The history of the Bronx Baptist Church is the story of the faith and prayers of a handful of people who had a vision. It is the story of their toil and sacrifices, and the toil of the many who came after. It is the story of fasting and prayer vigils. Overall it has been the breath of the Holy Spirit’s blessing and the using of those willing and obedient… We are confident that God will continue to work His purpose out as year succeeds to year.

The vision of a ministry in the Bronx was born in the mind of Rev. D. A. Morgan, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Brooklyn and affiliates of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). This vision was realized with the commissioning of Sam and Lola Simpson in the summer of 1964, while Sam was still a student at Northeastern Bible College. The board of the SBC was very supportive.

Together with representatives of the First Baptist Church and a small group of dedicated Christian friends, the Simpsons met regularly for prayer meetings in the apartment of Cecelia Robinson at 2114 Daly Avenue in the Bronx, NY. They formed a tight prayer band, asking God to establish the mission. In answer to their prayers, God directed them to small two family house at 2024 Honeywell Avenue, which the Home Mission Board purchased. On Thursday, November 6, 1964, the Bronx Baptist Chapel was dedicated to the glory of God in a memorable service of praise and thanksgiving. Present at the service were community people, officers of Metropolitan Baptist Association, members of the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn, Pastors of neighboring churches, and the following: Hyacinth Francis, Pat and Hervin Rattray, Cecelia Robinson, Joy Walker and Sam and Lola Simpson, who had all committed themselves to the work. Thank God, after 25 years, six of these foundation members are still with us.

The Bronx Baptist Chapel embarked on a vigorous mission to minister to the spiritual, educational, and social needs of the community. From the first week of existence, Sunday School, morning and evening worship services, and mid week prayer meeting were conducted. Within the year, three auxiliaries – Training Union, Brotherhood, and Woman’s Missionary Union – were formed. Social action, visitations, and witnessing were dominant features of the Outreach Programs. Invited friends, on seeing the depressed community and the dilapidated buildings were taken aback, but when they entered they fell in love word preached, the warmth of the fellowship, and the love of the people, so they stayed on to become members and workers. The mission grew steadily. It was obvious that God’s blessings were with the small dedicated group.

Exactly two years later, November 6, 1966, the Bronx Baptist Chapel with an enrolment of 64 members, was constituted into a church. The Home Mission Board, recognizing the spiritual zeal and missionary outlook of the ministry under the leadership of Pastor Simpson, appointed him Associate Missionary. Later he was named Pastor-Director for the Southern Baptist Church in the Bronx and in 1971, he was appointed to full missionary status.

With the expanded congregation and the growth of the Sunday School, the building at Honeywell Avenue became inadequate. A prayer search led to the present building, which was then owned by the Bethlehem Covenant Church. The building was purchased with a loan from the Home Mission Board. Except for some broken windows, and the absence of a baptismal pool, the building was fully equipped for worship and related activities. In April 1970, we moved in and held a service or rededication. In 1972, repairs to the stained glass windows were affected and a baptismal pool was installed. The latter represented a major accomplishment in the life of the church.

The years 1972 to the present have seen the implementation of many programs designed to glorify God by attracting the uncommitted to accept Jesus, promoting Christian fellowship among the membership, and many other ministries. While prayer under-girds, evangelism and missions underscore all our efforts.

Since 1973 the "midnight prayer" group assembled every Thursday from 8:00pm to midnight. Other groups that have since started are the "Monday Night Prayer" group, and the "Tuesday Night Lay Evangelism" Team. Each week these groups meet for prayer, then they fan out into the community for visitation, social action, and witnessing. Sunday evening worship service, and the Wednesday evening prayer meeting/ bible study continue to be held once a week. The desire for individual spiritual reflection and enrichment led to church wide involvement in a lay renewal weekend in 1984-85. Since then participation in a week long lay renewal conference is an annual event for some members.

Bronx Baptist Church is deeply conscious of the missionary purpose of the church, and seeks to under God never to loose sight of this urgency. Sponsored missions have included, Wake-Eden Community Baptist Church, Honeywell Baptist Chapel, Inter-denominational Fellowship of Co-op City, Grace Baptist Chapel, and the co-sponsoring of a Haitian mission. Plans are now being formulated to reestablish a Spanish mission at the Honeywell Avenue chapel. Bronx Baptist is very committed to street evangelism and recognizes it as an important avenue to spread the good news of salvation. That is why each year during July and August they conducted services weekly in the streets of various Bronx neighborhoods. In 1980, missions friends, Girls-In-Action, and Acteens auxiliaries began an aggressive involvement in missions. To date they regularly minister to the sick and shut in members and join in with a group of adults to minister weekly to residents of various nursing homes in the Bronx.

A prison ministry also exist, and twice monthly they minister to inmates of two juvenile correctional facilities in New York. Music provides another avenue of missionary outreach for the youth.

The social outreach program of the church extends into the arena of health, Christian education, and housing. The Medical Fellowship, composed of healthcare workers of the congregation, ministers to the health related needs of the Church members and the community through seminars, blood pressure, CPR training, and annual health fair and round the clock nursing care for very ill members as needed. With assistance from Federal funds the church operates a Food Service program to benefit needy families in the community. Recently a Soup Kitchen was started, and the kitchen now feed 150 or more people per Saturday. They are given a balanced hot meal prepared by church members and friends.

Early childhood education with a spiritual dimension is provided by a fully licensed Day Care program. Each year Summer Day Camp and Vacation Bible School minister to scores of community children and provide work sites for dozens of City Youth Corp workers. Along with other churches in the Bronx and through the active participation of the Pastor in community and borough-wide organizations, Bronx Baptist Church was instrumental in organizing the Twin Parks Association, which is a group of churches and community organizations working together to provide housing for the community. They provide 3000 unit of low income housing, two Day Centers, and number amenities. Bronx Baptist Church continues to contribute to the unending struggle to obtain such amenities as more and better housing, schools, sanitation, and medical care for community residence.

Bronx Baptist Church is supported in its efforts by the commitments of the Pastor and members, and also the sacrifice of many Missions Service Corp volunteers of the SBC, who serves for varying lengths of time as teachers, Day Camp counselors and "Sweat Evangelists." The latter involves a careful blending of plumbing, carpentry, and masonry, with witnessing. Over the years approximately 900 Southern Baptist laymen from 30 states have come to Bronx Baptist Church to work with the Shepherd Restoration Corp through the Bronx Baptist Church in housing rehabilitation in the South Bronx, contributing approximately $500,000 in "Sweat Equity."

Most of those who have benefited from the social outreach programs of the church have yet to respond to the claim of Christ on upon their lives and to recognize that He satisfies the needs of the whole person. This will always remain the challenge of the church. Thus, as we look to the future, our goal for the next decade will be a four pronged one. First, to expand the social ministry of the church to better meet the needs of the community; Second, to develop a discipleship program to train church member in the tool of personal witnessing; Third, to realize the expansion of the physical facilities of the church, thus, providing more space for church use and educational use; Fourth, to develop the existing chapels and the establishing of two more missions.