Another Church Sold at Auction: Beacon Light in New Orleans Goes to Liberty Bank for $1.53M

Beacon Light International Baptist Cathedral in New Orleans — the Gentilly church led by Bishop Darryl S. Brister — has been sold at a sheriff's auction to Liberty Bank and Trust Company for $1.53 million, according to WDSU News.

The property at 1937 Mirabeau Avenue went to auction after a writ of seizure and sale totaling $2,380,249.64 was issued in favor of Liberty Bank. Orleans Parish sheriff's sale records name the church, Bishop Darryl S. Brister and Dr. Dionne Brister in connection with the judgment.

Court records show the congregation tried twice to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The church first filed on October 22, 2025 (Case No. 25-12399); that case was dismissed on January 16, 2026. A second filing followed on April 1, 2026 (Case No. 26-10789), listing roughly $3.6 million in assets against approximately $23.3 million in liabilities. The creditor list included Liberty Bank, Lexus Financial, Entergy and Cox Communications. The second case was dismissed on June 30, 2026 on the bank's motion, clearing the way for the auction.

The church also serves as an Orleans Parish polling place. Clerk of Court Chelsey Napoleon said in a statement to WDSU that if any polling location becomes unavailable, her office coordinates immediately with the City Council, the Registrar of Voters and the Secretary of State to secure a suitable site in or near the precinct, and that affected voters will be notified. Voters can confirm their polling location at voterportal.sos.la.gov.

WDSU reported that it reached out to church leaders for comment and had not received a response as of its September 18 report. Kulture Newz has also sought comment from the church and will add any response here. It remains unclear what the sale means for the congregation's future at the property.

Beacon Light is the second prominent Black church property in recent months to change hands amid bankruptcy proceedings. In Brooklyn, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church — which operates as Pleasant Grove Tabernacle, led by Bishop Albert L. Jamison Sr. — filed for Chapter 11 protection on December 11, 2025 (Case No. 25-45931, Eastern District of New York). Court records show the church moved to sell its historic Fulton Street property under Section 363(b) of the bankruptcy code; reports have placed the sale at $6 million, a figure Kulture Newz has not independently verified.

These are not small storefronts with brief histories. Both are established congregations led by nationally recognized bishops — ministries that have served their communities for decades.

Researchers estimate that more than 1,000 churches filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy between 2006 and 2021, with dozens more seeking reorganization each year, according to the Canopy Forum on law and religion. Declining attendance, reduced giving, rising operating costs, major mortgages and aging buildings are forcing more congregations to consider bankruptcy, consolidation or the sale of their properties.

This is bigger than one pastor or congregation. It raises a serious question for today's church: how do we preserve ministry while also practicing the financial stewardship necessary to protect the house?