A Church Born at Emancipation
On the heels of the Emancipation Proclamation, a small group of African American worshippers who had been seated in the balcony of the all-white First Baptist Church of Tampa stepped out to form their own congregation. In 1865, with funds provided by their former mother church and land donated by Mrs. Fortune Ransome, they built the first edifice of the Beulah Baptist Church on Central Avenue in what became one of Tampa's most prominent African American business corridors. Elder Hadley was called as the congregation's first pastor.
The church grew, moved with the times, and in 1908 was incorporated as a non-profit under the name that has defined it ever since: Beulah Baptist Institutional Church. By 1881 the frame building had been relocated to Harrison Street in downtown Tampa; in 1937, under Rev. W. M. Davis, the congregation moved again to Tyler and Pierce Streets. The church built its current home - a sanctuary on the corner of Cypress and Delaware - in 1969, and in 1990 added the A. Leon Lowry, Sr. Family Service Center, a multipurpose building that now houses Sunday school classes and the nursery.
Across sixteen decades the pastorate has passed through fifteen shepherds. The longest tenure belongs to the Rev. Dr. A. Leon Lowry, Sr., the thirteenth pastor, who arrived in 1956 and served for forty years. One of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s theology professors and state president of the NAACP, Lowry led Beulah through the civil rights era and into its modern identity as a congregation committed both to gospel preaching and to community transformation. The Rev. James W. Favorite followed as fourteenth pastor in 1995, served twenty-four years, and presided over a 2003 reunion worship service with Beulah's mother church on Tampa Street.
Beulah: We Build Here
On March 27, 2022, the Rev. Alan M. Harris of Virginia was installed as Beulah's fifteenth Senior Pastor and Lead Servant. A St. Louis native who began preaching at nineteen and has served full-time in ministry since he was twenty-two, Pastor Harris holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Washington Bible College, a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from Southern Seminary, and an Executive MBA from Virginia Union University's Sydney Lewis School of Business.
His vision for Beulah, summed up in the phrase Beulah: We Build Here, is anchored in Psalm 127:1 - "Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted." He preaches that anything with God's name on it deserves the church's best, and under his leadership the congregation has launched the Social Justice Ministry, the BBIC Stylez clothing store, the Personal Financial Stewardship Ministry, and the Health and Wellness Ministry. The church has adopted ten Title One schools in Hillsborough County and built community programs including the Beulah Blessing Bazaar, the Christmas Miracle Market, the Shoe-in for Success Back to School Drive, the Feeding of the 1600, the Beulah Community Health Fair, and the "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" community-wide baby shower.
Renovations during his tenure have included a complete repainting of the A. Leon Lowry Center, a kitchen and fellowship hall overhaul, new classroom and office furniture, new sanctuary carpet, LED screens at the pulpit, a renovated narthex, and a rebuilt entryway that updates the original 1969 entrance.
Pastor Harris's wife, Joy L. Harris, serves as the church's Leading Lady. A licensed clinical social worker and Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Region for Better Together, she leads the Women's Ministry at Beulah and previously led the Health and Wellness Ministry.
Sunday Mornings in Tampa
Sunday is the church's main gathering day. At 8:45 a.m., Learning for Life Classes meet in the A. Leon Lowry Center, with four options: a young adult co-ed class taught by Rev. John Hunter, an adult co-ed class led by Dwayne Merriweather, a women's class with Beverly Johnson, and a men's class with Jackie Davison. The 10:00 a.m. Worship Service fills the main Worship Center and is livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook. Services are kept to about 100 minutes, no longer than 110.
Children are woven into the morning, not separated from it. On the 1st and 3rd Sundays, Level Up Sunday gathers Kingdom Kidz (ages 5 to 12) and Teen Eagles (ages 13 to 18) in the Lowry Center for age-appropriate Bible teaching, interactive worship, small group discussion, and games, freeing parents to engage fully in the sanctuary. Every Sunday, the Baby Beulights Nursery cares for children from six months to four years. Both the nursery and the Lowry Center are secured facilities with controlled access and check-in procedures; every volunteer has passed a background check and Safe Gathering Inc. certification in youth and child protection.
Dress at Beulah runs the full range - suits and dresses, slacks and shirts, t-shirts and jeans all sit comfortably in the same pews. Reserved parking is set aside for first-time guests. African American gospel music fills the room; African garb sometimes appears; and the preaching carries an unapologetic Black theological voice rooted in Luke 4:16-19.
Worship & Fine Arts
Music is central to Beulah's identity. The BBIC Mass Choir, a combined ensemble under Rev. Isaac Ruffin, sings on the first Sunday of the month and rehearses on the preceding Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The Male Chorus ministers on the third Sunday and rehearses each Wednesday before that Sunday at 7:30 p.m. The Women's Ensemble and the EMG Youth Choir round out the rotating schedule, with the youth choir serving on the fourth Sunday. A Dance & Fine Arts Ministry, led by Jean Sanderson, ministers through movement and drama.
Family Life Ministries
Pastor Harris teaches that strong families are the foundation of a strong church and a strong society, and Beulah has built out a network of ministries to support every stage of adult life. The Marriage Ministry is led by Pastor Harris himself. The Men of the Way, led by Rev. Paul White and Will Griffin, equips men through Bible study, fellowship, and service. The Women's SERVE Ministry, with Lady Joy Harris and Robyn Reeves, brings women together around issues of faith and life. The Singles Ministry is coordinated by Kim Brown and Sonia Polite, the Senior Adult Ministry by Dwayne Merriweather, the Sanctuary Ladies by Ida Campbell, the Ladies of Emerald by Iowana Whitman-Tims (who focus on homebound members and seniors), the Mother's Board under Mother Doris Brown (with a special emphasis on teenage girls), and Phoebe's Friends under Shirley Lowry (a ministry to widows, widowers, and bereaved families).
For those walking through particular losses, Divorce Care is facilitated by Minister Carrie Nathan and meets weekly. GriefShare, led by Deacons Michael and Evelyn Wright, meets for twelve consecutive weeks each fall and each spring.
HELPS Ministries
The volunteer backbone of the church is organized as the HELPS Ministries. Armor Bearers assist the pastor; Greeters welcome at the door; Ushers under Dwayne Merriweather guide worshipers to seats; Security under Michael Watkins keeps watch; Parking Lot under Malcolm Searcy manages the lot; the Beautification Ministry keeps the buildings and floral arrangements in order; the Culinary Ministry feeds events; Publicity under Ida Campbell spreads the word; Technology under Keith and Kim Palmer runs the livestream; and the Pastor's Appreciation Ministry under Lillian Dupree supports the pastor and his family.
Social Justice as Discipleship
What most distinguishes Beulah is the way it folds social justice into Christian discipleship. Borrowing from the model of the Black Church during the civil rights movement and quoting Dr. Jeremiah Wright, the congregation declares itself "unapologetically Christian and unashamedly Black." Its three-fold commitment is to Black Faith (preaching liberation and Black theology), Black Activism (protests, civic organizing, and advocacy for civil rights and equality), and Black Progress (holistic ministry that helps African Americans advance economically, educationally, politically, and socially).
The Social Justice Ministry, led by Yohance Pettis, works across five areas. Under civic engagement, the ministry recruits poll workers, partners with the NAACP for "souls to the polls," and supports voter registration with groups like the Urban League. Under food justice, it identifies food deserts near the church, runs food pantries and giveaways, and advocates for equitable food systems. Under economic justice, it equips individuals financially, speaks out against predatory lending, and creates space for Black-owned businesses. Gender justice and the broader work of advocating for African American girls and women round out the agenda.
Community Outreach
Several outward-facing ministries carry Beulah's presence into Tampa neighborhoods. God Cares, led by Traquita Hartsfield, is a mobile outreach team that meets people on the margins of society where they are, providing food and tangible care. BBIC Stylez, under Robyn Reeves, is a clothing ministry that distributes clothes to those in need, taking its cue from Luke 3:11 - "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor." The Freedom Library, coordinated by Shirley Lowry and Lillie Samuels, keeps hours on the second and third Sundays (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and the third and fourth Saturdays (11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), and actively collects African American books, including titles that have been banned in Florida. The Beulah Blessing Bazaar, the Christmas Miracle Market, the Shoe-in for Success Back to School Drive, the Feeding of the 1600, the Beulah Community Health Fair, and the "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" community-wide baby shower each extend the church's reach into the city.
Beliefs and Core Focuses
Beulah confesses belief in one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and in the Bible as the verbally inspired, trustworthy Word of God. It teaches that human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, rescued only through the saving work of Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man, was born of the Virgin Mary, lived without sin, died on the cross, rose bodily, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and serves as believers' High Priest and Advocate. The Holy Spirit is confessed as the one who regenerates, indwells, and empowers. The church observes two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Salvation is by grace through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Four core focuses shape the church's life: becoming a Scripturally literate congregation, building Christ-like strong families, pursuing social justice for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized, and serving the surrounding community. The five core values are worship, education, fellowship, ministry evangelism (ministering to "the least of these"), and generosity.
Joining the Beulah Family
Anyone interested in joining Beulah completes Discovery 101, the church's New Members Class, typically held on Saturdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Online giving, livestream worship, prayer requests, and a downloadable membership form are all available at the church's online home. The church office is open Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the pastorate can be reached at (813) 251-3382 or churchadmin@bbictampa.com. Prayer requests go to prayer@bbictampa.com, and church-wide prayer calls take place by phone on Monday and Friday mornings at 7:00 a.m. with a Wednesday Zoom prayer call preceding mid-week Bible study at 6:00 p.m.