ABOUT OUR CHURCH
THE HISTORY
Bella Vista Missionary Baptist Church
In October of 1950, Rev. George (G.H.) Nickerson Sr., his wife Mrs. Pauline Nickerson along with Mrs. Lillie Byrd began conducting prayer meetings and offering bible study in the community for the sick and shut-in. They gathered in a former beer tavern, located at 3221 Airline Drive, where they held their weekly services. Recognizing a need for spiritual guidance in the community, on December 21, 1950, Rev. E. S. Branch, Pastor of Fourth Missionary Baptist Church and Rev. McKinley Williams Moderator of the Independent District Association, along with 12 members proceeded with the formal organization of the church. They elected Rev. George Nickerson Sr., as the pastor of the newly formed church. The name of the church was suggested by Mrs. Pauline Nickerson and was reflective of the community in which it was born. Bella Vista translated from Spanish means Beautiful Vision. In 1952 the church moved to 803 East 36th Street, purchasing the first lot for $675 and a second lot for $1,000 in 1956. A sanctuary was constructed from a part of the former Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church Tabernacle, which was purchased at the City Auction. It had no windows or doors; a small enclosure was built around the piano to protect it. The members along with Pastor Nickerson worked diligently to improve the building and in early 1956 the church was dedicated unencumbered.
MISSION STATEMENT
At Bella Vista, We Encourage People To Love God Build Relationships and Improve Their Lives!
SENIOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
1950 – 1965 Rev. George H. Nickerson, Sr.
1966 – 1967 Rev. Paul Nickerson
1967 – 1969 Rev. Leonard C. Kirk
1969 – 2012 Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham, Pastor Emeritus
2014 – Present Rev. Jacari P. Davis
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS
1968 – 1st Christmas Banquet
1974 – Adopted “The Church That Cares” Mantra
1978 – Built New 2-Story Brick Sanctuary
1986 – Constructed G.H. Nickerson Multipurpose Building
Opened Christian Academy For Kindergarten Through 8th Grade
1994 – Began Annual Summer Enrichment Camp For Youth, Director Rev. Johnny Hawkins
1997 – Hired Full Time Youth Pastor, Rev. Bobby D. Thomas
1998 – Launched Resource For Christian Living Media Ministry & Radio Broadcast
1999 – Entered Cyberspace, 1st Church Website
2001 – Celebrated 50th Year Church Anniversary
2012 – Unanimously Chose Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham, Pastor Emeritus
2013 – Rev. Jacari P. Davis, Voted Senior Pastor-Elect
2018 – Modified Mission Statement: Love God, Build Relationships, Improve Lives
2019 – Catch The Vision Capital Campaign & Campus Renovation Project Initiated
2021 – Ribbon Cutting & Re-entry Of Renovated Sanctuary
In Memoriam of Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham, Pastor Emeritus
A native of Houston, Texas, he accepted his call to preach on January 18, 1956. He was licensed and ordained at the Galilee Baptist Church by Pastor Robert M. Shepard. A 1957 Graduate of Phillis Wheatley High School, his success was recognized through his induction to their Hall of Fame. Rev. Dr. Abraham attended Texas Southern University, Nassau College in New York, and Manhattan Bible Institute. In 1969 he became the Senior Pastor of Bella Vista Missionary Baptist Church, serving faithfully for forty-three years. Upon his retirement in 2012, the church voted unanimously to confer the distinguished designation of Pastor Emeritus. His influence was cast throughout the country after having discipled thousands, preparing Gospel preachers, and providing counsel to leading Clergy, Mayors, and elected officials for over four decades. Rev. Dr. Abraham was an ambassador for Christ, volunteering as a Crisis Counselor at Booker T. Washington High School, Affiliate Minister for the Christian Coalition for Change and the Independence Heights Youth Crusade for Christ, Community Liaison for the Independence Heights Baptist Pastors and Ministers Alliance, Teacher/Lecturer and District Congress 2nd Vice President of the Independent Missionary Baptist General Association, Affiliate Minister to Interfaith Ministries of Texas, and as Associate with the Christian Coalition for Change. His visionary leadership resulted in the construction of a new sanctuary and multipurpose building. Equally committed to the spiritual and social well-being of the community, he formed the Bella Vista Christian Academy and implemented a Food Bag Program and Prison Ministry. Weekly bible study included over two hundred participants eager to discuss the word. He focused on building a better future for the community by opening a Summer Enrichment Camp for Youth, with an enrollment of more than one hundred children. His monthly publication, Resource for Christian Living, became a staple for those seeking direction on biblical principles to manage life’s challenges. In 2014, he received the Houston Graduate School of Theology’s first-ever “Seminary’s Meritorious Service Award. Rev. Dr. Abraham traveled to the White House in 2015 and met then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the invitation of the Honorable Shelia Jackson Lee. The Virginia University of Lynchburg, in recognition of his lifetime of achievement in service, conferred an Honorary Doctor of Theology in 2017. A self-published author, his book, Somewhere to Lay My Head, was placed in the Library of Congress and at Texas Southern University’s Robert J. Terry Library.
His quiet and gentle spirit beckoned lost souls to come and hear about a man that would forever change their lives if they would but trust. A man of unshakable faith and integrity, he often shared how his life had been spared after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1980. His resolve to trust God, knowing he had only a ten percent chance of survival, is a testament to his unyielding faith. He frequently expressed how the church prayed for him hourly, and God granted their petition and graciously extended his life for more than forty years after his diagnosis.
Rev. Dr. Abraham was an outstanding pastor, teacher, preacher, and friend. His most precious earthly possession was his family. He was jubilant as he mentioned the beautiful love of his life Alice Hancock Abraham, his sons Michael and Timothy, and his daughters-in-love Tina and Nichol. There are no words to describe the joy he found in his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, mother, favorite sister, brothers, and other family members.
The world, Independence Heights, Houston, Texas, and most particularly Bella Vista Missionary Baptist Church, is a better place because of the dedicated work of servant leader Rev. Dr. Calvin J. Abraham. On November 5, 2022, we celebrated as his legacy is forever etched in the annals history by the City of Houston, Honorable Mayor Sylvester Turner, and the members of the City Council bestowing a Street Honorarium in his name