Pastor Rudy Abrot

our history

In 2001, God began to do something miraculous. He called a business man and his family, gave him a vision, and placed a burning desire in his heart to labor in the South bay area of California. During a warm sunny day in the month of May, in a small room no bigger than our current fellowship hall, Pastor Rudy Abrot and his family welcomed 16 people into the first worship service of Bethel Baptist Church.

What follows next after this promising start of one family’s sacrifice for the cause of Christ was unexpected and difficult to understand. Within the first month in the ministry, Mrs. Violeta Abrot, the mother of Pastor Rudy Abrot, went home to be with the Lord in June of 2000. In the midst of the grieving for the loss of a wonderful mother and faithful church member, tragedy struck once again. It was the second month in the ministry, while returning from Yosemite Park after a victorious family camp, where Christ-honoring decisions and commitments were made, when the two sons of Pastor Rudy Abrot were involved in a serious life-threatening accident. RR Abrot, was air-lifted and underwent emergency rescue surgery. The results of that accident left RR disabled for six months. In the third month of the ministry, Mrs. Rina Abrot was diagnosed with cancer.

But Pastor Rudy believed that God never moves without a purpose. After the trial of their faith, what happened in the next following years were incredible, inconceivable, and some would probably even call impossible. After outgrowing the small room where the church started in, the ministry in Torrance became a church and moved to its current location in Harbor City on December 2002. There in that warehouse facility the ministry of Bethel Baptist Church flourished. God allowed us to start the Bus Ministry, Youth Revivals, and Vacation Bible School. Several new Sunday school classes were added. The Soul-winning attendance multiplied. A Christian school was established to educate the children for CHRIST. Bethel Baptist Church quickly outgrew that facility and needed a new place of worship.

In 2005, Pastor launched a vision to purchase a property in Carson, CA where we can build and move to a new church property. Every year since then we have had Building Banquets where we have raised more than $280,000 combined. On September 2007 God allowed us to purchase a property in Carson, CA. Construction started in May 2009 and finished on October of 2010. Pastor Rudy always said, “It is not about the building. It is what’s happening inside the building that matters to God.” We believe that God can further His work through this building. We believe that Bethel Baptist Church can expand its impact throughout the South Bay Area and be recognized as a lighthouse where souls that are searching can find hope, where families can be mended and strengthened together, where the weary can find rest, where the next generation can be influenced to stand for Christ, where the gospel will be preached for years to come. The Bible says in Psalm 118:23, “This is the Lord’s doing; and it is marvelous in our eyes.”