A New Beginning
In 1955, Fellowship Church first began as a mission of the First Southern Baptist Church of Banning, using California Baptist University students as preachers for gatherings held at the Women's Club in Beaumont. Fast forward to October 8, 1961, the church was officially established as the First Southern Baptist Church of Beaumont with 33 founding members and Weldon Bernard as its first pastor. Two years later, the first building was constructed on 5 acres of land, dedicated on October 27, 1963.
Praying for what only God could do
For its first 15 years, various men shepherded the growing church including John Lewis (1964), Don Hathcock (1966), Fred B. Fisher (1971), and Troy Manley (1973). In 1977, God led Cliff Howery to become the senior pastor and Cliff served faithfully for 7 years. During his tenure, the Good News of Jesus Christ was faithfully shared, leading to many conversions and baptisms. Under his leadership, a new auditorium and educational wing were also constructed to accommodate the growing needs of the church and provide space for future ministry.
“I would be more than happy to be your pastor if you would pray with me to this end, that the things that happen in this place would be so supernatural, that the only way to explain them is the fact that God did it.”
A Long obedience in the same direction
In 1984, Cliff and his family were called to serve the Lord in Canada. As he transitioned to this new role, God's faithfulness was again on display as Dr. Walter Price was invited to be the next senior pastor. Pastor Walter and his family moved to Beaumont and the church experienced God's blessing in numerous ways.
Pastor Walter's unwavering dedication to biblical teachings helped strengthen and grow the church over 32 years. His steadfast proclamation of the Word of God led countless individuals to become followers of Jesus and receive discipleship. As the city of Beaumont quadrupled in size and underwent various changes, Pastor Walter and the other leaders remained faithful in guiding and nurturing the church through seasons of growth. Alongside the city's expansion, the church campus also expanded with new buildings and additions, reflecting the vibrant growth taking place. Additionally, the church spread the Gospel through fruitful partnerships with missionaries and Christian organizations worldwide, sharing the love of Christ with many. By God's grace, Pastor Walter's leadership helped shape the church and community for the better.
God's Faithful Provision and Kindness
As Pastor Walter approached retirement, our church began to fervently pray and plan for who would step into the role of senior pastor. In response to those prayers, Mark Rogers was called by God to take on that role. Following years of theological training and ministry work in the Midwest, Mark, his wife Stephanie, and their three daughters made their way back home to California.
Mark initially joined us as the associate senior pastor in 2014, and in 2016, he officially became our senior pastor. This transition was a testament to God's faithfulness as our church community displayed a deeply humble and graceful spirit. This new chapter in our church's history is off to an incredible start, and we're excited to see where God takes us next.
FOLLOWING JESUS IN 2020
The year 2020 tested our church and the world with the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. At Fellowship Church, we adapted to worshiping online, hosting multiple services due to capacity constraints, and even holding outdoor gatherings. Our leaders dedicated countless hours to prayer and discussion to navigate this difficult season in a way that honored Christ. The miraculous strength, health, and unity of our church in the aftermath can only be attributed to God's power. We are so grateful for His grace and guidance.
60TH ANNIVERSARY AND MATCHING GIFT
2021 marked a significant milestone at our church: 60 years of following Jesus together here in Beaumont! To commemorate this journey, our church hosted a picnic get-together for the entire congregation. It was a cherished time to celebrate God's unwavering faithfulness to our church for the last six decades. We also had two generous families who offered to give a matching gift up to $500,000 towards paying off our building mortgage. The rest of the church responded with overwhelming excitement and with the match, we gave over $1 million dollars to pay down our mortgage. In January of 2026, the mortgage was fully paid off and the church became debt free.
65TH ANNIVERSARY AND BEYOND
Over the last few years, as the surrounding area has expanded with new housing developments, God has brought hundreds of new people to Fellowship Church. Both our English and Spanish services have grown significantly, leading us to create more parking, use an overflow room and now add another worship service on Sunday mornings. On October 12, 2026, Lord willing, we will celebrate our 65th anniversary as a church. We thank God for his steadfast love towards our church family, and ask that he would continue to bless us as we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our neighbors and world.