Yet again another historical location in the heart of Montgomery. Just steps from the Alabama State…read moreCapitol you will find Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. This building dates to 1889. There was a wood structure that served as the church until they completed this brick structure. This church has hosted university founders, civil rights fighters, bus boycotter and labor rights activist as pastors. The most notable one being Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That is where the King portion of the name comes from. Starting out as the Second Colored Baptist Church, they changed their name to Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Then in 1978 they changed the name to what we know it as today, Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. It is recognized as a US National Historic Landmark and is on the US National Register of Historic Places. This site currently is being considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sits on the UNESCO "Tentative List of World Heritage Sites." Outside there is a historic placard giving a brief history of the church. As well as there being a lamp outside that is "Lighting the Way" in honor of MLK. It is a must see when in Montgomery and not hard to get to.

I stopped by the historic Dexter Avenue Baptist Church while exploring Montgomery, AL on my…read morepersonal civil rights tour. This iconic church sits just a block away from Alabama's State Capitol building downtown, which really makes you think about how close these two different worlds were. The church is a must-see spot if you're interested in civil rights history. This is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor from 1954 to 1960, and where much of the Montgomery Bus Boycott was planned and executed. While most people know about Rosa Parks' arrest that sparked the boycott, I learned that a young woman named Claudette Colvin was actually arrested for the same reason months before Parks, she was around 15 years of age. The church became a place where people fighting for equality could safely gather and galvanize during that turbulent era. To my chagrin, the church was closed during my visit, so I couldn't go inside (which was a shame). I still took plenty of photos of the outside, though. Montgomery has done a great job keeping up the building's exterior, so I imagine the inside is just as well-preserved. But what I found out about the church's architectural design is the building dates back to 1885 and was designed by Pelham J. Anderson, as mentioned on the historical marker. The combination of the brick structure with white accents (railings, trim) creates a classic look typical of many important Southern churches of that era. So shall we say a blend of Gothic and traditional elements. Here are some quick tips if you're planning to visit my fellow historians: * Review the church's website for times to tour * Parking is free on weekends (always 5 stars!) * There are other civil rights landmarks within walking distance that you might want to check out too * Resonable priced hotels are also nearby. Even though I didn't get to tour inside this historical landmark, just standing there and thinking about the history and the fearless people that were in that building was pretty powerful. It reminded me that we must continue to be strong and fearless in fighting against injustice in America today. If you're ever in Montgomery, definitely add this to your list of places to see and experience. Keep learning and going and stay positive!

Loving integrated loving congregation that focuses on demonstrating through actions rather than…read morewords. The members here are loving and accept visitors with open arms, meeting them where they are in life helping them to focus on serving God and understanding God's word. I was so blessed to find this group during my time in law school.

Nice, friendly middle-sized conservative congregation. Has a number of senior citizens, and could…read moreuse some more young people. Mostly white folks. Knowledgeable Bible class teachers.

They just had their Grand Opening services with baseball legend Darryl Strawberry! WOW! What an…read moreincredible day! What a breath of fresh air in the heart of Downtown Montgomery! When you walk through the doors you instantly feel God's presence and feel like you're welcomed, wanted and loved. Such a friendly atmosphere! So casual and inviting. From the coffee and food table, to the first-time visitor gift, to all the friendly faces; it's my new favorite church. One of my favorite things is that you find every type of people there: every skin color and every economical background. The music is great, the setting is nice, clean and comfortable and there's even an activity room for young children. Multiple hand sanitizing stations are available as well and everything is very clean. If you're looking for a church that feels like home, GO HERE! You won't be disappointed! Services are every Sunday at 11:00am. The building is on Dexter Ave, right next to Chris' Famous Hotdogs.

I especially appreciate all the things the church has for families with children. Love building…read morefamily traditions like making Advent Wreaths at church, the church picnic, Youth Sunday, the Blessing of the Animals, etc.

We visited several churches in Montgomery but kept coming back to Gateway because they really…read moreshared the love of Christ when they taught and the people showed our family Jesus in their actions. No one walks around snobby acting like you're on their turf. They don't mind imperfect people showing up because they know we're all imperfect :) I think there's around 300 people in the service. They have an excellent worship band without being showy. The preaching is straight from the Bible and relevant in its style. Gateway is big enough to meet your needs but small enough to know your name. I'm glad my family chose Gateway!

From the owner: Gateway is a unique church in Montgomery, Alabama. We offer verse by verse preaching and…read morecontemporary praise times in the service. We provide opportunities to develop authentic community through Bible study groups and Life Groups both on the church campus and in the community all during the week. We are a plurality elder-led Baptist congregation. Visit our web site or Facebook page for more information.

On May 21, 1961, this church was a refuge for the passengers on the Freedom ride…read more The congregation first organized in 1866; early parishioners had worshiped during slavery at the other First Baptist Church in Montgomery, on Perry Street. Before the American Civil War, blacks were allowed only on the balcony of that church: "they were never allowed on the main floor of the sanctuary unless they were sweeping or mopping." In 1867, 700 African-American communicants had marched to an empty lot on the corner of Ripley Street and Columbus Street, declaring themselves the "First Baptist Church (Colored)" and founding what became "the first 'free Negro' institution in the city." The wooden building itself, which faced north to Columbus Street, was called the Columbus Street Baptist Church. Fire destroyed the first frame church. Between 1910 and 1915, the church was rebuilt (now facing east, toward Ripley Street) under the leadership of pastor Stokes. Members of the congregation were asked to each bring a brick a day to build it--hence the church's nickname, the "Brick-A-Day Church." In the first few decades after its establishment the First Baptist Church (one of the first black churches) became one of the largest black churches in the South, growing from hundreds parishioners to thousands. Almost a hundred years later, in the 1950s and 1960s, it was an important gathering place for activities related to the civil rights movement, and became associated with the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Freedom ride of May 1961. From 1952 to 1961, the church was led by civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy, a good friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., who preached a few blocks away, at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, from 1954 to 1960. I didn't attend service here, I had a plane to catch, but I wanted a glimpse of yet another historical marker. I did, however, hear the wonderful, soulful songs and vibrant music of the service in session. The church is also very beautiful. The only odd thing was it's right across the street from the jail. Just seemed odd to me. Get out of jail and get ya some Jesus!

The wife and I just moved to the area about a month ago and we've been looking for a church since…read morewe touched down. I believe we've found it! Just like our home church in SC, this place hits you with friendliness and home from the moment they open the doors for you. They had greeters placed throughout the grounds to say "hello" and give you a warm smile. This rang out with me as I held a similar position at our home church. It just gets you ready to receive the message. We went to the 11am contemporary service which means different things to different people. I normally wear jeans with a button down and blazer. The kids wear jeans and nice shirts. There was a mix on site, but you can tell it wasn't even a concern. My wife and I looked at each other after receiving a hug from one of the last greeters before entering the sanctuary. Her warm embrace was like that of an old family member. We got some coffee just before heading in a while we waited to finish it, a host asked was it our first time. When we said yes, he and another began telling us all about the church asking did we want to take a look around while we finished our coffee and did we want to see the children's area. The children's area was phenomenal and we set the kids up to go in. The hosts were so friendly and courteous you could tell the Spirit was upon them and this was a great use of their gifts. We went in just as the service was getting started and the pastor's message was well thought out, outlined and it was an atmosphere where we could listen versus being "entertained". I truly appreciated that . Another interesting thing was that the pastor explained that the offering was for members and that do not pressure visitors to contribute as he knows they tithe at their home church. That was quite refreshing. After service he also came into the congregation and spent a great deal of time meeting people before he and his wife went to the door to thank people for coming. It was a short service, but one with a clear message and a call to action. To me that beats theatrics any day! Upon leaving to get the kids, we saw that they were offering Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and we signed up for it! We met many people on our way back to the children's ministry. People of all colors and backgrounds and everyone was so nice. Another thing that sold me was their diversity. It is such a shame that churches continue to segregate themselves knowing that God created us all. It seems that the staff understands this and considers itself a beacon to ALL men. The folks in the Child Care area were so helpful! The director came to talk with us afterward even though it wasn't her week to work. She introduced us to her family and chatted with us for a while. If you are looking for a friendly church, one in the Word with plenty of ministries and place to worship in a diversified atmosphere... EVANGEL is the place to be. We'll see you there next Sunday!

From the owner: Evangel is a community of believers dedicated to connecting to God and connecting to others. As…read moremembers of the Assemblies of God Fellowship, we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

I just moved from Arizona because my cousin passed away, when I called in to ask questions about…read morethe church that were personal to me, the lady who answered went off on me for having an Arizona area code. She was very rude, if I could give 0 stars i would.

From the owner: The mission of the First Baptist is to fulfill Christ's Great Commission of Mathew 28:18-20 to…read moredevelop disciples by bringing people to Christ (evangelism) Building them up in Christ (discipleship), and sending them out to expand Christ's Kingdom (missions and ministry).