Solid Rock Baptist Church sits at 8218 South Broadway, in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood of South Los Angeles. The congregation has worshipped at this address since October 1957, and the building has grown with it - a permanent sanctuary completed in 1998, an annex next door, and a parking lot acquired along the way. The motto printed beneath the church's name, "At the Rock, we are not only a body of believers, but we are a FAMILY," sets the tone for a congregation that frames its life around personal connection as much as it does preaching.
A Sunday on South Broadway
Sunday mornings begin early at Solid Rock. Morning Prayer gathers the congregation at 8:30 AM, followed by Bible Study at 9:00 AM and the main Worship Service at 10:30 AM. The order reflects the church's conviction that the Lord's Day is set apart for "exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private," as the statement of faith puts it. Two ordinances mark the gathered life of the church: Christian baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Lord's Supper, in which members partake of bread and the fruit of the vine to memorialize the death of Christ and anticipate His second coming.
Music has long been central. The Youth Choir and the Inspirational Choir were organized under Pastor Sidney Birdsong's tenure and continue to support congregational singing rooted in the gospel tradition. Visitors can plan on a traditional Baptist service with congregational hymnody and choral music.
Sixty-Eight Years on the Same Corner
Solid Rock was organized on January 23, 1957, through the vision of its first pastor, the Reverend Rufus Marshall. For nine months the small body of believers met at 4818 South Avalon before moving on October 6, 1957 to the Broadway location that has been home ever since. The first deacons ordained were Theodore Floyd, David Anthony, and Henry Redd.
The early years saw a series of short pastorates. Reverend Marshall was retired in January 1958, and Reverend H.F. Dean was called that same year and served nine months before resigning in October 1958. On January 8, 1959, Reverend Sidney Birdsong was elected pastor. His tenure, which lasted until his death on September 13, 1976, defined its first century. During those years the cornerstone was laid, seventeen deacons were ordained, the mortgage was paid off, the annex and parking lot were purchased, the organ and piano were acquired, a cooling system was installed, and both the Youth Choir and the Inspirational Choir were organized.
Reverend J.P. Anderson was called in September 1977. Under his leadership the roof was replaced, the building was renovated, the Christian Education Department was organized, and the Young Women Auxiliary was formed. He resigned on October 26, 1986.
On September 6, 1987, the Reverend Clarence D. Devereaux became the church's fifth pastor. Auxiliaries for missions, matrons, the youth and young adult department, and Bible study classes were reorganized in 1988. The Mission Department was organized that same year, and what would become a signature of the church's public witness emerged: the Wednesday Mission Outreach, through which the congregation has fed and clothed thousands of neighbors over the years. A Good News Radio Broadcast aired on KTYM 1460 AM beginning in 1994. In 1997 the congregation stepped out on faith to renovate the building; the old sanctuary was demolished in June 1997, and a new sanctuary received its permanent occupancy certificate on March 18, 1998. Reverend Devereaux retired on December 31, 2013, after 26 years of service. He now serves the church as Pastor Emeritus and Pastor of Missions.
What the Church Believes
Solid Rock affirms that the Holy Bible is "the God-breathed Word of God" and "the only basis for our faith and practice." The church formally accepts "The Baptist Faith and Message," a 1963 confession revised in 2001, as a general statement of its faith. The church's synopsis walks through Scripture, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, man, salvation, the Church, baptism and the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Day, and Last Things.
Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, with no salvation apart from personal faith in Christ. The church is described in Baptist terms as "an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in faith and fellowship of the gospel." God is confessed as one eternal triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who will, in His own time and in His own way, bring the world to its appropriate end, with Jesus Christ returning visibly in glory.
Wednesday Outreach, Sunday Education, and the Choirs
The Wednesday Mission Outreach remains the most visible expression of the church's commitment to its South Los Angeles neighborhood. Each week the Mission Department feeds and clothes people in need, a ministry that traces back to 1988 and has run continuously since. The Pastor of Missions, the Reverend Clarence D. Devereaux, continues to lead that work alongside the church's other ministers.
Christian education is organized through the Christian Education Department, the Bible Study classes that meet at 9 AM on Sundays, and the Sunday morning children's and youth work that flows out of the Young Adult and Youth Departments. The Young Women Auxiliary, the Matrons, the Junior Mission, and the deacon board round out a structure of small-group and age-specific ministries.
The Youth Choir introduces younger singers to leading worship, and the Inspirational Choir anchors the music program. Visitors who appreciate traditional Baptist hymnody and gospel choral singing will find both.
The Pastoral Team
Willie L. Young Jr. currently serves as Interim Pastor. Two Associate Ministers - Samuel M. Champ and Adrian Allen - share the day-to-day work of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. Reverend Devereaux continues his ministry with the church as Pastor Emeritus and Pastor of Missions. The deacon board, ordained in classes through the decades, and the trustees provide lay leadership under chairman Randy Williams.
Staying in Touch with the House
Beyond Sunday mornings, the church keeps several doors open. Contributions can be sent online via PayPal, by Zelle to srbcla@sbcglobal.net, or by mail to 8218 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90003. A prayer request form is available online, and the office can also be reached by phone at (323) 759-5955 or by fax at (323) 759-0553. Updates and announcements are shared through the church's Facebook and Instagram pages, where members and neighbors stay connected throughout the week.