Metropolitan Baptist Church

 

Our History


From our beginnings in a Quaker Civil War barracks in 1864 to the present, Metropolitan Baptist Church continues to stand as a beacon of hope and faith.

Our odyssey began with ten souls committed to the truth of the Gospel and determined to live for Christ. It was a time of great uncertainty and pain for these now-free men and women who gathered in a desolate area of Washington known as “Hell’s Bottom.” But led by the Rev. Henry Bailey, they dared to think that from the ashes of war and conflict, a great cathedral for Christ would rise. They were certain that God would make a way for them, and their odyssey of faith began.

 

Great is Thy Faithfulness: The Metropolitan Baptist Church choir and congregation, under the direction of Rev. Nolan Williams, Jr. sing this great hymn of the church, accompanied by Richard Smallwood on piano and John Stoddard on the organ, during the 143rd Church Anniversary.

 

Building from the Ground Up

The fledging congregation of Fourth Baptist Church initially worshiped in tents across the street from Camp Barker, where Reverend Bailey had ministered during the war years to thousands of displaced former slaves. Answering God’s greater vision, they soon were transitioning to the future. In 1865, on “two good lots of land” purchased on R Street, the church began constructing a simple frame house of worship.

Like King David, Reverend Bailey did not see the completion of the vision he began, but Rev. Robert Johnson took it up as his own in 1870. With characteristic zeal, Reverend Johnson applied himself not only to completing the original meetinghouse but also constructing a larger church to accommodate the rapidly growing flock.

Having purchased two additional lots, the church laid the cornerstone for the new brick building in 1882. The first services were held there the next year – though in the basement as work continued on the main sanctuary. The sanctuary was completed in 1892, the year that Fourth Baptist took its modern name, Metropolitan.

Growing Strong

The Rev. Moses Wilberforce DeWitt Norman, Metropolitan’s third pastor beginning in 1905, oversaw the much-praised “finishing” of the new church through the addition of steam heat, electric lights and a magnificent pipe organ. During his 21 years of leadership, the church paid off its construction debt completely.

As with his predecessors, the Rev. Dr. Ernest Clarence Smith believed in the importance of education. During his 33 years as Metropolitan’s fourth pastor, Dr. Smith expanded the already popular Sunday School to include an adult Sunday School and he also established the Baptist Training Union, the Children’s Church and the Christian Education Institute. His preaching and leadership skills served as a magnet and membership continued to climb – once again signaling a need to expand to support the needs of the church’s ministries.

The Pastor and his People Celebrate 30 years of
Power, Passion and Purpose

Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. arrived at Metropolitan Baptist Church in 1977 – and from the start his mastery as a preacher and his vision as a leader brought about an energetic and expansive way of thinking about how to bring God into the lives of the congregation and community.

“I think that for both pastor and preacher, vision is not only critical – it is vital to the integrity of the ministry,” Dr. Hicks said in a recent interview in Preaching magazine. “I think that if there is a purpose-driven life, then there is also the purpose-driven pastorate and purpose-driven preaching.”

Much has transpired in these last 30 years. Pastor Hicks and Lady Liz came to Metropolitan a growing family with two young sons and then welcoming daughter Kristin in 1981. As all parts of the pastoral family have grown, so too has the church’s larger vision of itself.

 

God's Land in Largo: Rev. Annie Lanier and the Hearts and Flowers (Seniors) Ministry visit the Land in Largo in June 2008.

 

Since 2000, Pastor Hicks has guided Metropolitan through a process of preparation and planning that will eventually culminate in the congregation’s move to its new home in Largo, Maryland to a worship complex where we can better serve the spiritual and socio-economic needs of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region in the 21st century.

We have come to this significant milestone in our history as a witness to the power of God within our congregational life. As we go forward, building our community, Metropolitan will continue to be the church that serves God by serving people.

As the Metropolitan Baptist Church family turns toward the future, we thank Pastor Hicks and Lady Liz for leading the way through God’s love these many years