Membership quickly grew, with most early congregants being enslaved African Americans who received day passes from their masters to attend services.

At this time members were already facing a split over which pastor to follow, and white congregants tried to force the blacks, now freedmen, out of the church.

[1] In this period across the South, many black Baptists were withdrawing from white-dominated churches to set up their own outside white control.

[4][5] This building, located at 1058 North Hogan Street, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

[4] Through this time Bethel Baptist continued to grow considerably, but political infighting led to parts of the congregation splintering off and founding new churches.

[1] In 1894 it was recognized as an Institutional Church by the state of Florida, authorizing it to undertake social and educational work.

[7] In 2000, the campus was further expanded with a $7.5 million building that contains a new sanctuary, conference center, space for youth and other support groups, and bookstore.