Bellevue Baptist Memphis, Terni. which presents four or more major productions each year. Dr. Lee has said that the church has a twofold purpose—“To bring souls into Christ’s kingdom and to put the saved to work.” And Bellevue seems to be sticking to this goal today as it did 50 years ago.
Church of the Month
F ifty years ago when Memphis, Tenn., was a bustling river town Bellevue Baptist Church was dedi cated. Then it was a little stone church in the wildwood; today the grounds and buildings cover almost a square block. But the gospel mes sage is the same. When the , church was organized on August 12, 1903 there was a mem bership of 32. It is now over 9,000 and growing steadily. Its members contribute a third of a million dol lars a year to Christian work, includ ing over $100,000 to missions. They also have the largest Sunday school in the Southern Baptist Convention. This church is noted for its out standing work in Christian education. Each teacher and worker must sign a “ teacher’s covenant” pledging him self to the efficient teaching of the
Bible and a consecrated Christian life. Each Sunday before the evening service oyer 1,500 young people and adults meet in Baptist Training Un ion groups. They learn about their denomination at home and abroad and review the whole program of the church and their place in it. This organization acts as a basic-training course for workers in every depart ment of the church. Dr. Robert Greene Lee has been pastor at Bellevue for 25 years. His fame as a preacher has spread throughout the entire nation, and he has served as president of the South ern Baptist Convention. The church has eight choirs fully graded with an over-all enrollment of 732. Throughout the year they present many fine musical programs. There is also a dramatic department
Poland Photo Dr. Lee administers the rite of baptism. THE KING'S BUSINESS
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