About

The Church of God of Bethesda Inc. was founded in 1984 by Rev. Marc J. Mertyl in Elizabeth, NJ. Driven by a deep passion for spreading the Word of God, Rev. Mertyl began his ministry by teaching his five children how to pray, lead worship, and understand the Word of God. At that time, in 1985, there were no Haitian churches holding evening services, so Rev. Mertyl began Church of God of Bethesda with night services, starting with prayer meetings and Bible studies with a small group of members.
In the following years, the church grew and moved to a larger location at Scott Plaza in Elizabeth, NJ, where the Word of God spread throughout the community and the Spirit of God flourished among them. However, in 1998, a fire destroyed the church building at Scott Plaza, displacing the congregation. For the next five years, the church held services at various locations, including the Mickey Walker Gym, Calvary Church on East Jersey Street, and the Elmora Theater, all in Elizabeth.
In 2003, the church was blessed with the opportunity to purchase a permanent home at 1135 Clark Street in Linden, NJ, where we continue to worship today. As we continue to remodel and grow, we thank God for His faithfulness and for how far He has brought us over the past 40 years. The journey has been filled with challenges and triumphs, but through it all, His grace and love have sustained us. We are excited to see what He has in store for the future of the Church of God of Bethesda.