to remain in this inner-city location even as the surrounding area has changed, and Bishop A. Glenn Brady often reminds visitors that the church's deliberate placement is part of its mission: to reach the more than two million people in the Kansas City metro area who have not yet made a connection with Jesus Christ. The church describes itself as "not a Mega-Church, just a growing church trying to make a Mega-Impact," and that blend of neighborhood roots and outward-looking ambition shapes everything from Sunday worship to the Wednesday Bible study that streams worldwide.
From a 1948 Founding to Walker Avenue
The story begins in 1948, when Pastor Rosie Summers and her sister Vashti founded Bethel Pentecostal Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Summers had grown up in the Baptist Church in Monticello, Arkansas, before being baptized in Jesus' Name and joining Christ Temple Pentecostal Church, where she married Deacon George Summers. The early years were marked by humility and hard-won growth, with the congregation weathering urban renewal, flooding, and other setbacks while still becoming a steady presence in the city.
Elder Kenneth Neal took the pulpit in 1974 and launched outreach ministries along with the church's first Holy Convocation. Under later leaders like Elder Reuben K. Johnson, community services expanded and the congregation's role in the city deepened. Pastor Jathan K. Austin brought a vision of restoration in 2004, and the church completed its move to its present address at 745 Walker Avenue. Bishop A. Glenn Brady became Senior Pastor in June 2009, and the church's current name, New Bethel Church, reflects the new chapter that followed.
Bishop Brady, First Lady Angela, and the Staff Pastors
Bishop A. Glenn Brady has spent more than five decades in ministry. He was saved in July 1970 and served for more than thirty-five years alongside Bishop Norman L. Wagner at Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church in Youngstown, Ohio, before answering the call to Kansas City. He now serves as First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., a connection that places New Bethel within one of the oldest Oneness Pentecostal bodies in the country. He has visited all fifty states and more than sixty countries on seven continents, and his preaching, leadership training, and writing continue to draw invitations from around the world.
First Lady Angela R. Brady has been at his side since their marriage in 1982. A registered nurse for more than fifty years who still works in a surgery center, she has led Women's Ministry and Altar Evangelism at every church the Bradys have served. She is also active in Gosplode Ministries International, a leadership and teaching organization the couple co-labors with, and frequently travels to support missions abroad.
Three staff pastors round out the team. Staff Pastor Andre Burns focuses on guiding members through life's challenges with faith and purpose. Staff Pastor LaShone Releford leads the church's worship and arts expression, helping families encounter God through music and the creative arts. Staff Pastor Carl McKinney works closely with individuals who are struggling and with the wider community, offering spiritual guidance and steady pastoral care.
Sunday Mornings at 10 AM
The main worship service gathers every Sunday at 10:00 AM, both in person and online. Visitors who walk through the doors find a sanctuary alive with praise, prayer, and preaching that Bishop Brady describes as speaking directly to the heart. Teaching is rooted in Scripture and centered on the work of the Holy Spirit, and the room tends to be expressive, with hands raised, spontaneous worship, and an atmosphere that welcomes long-time Pentecostals and newcomers who are simply curious.
Sunday School begins at 9:00 AM with a general lesson for adults. On the first and third Sundays of each month, children ages five through twelve gather for their own class designed to build a strong spiritual foundation. Children's and teen services take over on the second and fourth Sundays, when students from Pre-K through twelfth grade gather for engaging, age-appropriate teaching.
Wednesday Bible Study on YouTube
Mid-week Bible study happens every Wednesday at 7:00 PM. Most weeks the study is streamed live on the church's YouTube channel, NewBethelKC TV, which makes it easy for members who are traveling, sick at home, or living out of state to keep up with the teaching. Select weeks are held in person for those who want a deeper fellowship experience. The studies move book by book through Scripture and often connect Old and New Testament passages to everyday life.
Children, Teens, and the 8-Count Dance Ministry
New Bethel invests heavily in its young people. The Pre-K through twelfth-grade track includes dedicated classes on first, second, third, and fourth Sundays, and the Sunday morning teaching is paired with mid-week opportunities for students to grow in faith and friendship. The 8-Count Dance Ministry is open to dancers ages twelve and up, who rehearse on Thursdays at 7:00 PM in the Haven Center. Rehearsals are energetic and intergenerational, with comfortable athletic attire being the standard dress.
Women's Ministry and the Wider Life of the Church
The Women's Ministry, led by First Lady Angela Brady, hosts seasonal challenges, prayer gatherings, and sisterhood events for ladies of all ages. Past challenges have invited women to gather a group of friends or family members and create a short, faith-filled video together, encouraging intergenerational participation that mixes youth, teens, adults, and seniors. The ministry is also a quiet backbone of hospitality at the church, hosting tables, meals, and encouragement at many of the major events on the calendar.
Other ministries are open for members and newcomers alike. The Worship and Art Department rehearses on Thursdays at 7:00 PM and includes the mass choir and dance ministry. The NBC Production Team supports the church's livestream and broadcast work. There is also a Security Ministry, a Culinary Ministry, a Special Events Decor Ministry, and a Welcome Ambassador team that greets guests on Sunday mornings. A Digital Connect Card makes it easy to sign up for any of these teams.
The Fourfold Mission and Pentecostal Beliefs
New Bethel articulates its mission through a fourfold framework: Deliver the lost from the world's system, Disciple them in Jesus Christ, Develop them for their God-given purpose, and Deploy them into meaningful ministry. Each member is encouraged to see themselves as both a learner and a sender.
The church worships within the Oneness Pentecostal tradition. Salvation is centered on the finished work of Christ, baptism is administered in the Name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is sought and celebrated with an openness to the spiritual gifts described in the New Testament. Worship is participatory, prayer is central, and the Bible is taught as the authoritative Word of God.
The Haven Center and the Main Building
The main campus at 745 Walker Avenue includes a sanctuary, a chapel, a foyer, a community room, and a welcome desk. Just next door, the Haven Center serves as the church's multipurpose hub, with a large classroom for youth, three additional classrooms, and a kitchen that the Culinary Ministry uses to support events. The Haven Center is also where most rehearsals, children's classes, and smaller mid-week gatherings take place.
The church hosts weddings and baby dedications on a regular basis. Couples and families interested in either can call the church office at 913-281-2002 or email info@newbethelkc.org. Periodic all-church work days keep the Haven Center ready for the ministries that meet there, and all ages are welcome to pitch in.
Connecting, Giving, and Joining the Work
For those who want to stay plugged in between Sundays, the NewBethelKC TV YouTube channel carries the live broadcast, recent Bible study recordings, and a library of sermons and devotionals. A newsletter is available by email, and text reminders are sent to anyone who texts "YES" to 87447. The Digital Connect Card lets newcomers share contact information and pick the ministry they would like to try first.
Online giving is available through Givelify, PayPal, and Cash App ($NewBethelKC). Members are encouraged to designate a specific ministry when they give, so that their support can flow directly to children's work, worship arts, missions, or outreach. A set of seasonal consecration guides walks members through a season of prayer and Scripture reading.
For visitors who want to know what to expect, greeters from the Welcome Ambassador team are stationed at the entrance on Sunday mornings, and the congregation is welcoming to families with young children. The main building includes a welcome desk where newcomers can ask questions or pick up information. The church office can be reached at 913-281-2002 or info@newbethelkc.org for prayer requests, baby dedications, weddings, or general inquiries. New Bethel is, in Bishop Brady's words, a growing church trying to make a Mega-Impact, and the Walker Avenue campus is always ready to welcome the next person through the door.