A Pentecostal Family on Todds Lane
Bethel Temple Church sits on Todds Lane in Hampton, Virginia, where a multi-generational Assemblies of God congregation gathers each week for contemporary worship, Spirit-filled teaching, and ministry that reaches well beyond the church's own walls. The church describes its purpose as building "a community of Loving disciples, experiencing Inspired worship, Growing through discipleship, giving Hope to the hopeless, and sharing the Gospel message of Jesus through Transformational evangelism." That vision plays out across a busy campus that includes the Goodwin Life Center, a Children's Center, and the Bethel Child Development Center, and across ministries that minister in both English and Spanish to families from across Hampton Roads.
Pastor Charles Ricks, Jr., was officially commissioned as Bethel's first African American pastor in April 2018. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, and he and his wife Lori - who serves as Executive Pastor and Women's Ministry Pastor - lead the church together after careers in Hampton Roads human services and at Huntington Ingalls Industries. Under their leadership Bethel has expanded its Spanish-language work, its small-group ministry, and its outreach footprint across the Peninsula.
What Bethel Believes
Bethel Temple holds to the full sixteen-point Statement of Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God. The church teaches that the Bible is the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice, that there is one true God revealed in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that Jesus Christ is both human and divine. Salvation comes through trusting Christ by faith and repenting of sin, and Bethel practices two ordinances: water baptism by immersion after salvation, and Holy Communion as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death.
Bethel also embraces the distinctive Pentecostal emphases of the Assemblies of God. The church teaches that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a special experience following salvation that empowers believers for witness and service, and that the initial physical evidence of that baptism is speaking in tongues, as on the Day of Pentecost. Divine healing is taught as a privilege provided through Christ's atonement, and Bethel looks forward to the Blessed Hope of Christ rapturing His church before His return, followed by a thousand-year millennial reign, a final judgment, and the new heavens and new earth.
Eight core values shape daily life at Bethel: being God-centered, pursuing discipleship, remaining biblical, practicing stewardship, building Christ-centered relationships, prioritizing prayer, living with integrity, and showing compassion. Each value is anchored in a scripture reference - from Proverbs 3:5-6 to Micah 6:8 - and each one is treated as a working principle rather than a slogan.
Sunday Mornings: A Ninety-Minute Service for the Whole Family
Bethel meets for worship on Sundays at 10 a.m. Eastern. The service runs about ninety minutes and includes contemporary praise and worship, biblical teaching, and an invitation to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. Sermons are recorded and posted online, and the service is livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Children from newborns through grade five are cared for and taught in the Children's Center while parents worship in the main service.
Families checking in for the first time are met at the door by a check-in staff that walks them through an electronic check-in system. Each child receives a unique tag that must be presented at pick-up, giving parents peace of mind while they are in the sanctuary. After corporate worship, children break into age-appropriate small groups for discussion, scripture memorization, and activities. Wednesday nights add a second gathering of the children's ministry, with high-energy, themed lessons that reinforce what was taught on Sunday.
Deeper on Wednesday Nights
Wednesday nights at Bethel are built around a ministry called Deeper. The gathering meets at 7 p.m. and alternates between Bible-study classes, topical teaching series, and dedicated nights of prayer. As the church explains it, "when we say DEEPER, we mean deeper in His word and our relationship with God." Recent teaching series are documented online with downloadable resources, and the Wednesday session is livestreamed.
Three classes flow out of the Deeper ministry. Exploring My New Life in Christ is designed for new believers and walks them through the basics of the Christian life, water baptism, communion, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Understanding Church Life and Membership is the path to formal membership and covers Bethel's leadership, ministries, and the biblical basis for church membership. Baptism services are held monthly and are open to anyone who has accepted Christ and wishes to follow His example.
Before Deeper begins, the church hosts a free Community Dinner every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Open to the public, the dinner is staffed by volunteers and is one of the most visible expressions of Bethel's outreach in the Hampton Roads area.
Bethel Student Ministries: From Nursery Through Twelfth Grade
Bethel Student Ministries groups everything that happens for children and youth from newborn through twelfth grade. The nursery cares for children up to thirty-five months old. Children's Ministry, for ages three through grade five, uses dynamic worship, interactive Bible lessons, games, and crafts to teach that it is "cool to live for Jesus." Wednesday nights add music, games, and themed activities that build on the previous Sunday's lesson.
illumiNation is Bethel's youth ministry for students in grades six through twelve. It meets every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in the Life Center Chapel and includes worship and group-style Bible study. The ministry partners with parents, understanding that what happens at home matters more than what happens at church, and that youth in this age range need strong foundations of commitment, discipleship, and dedication to Christ. Beyond weekly gatherings, illumiNation organizes camps, conventions, outings, and one-on-one ministry.
Child Dedication Sundays give new parents a moment to focus on what will shape their child's future. The dedication ceremony is not baptism; it is a public commitment by parents to raise their child to know Jesus, paired with the church's pledge to walk alongside the family as their biggest fans and guides.
The Iglesia Hispana de Templo Betel
Spanish-language ministry has been part of Bethel for years, and the church describes the Iglesia Hispana as continuing to serve, support, and reach the families of Hampton Roads - including believers from Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Cuba. As the Spanish ministry page says, "si le estas buscando significado a tu vida, ven y visitanos, encontraras una familia que te dará bienvenida."
The Spanish ministry runs its own set of Grupos de Vida (Life Groups). Grupo de Hombres Gedeones meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. for men to study God's Word together, led by Pastor Melvin Molina. Grupo de Mujeres Deboras meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. and is led by Cecilia Molina. A weekly prayer group, Grupos de Oración, meets Mondays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the chapel of the Life Center. Estudio Bíblico, a Spanish Bible study, meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the same chapel. A Clase de Discipulado for those growing in Christ meets Sundays from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Worship for the Iglesia Hispana is livestreamed on a dedicated online platform, and giving is available through a Spanish-language giving page. The Spanish ministry maintains its own Facebook page for ongoing communication.
LIFE Groups: Small Groups for Every Stage
LIFE Groups are the small-group engine of the church. The ministry is organized into nine tracks - age-specific groups, Bible study, book clubs, special interests, evangelism, Spanish groups, health and sports, married couples, men's groups, praying groups, and women's groups - each meeting on a regular cadence at the church or online.
Age-specific groups include Torchbearers, which meets on the fourth Friday of each month in the Goodwin Life Center Hospitality Room; Generation Next Level, a co-ed group for ages twenty-six to forty that meets on the second Monday at 6 p.m.; Becoming Her in Christ for women eighteen to twenty-five, meeting online on the third Thursday at 7 p.m.; Coffee, Tea, and Jesus for women aged forty-one to fifty-five on the fourth Saturday at 11 a.m.; and a Bible study for the senior adult ministry on the second and fourth Thursday at 1 p.m.
Bible study groups include Life at the Table on the first and third Fridays at 7 p.m. on Zoom, The Monday Edition Sunday School on the second and fourth Mondays at 7 p.m. on Zoom, and the End Times LIFE Group on the first and third Thursdays at 7 p.m. The Book Club group, Express Yo'self2, meets on the second Friday at 6 p.m. at rotating locations.
Community groups include Sunday Dinner, which meets immediately after the service on fourth Sundays for singles, widows, widowers, and empty nesters, and A Penny A Day, a stewardship-focused group that meets on the second Thursday from September through June. An Evangelism for Every Believer group meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Life Center. Health, Healing and Sports runs Good Health Through Eating Right and Exercising on the first and third Saturdays at 9 a.m.
Married couples have access to SURGE, a quarterly group for empty nesters, and Best Friends Forever, which meets on the third Friday at 7 p.m. Men's groups include Kingdom Men Rising on Thursdays at 7 p.m., the Avenue recovery group for men dealing with pornography and sexual addiction, and Iron Sharpening Pit on the second and fourth Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Women's groups include Sister2Sister, Wednesday's Wise Women (meeting at Langley Air Force Base hospital chapel), Beautiful Sisterhood with Pastor Lori Ricks at the Bethel Cafe, and Passport to Praise, a travel-and-faith Zoom group.
The Prayer Warriors group meets every Tuesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Goodwin Life Center Chapel, modeling itself on the Old Testament watchmen and praying against the enemy's plans to "steal, kill, and destroy."
Outreach: Food, Clothing, and Free Haircuts in Hampton Roads
The Outreach Ministry takes Bethel beyond its walls and into the surrounding community. Volunteers staff a community dinner every Wednesday at 6 p.m., a clothing closet that is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a USDA food distribution, and a food pantry. The ministry also runs a food truck and offers free haircuts, all designed to demonstrate Christ's love in tangible ways.
Volunteer roles are described in detail so newcomers can step in quickly. Community Dinner Volunteers help with meal preparation, setup, serving, and cleanup. Food Pantry Volunteers help organize, stock, and distribute food. Clothing Closet Volunteers sort and distribute donated clothing. Each role is built around a small team so that no one has to commit to more than they can manage.
Missions Across the Street and Around the World
Bethel Temple's missions ministry works from the conviction that Christ commands His followers to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The church supports a number of full-time missionaries in various parts of the world, while also equipping, training, and releasing people in Hampton Roads to take the hope of the Gospel to those who may have never heard God's love. A Missions Focus Sunday each year includes a Procession of Flags in the sanctuary.
Giving to the missions ministry is built into the church's online giving portal under a designated "Missions/Faith Promise" fund.
Men of Bethel and Beautiful Sisterhood
Men's ministry at Bethel, known as Men of Bethel (MOB), is built around hearty breakfast seminars and rugged camp conferences. Through these gatherings and through small groups, men are challenged to grow as husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and disciples of Christ. Kingdom Men Rising meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Life Center. The Avenue is a closed group for men seeking freedom from pornography and sexual addiction, meeting on the second and fourth Saturdays at 8 a.m. Iron Sharpening Pit meets on the second and fourth Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.
Beautiful Sisterhood, led by Pastor Lori Ricks, creates environments where women can grow spiritually, emotionally, and socially through gatherings and small groups. The sisterhood meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Bethel Cafe. Special events for women include Beautiful Women's Weekend, the Beautiful Day Spring Gathering, and the Beautiful Women's Weekend Sleepover.
Worship and Arts: Singers, Dancers, Musicians, and Technicians
Worship and Arts has long been described as a cornerstone of Bethel's calling. The ministry draws together gifted singers, dancers, musicians, and technicians to create an atmosphere where God's presence can dwell. Jason M. Covington serves as Worship and Arts Director and Media Producer. Larry Petway leads as Music Director and Sound Director. Michelle Covington is the Vocal Director. Choir, band, sound, and media team members are recruited from the congregation, and the church invites "like-minded individuals" to join.
The Goodwin Life Center and Bethel Child Development Center
The Goodwin Life Center is the busy hub of the Bethel campus. Its atrium hosts church-wide gatherings such as the Christmas party; its chapel is the meeting place for youth ministry, the Spanish Bible study, the Spanish prayer group, and the Tuesday Prayer Warriors; its hospitality room is the home of Sunday Dinner and several LIFE Groups; and its various classrooms are assigned to specific ministries throughout the week. The Children's Center next door is where Sunday and Wednesday children's ministry happens and where Vacation Bible School is held each summer.
The Bethel Child Development Center (BCDC) is a separate early-childhood program that serves infants through elementary-age students and is open to the community during the week. The center is staffed year-round and is regularly hiring early-childhood teachers. Bethel's child dedication ministry partners with BCDC families and other parents to encourage faith formation at home.
Getting Connected, Giving, and Facilities
Visitors and newcomers are invited to fill out a connection card to begin the process of joining a LIFE Group, signing up for baptism, or stepping into a volunteer role. Online giving is available through a dedicated giving page, with the accounting office reachable at extension 241 for questions. The church's sermons page hosts the latest audio and video messages, and a separate online platform carries the livestream.
Bethel Temple Church also makes its facility available for weddings, rehearsal dinners, social gatherings, galas, and charity events, with the caveat that event rentals are limited to Bethel Temple members and partnering churches and are subject to approval. Wedding and facility request forms are available online for those ready to begin planning.