Bethel Bible Village is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024. While the ministry of Bethel Bible Village has changed over the years, the mission has remained the same: to provide Christ-centered homes and education for children, equipping and inspiring them to fulfill God’s plan for their lives, said officials.
In 1954, what was then known as Bethel Bible School was founded on Signal Mountain when prison evangelist Floyd Hipp and his wife took in six homeless brothers. The boys’ father was incarcerated and no longer able to care for them, and their mother was in a mental institution. Just two years later, the news of a fire at Bethel raised awareness of the work that was being done in the ministry. As the community learned more, the need for children to be housed and cared for grew. In 1969, the name of the ministry was changed to Bethel Bible Village and it moved to the current location, a 50-acre campus in Hixson. Today, Bethel serves children ages 11-17 from a variety of backgrounds, who have experienced trauma or adversity in their life.
“Over the course of our 70-year history society has changed, people’s circumstances have changed, but the need to care for children who are hurting hasn’t changed," said Rosalind Connor, president for Bethel Bible Village. "We are greatly blessed to be able to continue to provide that care."
The campus includes residential homes, recreational facilities, and Bethel Christian Academy, a fully accredited middle and high school. Bethel Christian Academy specifically offers a trauma-informed environment for students in a small classroom setting. Bethel desires to serve more children in the future with a planned expansion project for Bethel Christian Academy which will begin this Spring.
Bethel will celebrate the 70th anniversary with special events as well as the annual Classic Events, the Country Connection on April 25 and the Bethel Golf Classic on April 26. The Superheroes Run For Hope, hosted in September, will feature a special birthday party to celebrate with the community.
To learn more details, register, or sponsor the 2024 events, visit bethelbiblevillage.org/events.