About Bethel Christian Center

The church that would become Bethel Christian Center began in a house in 1955 under a Pentecostal denomination.  By 1971, the church had built a facility at Madison Ave. in Riverside and the original pastor had left for the mission field.  Rev. Ron Halvorson and his wife Annie brought their two young daughters to Riverside to become the new pastors.

Pastor Ron had a vision for a Christian School system that the church campus couldn’t accommodate, so we moved to our current location on Van Buren Blvd in 1980.  A year later we withdrew from the denominational affiliation to become a non-denominational Charismatic church called Bethel Christian Center.  Our preschool was opened in 1983, followed by K-12 in 1984.  Bethel Christian Schools offers students a solid, Christ-based education that will prepare them for the life that God has planned for them.

In 2018 Pastor Ron retired as Senior Pastor and installed his son-in-law and oldest daughter, Dr. Mike and Dr. Ronda Crites, as the new Senior Pastor and Associate Pastor.  Pastor Ron is still a very important part of Bethel as the Founding Pastor.  Pastor Annie, a dynamic minister in music, preaching, and prophetic gifts, went to Heaven in 2019.

Bethel is a place where people can meet God. With exciting music, timely messages and quality programs that minister to all ages – from babies to seniors – anyone can find a place where they “fit.”

Bethel is and will continue to be a place where God is Transforming Lives and Building Christian Character.