First Baptist Church of Bethany has long been part of the Bethany, Oklahoma, community from its campus on Mueller Avenue. The congregation is known locally for three things in particular: gathering for Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m., running a community food pantry twice a week, and sharing its campus with Fuente de Vida, a Spanish-speaking sister church pastored by Rosa and Freddy Gonzalez.
Worship on Sundays at 10:30
First Baptist Church of Bethany gathers every Sunday morning at 10:30 for prayer, worship, and the study of God's Word. The service is also livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, so members who are traveling or homebound can follow along. A church app is available on the Apple Store and Google Store under the name FBC Bethany, and a sermon archive is kept on YouTube for those who want to revisit recent messages.
The church's stated purpose is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and disciple believers into a deeper faith. Visitors are warmly welcomed, and a connection form makes it easy for newcomers to share how they heard about the church and let staff know whether they would like more information about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, becoming a member, joining a Sunday school class, or being baptized.
Five Sunday School Classes for Adults
Before the Sunday morning service, the church hosts Bible study classes for adults at 9:15 a.m. The classes are organized by life stage rather than by topic, and there are five of them:
- Adult 1 - Senior Adults
- Adult 2 - 70s and 80s
- Adult 3 - 50s to 70s
- Adult 4 - 50s to 60s
- Young Adults - 20s to 40s
The church encourages members and visitors alike to join one of these classes, calling the small-group Bible study environment a place where people get the most out of church as they develop relationships and study Scripture together.
Fuente de Vida: A Spanish-Speaking Church Family
Sharing the Mueller Avenue campus is Fuente de Vida, formally Iglesia Bautista Fuente de Vida. It is a Spanish-speaking Christian ministry focused on faith, family, fellowship, and service to the community, providing a family-oriented environment where people can worship God, grow spiritually, build relationships, and find encouragement and support.
Rosa and Freddy Gonzalez have served as pastors of Fuente de Vida since the COVID-19 pandemic. Their leadership has centered on building a church community around Jesus Christ, prayer, discipleship, family, and service, and on creating a place where people feel welcomed and connected. The church especially seeks to serve and encourage Spanish-speaking families, helping them strengthen their relationship with God while creating a supportive community where children, youth, adults, and families can grow together in faith.
The ministry calls itself a church family that brings people together for worship and spiritual growth as well as for fellowship, celebrations, community activities, and meaningful relationships among families and individuals.
A Food Pantry Open Mondays and Wednesdays
The food pantry is one of the most visible ways First Baptist Church of Bethany serves its neighbors. It is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and is walk-in only rather than drive-through. Each household may visit up to twice per month, and volunteers greet visitors, guide them through the process of selecting items, and help carry food to the car.
The pantry closes early on days when it reaches capacity - typically 50 or more households - and is closed every third Wednesday of the month for restocking, as well as on major holidays. Visitors only need to bring a valid ID, and the pantry is open to anyone regardless of where they live. Households that have visited a Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma location before can be found in that system.
Three parking lots serve the pantry: a north lot attached to the building, a middle lot at the main entrance, and a south lot along 37th Street. Visitors come in through the door to the left of the small playground, in the middle of the building facing Mueller Avenue, and exit through the church office door.
The pantry also points visitors toward additional community resources, including Micah ministry for those experiencing homelessness, the Salvation Army Central Oklahoma for food and utility assistance, Upward Transitions for transportation and housing help, and Skyline Urban Ministry for food and clothing.
Kids, Students, and Music
Children from Pre-K through fifth grade meet during the Sunday school hour at 9:15 a.m. and during the worship hour at 10:30 a.m. The children's ministry says it is sowing seeds of faith, planting knowledge and growing in wisdom, and welcomes families to join in the fun.
The student ministry, for teenagers, gathers on Sundays at 9:15 a.m. and on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Students learn together to lean on Jesus, connect with Him, and discover the purpose He has for their lives. The church is currently looking to fill the role of Student Pastor to lead this ministry.
Music is led by a Minister of Music and is part of the Sunday morning worship tradition of the church.
Pastors and Staff
Zack Potts serves as Senior Pastor, with Josh Veitch as Associate Pastor. Kendell Lowry leads music ministry, and Rosa and Freddy Gonzalez pastor Fuente de Vida. The congregation is actively searching for a Student Pastor to invest in its teenagers.