Four-alarm fire destroyed the Church's
134-year-old Chapel Friday
DALLAS, July 21,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, July 19, a four-alarm fire destroyed a
historic landmark in Dallas – the 134-year-old Historic
Sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Dallas. The campus was
inaccessible this morning, so Dr. Robert
Jeffress, Senior Pastor, held a worship service for the
church at The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, with more
than 3,000 in attendance.
Dr. Jeffress thanked Dallas Fire Rescue and the 100 firefighters
who worked to contain the fire to the Historic Sanctuary on Friday.
The rest of the campus, which spans six blocks of downtown Dallas,
was preserved. He also thanked officials like President
Donald Trump and others who had
expressed their sentiments.
While mourning the damage to the Victorian-style structure,
Jeffress stated, "It's not the building, it's what that building
represents: it represented the bedrock foundation of God's Word
that never changes... We are going to rebuild and recreate that
sanctuary as a standing symbol of truth," Jeffress said.
Executive Pastor Dr. Ben Lovvorn
delivered the sermon Sunday morning, commenting, "We are
disappointed, but we don't despair, as the events of Friday night
awakened a spiritual giant with incredible resolve."
With 16,000 members, First Baptist Church of Dallas is one of
the largest churches in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Jeffress likened the events to that of Jesus' death and
resurrection, mentioning that on a Friday night it appeared evil
had won, but on a Sunday morning the truth of God prevailed. "We
can count on the goodness and power of God to sustain us in the
days ahead," he said.
"Let's have the world see and say what happened Friday night was
the best thing that happened to First Baptist Dallas, because
it caused them to double-down on their mission: to go to all the
world and preach the gospel," Jeffress concluded. "We're going to
make it through this, remember that historic place of worship and
do everything we can to honor it. God has great plans for First
Baptist Dallas."
The chapel was a historic landmark in downtown Dallas and plans
to rebuild have already begun.
Click here to watch Dr. Jeffress' remarks about the fire,
or visit firstdallas.org/fbdupdate.
About First Baptist Dallas
First Baptist Church has been a landmark in downtown
Dallas, covering six blocks of the city, since its founding in
1868. First Baptist Dallas named Dr.
Robert Jeffress as pastor in 2007.
Under his leadership, the church has grown to a 16,000-member
congregation, the largest in its history. First Baptist Dallas focuses on reaching the city,
nation, and world with the gospel of Jesus
Christ. The church's mission is to transform the world with
God's Word one life at a time through its ministries, including its
international broadcast of Pathway to Victory and its iCampus,
which reaches millions of listeners and viewers worldwide.
Media Contact: Abigail
Miller at amiller@firstdallas.org or 214-663-9933.
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SOURCE First Baptist Dallas