Bethlehem Baptist Church (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Bethlehem Baptist Church was organized in 1871 as the First Swedish Baptist Church of Minneapolis. It was an off-shoot of First Baptist Church, Minneapolis. Within two years the church had a pastor and broke ground for its first building, which was constructed at the corner of 6th Street and 12th Avenue South. That building burned in 1885. In May of that year the congregation purchased the Second Congregational Church building, located a few blocks away at 8th Street and 13th Avenue South, which continued to serve them for more than 100 years. In 1893 bi-monthly services in English were added. Swedish-language services were discontinued in the mid-1930s. The name of the congregation was changed to Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1946. The old sanctuary was demolished and a new 1400-seat sanctuary was constructed on the site and opened in 1991.

Bethlehem was involved in starting several new Baptist churches in the Twin Cities area, including Elim, Spring Lake Park, Edgewater, Wooddale, and Immanuel Baptist.

Bethlehem Baptist Church is affiliated with the Baptist General Conference, which operates Bethel College and Seminary in St. Paul. It is also affiliated with the Minnesota Baptist Conference.

From the guide to the Church records., 1871-2000., (Minnesota Historical Society)