Bethel Missionary Baptist Church (BMBC) was organized on March 13, 1954, as Maple Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Authority to organize the church came from the First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC) of St. John, Kansas which was itself organized in 1885. On October 7, 1953, FMBC of St. John met in regular conference, and a motion was made and carried to endorse Bro. Charles Smith as a Missionary to Colorado.

Bro. Charles (Charley) Smith, his wife Mable and their son Billy arrived in Denver on October 12, 1953. They met up with Richard (Dick) Ferris, his wife Voy Vonell (Nell) and Jarry Smith and his wife Pat who had been attending the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Pueblo, Colorado. They rented the Maple Grove Grange Hall at 3130 Youngfield St., Wheatridge, CO 80215 for $7.50 per week for Sunday services. They later made arrangements for Wednesday evening services for an additional $7.50 per week.

Charter Members:

• Charles Smith (Pastor)
• Mable Smith
• Richard Ferris
• Voy Vonell Ferris
• Jarry Smith
• Pat Smith

Others taking part in the organizational service included:

• Edward Byrd, Pastor of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Pueblo, Colorado
• Ellis Fisher, Pastor of Missionary Baptist Church in Greeley, Colorado
• Steve Montgomery, Missionary to Japan
• Louis Thompson of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Pueblo, Colorado

In March 1956, Bro. Smith resigned the pastorate role and accepted a call to pastor the Tabernacle MBC in Pueblo. Bro. Smith recommended Bro Carlton Elkins from Sanderson Lane Baptist Church in Texarkana, Arkansas as a candidate to be the next pastor. Bro. Elkins visited and spoke in view of a call in April 1956, and the church called him to be the second pastor. He moved to Colorado and joined the church on April 22, 1956.

In October 1957 the church agreed to stop meeting at the Grange because of rent increase to $15 per service. They met in homes until February 2, 1958, when they voted to meet in the hall at Prospect Park and to change the name of the church to Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

On November 22, 1959, the church voted to buy an existing church property near 52nd & Carr in Arvada from First Southern Baptist Church. The total sale price was $15,425.13.

In November 1963, Pastor Elkins indicated he was being called to be a Missionary in Japan and suggested the church look for his replacement. 

On February 29, 1964, Dick Ferris was ordained and called to be the third pastor of the church.

On March 6, 1964, Carlton Elkins and his wife Dorothy were endorsed as missionaries to Japan.

On April 24, 1966, Dick Ferris and his family were endorsed as missionaries to Japan

On March 20, 1968, Dick Ferris, Nell Ferris, Perry Ferris, Carlton Elkins, and Dorothy Elkins organized as Kunitachi Baptist Church in Tokyo, Japan on authority from BMBC.

From April 1966 to January 1967 the church did not have a pastor. Bro. Will Spilman took over primary preaching duties during this time.

On January 4, 1967, the church called Edward Byrd from Harrison Arkansas to be the fourth pastor. The Byrd family moved after school was out and joined on June 11, 1967. In June 1970, Bro. Byrd resigned as pastor.

Bro. Spilman resumed primary preaching duties and was called to be the fifth pastor on September 12, 1971. He and his wife Elizabeth continued until October 31, 2025, when Bro. Spilman resigned as pastor. The Spilmans are still faithful members today.

On November 23, 1975, the church endorsed Jim Burks as a missionary to Grand Junction, Colorado. The New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church in Grand Junction was organized on July 29, 1977.

On December 14, 2003, the church endorsed Douglas Sanford as a missionary to Wiley, Colorado. The Valley Baptist Church was subsequently organized in Lamar, Colorado.

After much planning, the church purchased the land in front of the existing building on Carr Street and constructed a new building with the help of many volunteers and gifts of labor and materials. The church moved to the new building on January 1, 2004, and still meets in it today.

On October 8, 2025, Bro. Spilman announced his resignation as pastor effective October 31, 2025, after 54 years.

On October 15, 2025, the church called Elias Wilterding from Anchorage, Alaska to be the sixth pastor effective November 1, 2025.