Our History
Southern Baptist is a splendid example of a church which began humbly, overcame obstacles, and has become one of the strongest churches in Baltimore.
The history of Southern Baptist Church is a story of extraordinary favor with only four pastors in 94 years. These four men have made and continue to make monumental marks in being a model for others to follow.
Southern began in 1931. The first service was conducted by the late Reverend James R. Cole and held in a church on the northeast corner of Spring and Mulliken Streets. The building became inadequate to accommodate the increase in membership and Southern then rented an old theatre building, located at Bond and Eager Streets.
The Church’s early beginning was during the depression years, they experienced hardship in meeting expenses in the large building. Pastor Coel and officials decided to seek smaller quarters and rented a part of the Moses Kohn warehouse, on Aisquith Street near Orleans Street.
Pastor Coel was a fine leader, who served well until his health became impaired. He then asked for assistance from his brethren in the ministry, and the late Reverend James R. Grant, was elected Pastor after Pastor Coel’s passing, June 21, 1937.
In 1941, Southern was incorporated as a religious corporation. By 1942, the congregation had outgrown its Aisquith Street location. Plans to purchase the church building at 1530 East Preston Street were made. During that same year Southern relocated and three years later the mortgage was burned. The worship services remained meditative and every element had spiritual significance and meaning. Soon Southern became known as the “Friendly Church”.
As membership increased, Reverend Grant continued to push and instill in the members’ the vision “to build a new church”.
Prior to becoming the Pastor, Reverend Higgs, was converted, baptized, and fellowshipped into the Southern Baptist Church family in 1957. In 1961, he accepted his call from God to the ministry and preached his initial trial sermon under Reverend Grants’ leadership and tutelage joining the other Sons of the Ministry.
Reverend Nathaniel Higgs was elected as the third Pastor of Southern in 1966, after Reverend Grant was called to his eternal home.
Through prayer and God’s grace, and as the membership continued to grow rapidly, Pastor Higgs continued the vision, guiding the church to build. On June 4, 1972, the congregation marched from the former church home on Bond and Preston Streets to our newly constructed church edifice at 1701 North Chester Street. Later, four years and eleven months, on June 5, 1977, Southern burned their thirty (30) year mortgage. We, as dedicated members, knew then, as we know today, that with God all things are possible.
Under Reverend Higgs, Southern created an Early Morning Worship service to meet the needs of the congregation, allowing everyone the opportunity to experience a complete worship encounter despite their work schedule. And, in 1968 being a part of the National Prayer Band and in conjunction with the church’s southern background, the Vocal Choir was created with the late Deacon Lawson Chisholm as the first President.
Southern’s membership grew from 300 to nearly 1800 members and began other ministries, including multiple choirs. Under Reverend Higgs Leadership, Southern built the Coel Grant-Higgs Senior Housing complex, which opened fully occupied in 2002, just prior to his retirement.
On Sunday, October 6, 2002, Bishop Donte’ L. Hickman was installed as the 4th Pastor of Southern Baptist Church.
As a church, we continued “Doing Greater Works” and “Shifting and Stretching”. In 2010, Southern became One Church in Multiple Locations launching its’ first multi-site location in Harford County at the Regal Bel Air Cinema in Abingdon, MD. We outgrew that location and relocated to Aberdeen High School, also in Harford County.
“Exceeding Expectations”, Southern acquired the Joppatowne Swim Club in Joppatowne, MD. One day this property labeled the “Synergy Center” will be senior apartments and a community center that will be a multi-use facility that will include seating for approximately 350 persons for worship, where we look forward to “Moving the Community and Kingdom Forward” in Harford County.
“Believing all things are possible”, and “Going for Greater”, in 2016, Southern built its’ second senior housing complex, The Mary Harvin Transformation Center, located just across the street on Federal and Chester Streets.
Flexible we have been, for a brief period, 1701 was closed as the stage area of our sanctuary was renovated. We travelled just a few blocks up the street to Lake Clifton High School. Upon completion, we returned to 1701.
Having heard all that was going on in the life of Southern, if you have not realized by now, we are led by a great leader, Bishop Donte’ L. Hickman, who is truly a Visionary. Bishop Hickman concluded early on that the church is more then coming together for one hour of power on Sunday morning, and more than a building where we gather for worship service. That we must have church, but we must even more be the church. And being the church requires doing what Jesus did, among other things, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and educating the unlearned. That’s why we are having church and being the church that saves souls, but also making sure people have affordable housing, health and wellness services, food subsidies, early education, employment training, gainful employment, and safe places and spaces to grow our children and our families.
This is what Bishop Hickman means when he says we are restoring people as we rebuild properties. God wants His people to be saved and healthy, saved and be educated, saved and employed and saved and safe.
Under Bishop Hickman’s leadership, Southern sponsored the East Baltimore Revitalization Plan, a master plan adopted by Baltimore City’s Planning Department in September 2018.
We have acquired massive properties like the full square block of Chester Street and Lafayette and Collington Avenues, the entire 1800 block of Chester Street, a 25,000 square feet warehouse at 3030 E. Federal Street, the former Kash & Karry Supermarket at 1808 N. Patterson Park Avenue, three square blocks at Washington, Federal and Gay Streets and the former Bugle Laundry at 1501 N. Chester Street. These property acquisitions enable Southern to develop affordable housing and other mixed use property development towards “restoring people as we rebuild properties” in Baltimore.
A few years after this plan was initiated, Southern had to close its’ doors for full worship in 2020 because of COVID, although services continued virtually. The work continued towards the revitalizations, most notably, we went from pews to chairs, we expanded our electronics boards, and we now have a newly renovated, beautifully designed restroom for women and girls.
Now we are in 2025, and are moving to “Becoming Greater” as we prepare to open our West Baltimore location at 3459 Park Heights Avenue in the Fall of this year.
This past year we celebrated the groundbreaking for our Southern Streams Health & Wellness Center, located just a block away and construction is underway.
To our rich history we say, “God Be the Glory” for what he has done, is doing and will continue to do in the life of Southern Baptist Church. The vision, under Bishop Hickman’s leadership, Southern Baptist is “Transforming the Church and The Community into The Kingdom of God”.