# Xplore Bethel Baptist Church

> Virtual reality tour of Historic Bethel Baptist Church and its Civil Rights history. (iPhone/iPad app by TIMELOOPER INC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xplore-bethel-baptist-church/id1516594769 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [TIMELOOPER INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198864036)
- Category: Education, Entertainment
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 213 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2020-06-17
- Data updated: 2026-07-05
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xplore-bethel-baptist-church/id1516594769/reviews.md

## What is Xplore Bethel Baptist Church?

This virtual reality tour takes place at Historic Bethel Baptist Church, a National Historic Landmark located in Birmingham, Alabama. Rev. Thomas L. Wilder, Pastor of the “new” Bethel Baptist Church, will serve as your host. This tour is presented by the Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Restoration Fund in partnership with Timelooper.
“But for Birmingham, we would not be here today.”  This statement, made by President John F. Kennedy at a meeting at the White House with Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, the architect of the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and other movement leaders emphasizes the significance of Birmingham, Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, and Historic Bethel Baptist  and the pivotal role each played in the Modern Civil Rights Movement.  
Under the leadership of Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, Bethel became the epicenter for a non-violent, direct-action protest movement to end segregation in Alabama, that would eventually sweep across the United States and around the world.  
In 1956, due to the role thrust upon it by law enforcement, economic repression, social and cultural mores, educational inequities, unfair judicial and political sanctions, and the cries for justice from the African American community in Birmingham, bombed three times with no loss of life, Historic Bethel Baptist Church stepped up and never looked back.  The first bombing occurred on December 25, 1956, when the Bethel Parsonage, while the Shuttlesworth family was at home celebrating Christmas.  The second bombing on June 29, 1958, severally damaged the East side of the church.  The third bombing, December 13, 1962, damaged the church, the “new” parsonage, and surrounding properties.  After each attack, the members swept up the glass and had church even if they did not have windows.
Bethel was the headquarters for the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) which was established on June 5, 1956.  This organization, composed of sixty churches in Birmingham with branch offices across the state, led the struggle for human and civil rights in Alabama following the ousting of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) by the state of Alabama.  The NAACP was declared as a foreign corporation by the state of Alabama because Rev. Shuttlesworth, state president, refused to give its membership list to state officials. 
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. referred to Rev. Shuttlesworth as “. . . the most courageous civil rights fighter in the South.”  Because of Rev. Shuttlesworth’s reputation as a freedom fighter, Dr. King came to Birmingham to meet him and later invited him in 1957 to join in establishing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Their close working relationship is why Rev. Shuttlesworth invited Dr. King to Birmingham in 1963.  Rev. Shuttlesworth felt that if they could destroy segregation in Birmingham, they could destroy it across the nation. The climatic “Battle for Birmingham” in 1963, with Shuttlesworth, King, and Abernathy at the helm, played out in the streets daily as children, teens, and adult “foot soldiers” won a hard-fought battle for human and civil rights which led to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  
What happened in Birmingham as men, women, and children faced the dangers of home-grown terrorists is a story that must be told from Historic Bethel Baptist Church.  Annually, we have visitors come to Bethel from as far away as Australia and China.
President Barack Obama named Historic Bethel Baptist Church as a part of the Birmingham National Civil Rights Monument in January 2017.

## Key features

- Virtual reality tour
- Historic landmark exploration
- Civil Rights Movement context
- Host-guided experience
- Community Restoration Fund presentation


## Frequently asked questions about Xplore Bethel Baptist Church

### What is Xplore Bethel Baptist Church?

Xplore Bethel Baptist Church is a virtual reality tour that immerses users in the history of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church, a significant site in the Civil Rights Movement. The tour is presented by the Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Restoration Fund.

### Who hosts the Xplore Bethel Baptist Church tour?

Rev. Thomas L. Wilder, Pastor of the “new” Bethel Baptist Church, serves as the host for the virtual reality tour. He guides users through the historical significance of the church.

### What is the historical significance of Bethel Baptist Church?

Bethel Baptist Church was a central hub for the non-violent protest movement to end segregation in Alabama, led by Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth. It played a pivotal role in the Modern Civil Rights Movement and was bombed multiple times.

### Is Xplore Bethel Baptist Church available on multiple devices?

Yes, Xplore Bethel Baptist Church is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, making it accessible to a wide range of Apple users.

### How often is Xplore Bethel Baptist Church updated?

The app was last updated on October 12, 2023, indicating ongoing support and potential for future content or feature additions. The latest version is 2.0.

### What is the age rating for Xplore Bethel Baptist Church?

Xplore Bethel Baptist Church has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a young audience and families interested in educational content.

### Does Xplore Bethel Baptist Church have ads?

No, Xplore Bethel Baptist Church does not contain advertisements. It is a free application without any ad interruptions.

### What is the user rating for Xplore Bethel Baptist Church?

The app has received a perfect rating of 5.0 stars from 1 rating, suggesting a highly positive user experience among its early reviewers.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 2.0 — 2023-10-12

Visual improvement.

### 1.0 — 2020-06-18

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-05.*