First Baptist Dallas Holds Worship Service at Dallas Convention Center Following Historically Destructive Fire

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 [email protected] or 214-663-9933.

SOURCE First Baptist Dallas