The Bethel Missionary Baptist Church was organized on September 17, 1952, about four miles east of Forman, Arkansas, in the Wallace community. The church began as a mission of County Avenue Missionary Baptist Church, Texarkana, Arkansas, with Elder W.H. Snead as the missionary
pastor. Dedication services for the newly organized church were held on December 14, 1952.
     After several years of worshipping in the Wallace community, the church voted to move their location to Ashdown. On May 22, 1959, they moved their small building to the present location at South Sixth and Dougherty Streets, and in 1960 a new auditorium replaced the original structure.
In 1964 classrooms were added, and in 1967 an addition to the front of the building was finished. This addition housed an office, a nursery, two restrooms, and a vestibule. In 1969 the church purchased a three-bedroom brick home in the Thrash Addition on Click Street to be used as the
minister's parsonage. In 1972 additional property, west of Sixth Street, was purchased for parking and future growth. In 1976 a 200 person capacity auditorium was built adjacent to the older building and was dedicated to the Lord on February 8. The old auditorium was converted into six classrooms and a fellowship area with kitchen facilities. In 1984 the church purchased a two-bedroom brick house on Richmond Street to be used as the music director's parsonage.
     From its beginning, the church has associated in the Southwestern Missionary Baptist Association, State Association of Missionary Baptist Churches of Arkansas, and the American Baptist Association.