DALLAS (BP) — Two days after a four-alarm fire ripped through the historic sanctuary at First Baptist Dallas, the church gathered for worship in the nearby Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Sunday morning, June 21.
“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,” pastor Robert Jeffress told the crowd of more than 3,000 according to a statement provided by the church.
Jeffress has pastored the church since 2007. During that time, the church has grown to nearly 16,000 members and completed a massive building project that included a new and updated worship center which opened in 2013. The church campus consists of multiple buildings across a six-block footprint in downtown Dallas. At this time, it is unknown if any other buildings were damaged in the fire.
Dallas Fire and Rescue received a call at 6:05 p.m., Friday evening, June 19, regarding a building on fire in Downtown Dallas. Firefighters responded and within 15 minutes of the first call, a second alarm was requested. Then around 7:30 p.m., the scene was upgraded to a three-alarm fire. A fourth alarm was called in around 8:15 p.m. The Dallas Morning News reported that “more than 60 units were dispatched to respond to the structure fire.” The Victorian-style, red brick sanctuary building was erected in 1890 and was a recognized Texas Historic Landmark.
“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.”
Future plans regarding First Baptist Dallas worship gatherings have not yet been announced, but there are already plans to rebuild the historic sanctuary.
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Jonathan Howe is vice president for communications at the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.)
