PASTORAL SEARCH 

The Church Where Christ is the Main Attraction

Founded in December 1964 through the vision and faith of Bill and Geri McKee and a small group of committed believers, Brentwood Baptist Church emerged as a mission-minded congregation dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving the surrounding community of Houston, Texas. Initially sponsored by Westbury Baptist Church, Brentwood officially organized as a church in September 1969 after several years of steady foundational growth and pastoral leadership development.

Throughout the 1970s, Brentwood experienced seasons of transition and changing community demographics, positioning the church for a transformative new era of ministry. That defining moment came on February 3, 1980, when Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff was elected Senior Pastor. At the time, the congregation numbered approximately 500 members and stood at a critical crossroads in its history. Under Dr. Ratliff’s visionary, Christ-centered, and community-focused leadership, Brentwood experienced extraordinary spiritual and numerical growth, evolving into one of the nation’s most respected African American mega-churches with membership exceeding 12,000.

Over the decades, Brentwood Baptist Church became widely recognized for its dynamic preaching ministry, commitment to discipleship, youth development, educational advancement, missions’ outreach, and community transformation initiatives. The church expanded its physical footprint through the acquisition of additional acreage and the construction of major ministry facilities, including the Worship Center, Prayer Chapel, Joe Samuel Ratliff Lifelong Learning Center, Doris Gardner Ratliff Center for Child Development, and the Brentwood Federal Credit Union.

Brentwood also developed a longstanding reputation for addressing critical social and community needs through innovative ministry outreach. The establishment of the Brentwood Community Foundation strengthened the church’s impact in affordable housing, economic development, education, and health initiatives. The church became a recognized leader in HIV/AIDS awareness and transitional housing support through the Brentwood Cottages ministry and consistently invested in scholarships, food distribution, disaster relief, international missions, and community empowerment efforts throughout Houston and beyond.

Rooted deeply in biblical teaching and servant leadership, Brentwood Baptist Church has sponsored and supported more than twenty-five mission churches, expanded global ministry outreach through international mission and educational tours, and maintained a strong emphasis on spiritual growth, worship excellence, and social responsibility. During times of local and national crisis—including Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic—the church remained a stabilizing spiritual and humanitarian force for its congregation and surrounding communities.

Today, Brentwood Baptist Church stands as a historic and influential congregation whose legacy reflects faith, resilience, innovation, and compassionate ministry. As the church prepares for a new season of leadership following the retirement of Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff, Brentwood remains committed to its foundational mission of proclaiming Christ, strengthening families, serving communities, developing disciples, and advancing the Kingdom of God for future generations.