THE HISTORY OF GREATER BELL ZION MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Organized in 1885 by Rev. I.S. Campbell, a God led man who was sent from Maryland to organize a church.
He was the first Baptist Missionary to organize churches in Texas.
He along with a few dedicated Christians worked to establish a church in a small community that was known as the Highlands. They were led by the Spirit of God to organize the “Campbellville Missionary Baptist Church.
The Trailblazers were Albert Phillips, Reverend Charles Anderson, J. Britton, Walter Bell,Sr., Dave Hobgood, William Bell, Sr., Catherine Bell, Sis. Ellen Hobgood and a few others.
G.B.Z.M.B.C. is the oldest African American Baptist Church on the Mainland more than 128 years old, family oriented in traditional Spiritual teachings. GBZMBC has only had 14 pastors including the present serving pastor Rev. Jerry B. Lee, Jr.
The land to construct the church was donated by the Bell Families. The first name of the church was Campbellville because the organizer was named Campbell. The second name was Jefferson Chapel, the pastor at this time was named Jefferson, so they named the church for him, later the church was renamed because the majority of the members at this time had the name of Bell thus the name, Bell’s Chapel Church.
The church is resilient, it has stood the test of time, the storm of 1915 that greatly damaged Galveston county destroyed one church, a fire destroyed another, but through it all, she is still standing strong.
1950 the church was renamed: Bell Zion Missionary Baptist Church, after much improvements and remodeling to the church the word Greater was added to the church name.