History

History

Having been authorized by the Long Beach Missionary Baptist Church (Sharon Missionary Baptist Church), Brother Gilford Shuffield began to do mission work in the Redondo Beach area.  After some months of having bible studies in Brother Shuffield house, an opportunity allowed the group to rent the Hawthorne VFW hall to hold meetings on a regular basis. After a few months,  the Lord blessed, and a New Testament Church was organized on September 15, 1955, with ten duly qualified, scripturally baptized believers, having letters of authority from their respective churches. The church voted to name itself Hawthorne Missionary Baptist Church,  and Brother Shuffield was called as Pastor. The church adopted the Articles of Faith as found in the “Baptist Way Book” by Ben M Bogard.

In July, 1956,  the church purchased property and moved to the city of Gardena. The name of the church was changed to Grace Missionary Baptist Church.  In 1975, under the leadership of their pastor Choi Hokama, the church purchased property and moved to its current location, Redondo Beach, California. The Church originally worked in the American Baptist Association and the California Cooperative Association, but since 1964, it fellowships in the California State Missionary Baptist Association.

Pastors

Gilford Sheffield    1955-1973

Lane Lawless       1973-1974

Choi Hokama        1975-1980

Rick Howard          1981-1990

Steve Miller            1991-Present