Beck History Highlights

  • Beck’s Baptist Church, named in honor of William Beck who gave the land for the church, was organized on May 29, 1880 with 13 original members. Pinkney Oliver was the first Pastor. Worship services were held monthly, but Sunday school met weekly. Originally the Beck’s congregation was a member of Beulah Association.
  • In 1885 when the Pilot Mountain Baptist Association was organized, Beck’s was one of twenty churches forming the new association.
  • In October 1887, the church erected its first building, a one room structure, 30′ x 50′, at a cost of $600.00. It was dedicated on August 4, 1889.
  • In April 1903 the church increased its worship services to twice per month.
  • The WMU was organized in June 1927.
  • Because of a growing congregation, a new building was built on the same site. Including equipment, the total cost was $8,719.00. The building was dedicated on August 19, 1928.
  • The Baptist Training Union was started by Mrs. W.A. Cass and reorganized in 1928.
  • Rev. C.E. Parker was called as the first full-time pastor in 1929. The membership was 112.
  • The first Vacation Bible School was held in 1939 with an average attendance of 130.
  • The rotating system of deacons was begun in 1943.
  • The current sanctuary building, which seats 600, was begun in 1951 and was dedicated in January 1952. The cost was approximately $115,000.00.
  • The first Baptist Men’s group was organized in 1953.
  • In February 1957, the first church secretary was employed, and the church newsletter, the Beck & Call was begun.
  • With a membership of 660, an educational building was completed in 1959.
  • In January 1960 Beck’s started its first mission. In January 1961, it was constituted as Old Town Baptist Church.
  • In 1967, Beck’s Childcare program was begun and is still an important ministry of the church today.
  • In 1971, Beck’s gave 24% of its undesignated gifts to the Cooperative Program.
  • Beck’s activity Building was completed in 1974.
  • A second mission, the Northridge Baptist Church, was begun in 1988. The first building was dedicated on May 6, 1990, and the church was constituted in October 1994 with Rev. Bill Marr as its pastor.
  • In 1993, the main sanctuary was renovated.
  • In September 1995, a new educational wing was dedicated. This addition included classrooms, offices, kitchen, fellowship hall, and a large choir/hand bell rehearsal room.
  • In 1995 Beck’s began its third mission, a work with the growing Hispanic population. It began as a small Bible study. Today, the mission, know as the the El Camino Baptist Church, has a full-time pastor, Rev. Galo Maldonado. It meets at the Beck’s church facility and has approximately 100 in worship.
  • At this writing, the church property consists of over 30 acres of land. The facilities accommodate the needs of numerous program organizations and ministries. The gifts of Beck’s Baptist Church have grown from a reported $12 in 1885 to a budget of $615,198.00 in 2000.