FBC Lubbock - History

HISTORY

Since First Baptist Church began in 1891, it means that our church has ministered in this city in three centuries and two millenniums! This is not a record, but is definitely noteworthy. Many things have changed since May, 1891, when this church was born, but many are still the same.

This church still proclaims that a person needs a life changing experience with Jesus Christ before being eligible for church membership. We still insist that baptism as a believer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by immersion in water is a prerequisite for membership.

We still march under the orders of the Great Commission. We still declare that Christ Jesus is the only Head of our church.

The church is still made up of sinners in the process of being saved by the grace of God, who are looking forward to the consummation of their salvation at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray that we will be as faithful to the Lord in our generation as those who have gone before us!

HISTORICAL MARKERS

	Thomas H. Stamps 1891-1892 (some believe this to be the photo of Rev. T.H. Stamps)
June 1891	FBC of Lubbock began in June of 1891 when Rev. T.H. Stamps, a missionary for the Llano Estacado Association gathered local settlers to organize the congregation. They met in the unfinished jail at what was then Chestnut & N. First (now Main & Ave. G)
June 1892	The congregation met in the courtroom of the new County Courthouse.
	J.W. Winn 1893-1895
(no photo available)	D.N. Poole 1895-1897 Served at three other churches on the South Plains, commuting from Plainview by horse and buggy.
(no photo available)	Harvey B. Carroll, Jr. 1897-1900 The church (about 50 members) voted to build the first church building, and to hire the first regular, paid, pastor.
	J.R. Miller 1901-1902 First paid pastor of FBC Lubbock. He was paid $50 a month. Preached about two Sundays a month, traveling by horse and buggy.
1901	A heroic effort led by Mrs. J.B. Mobley in 1901 resulted in the construction of FBC's first Church building (it was also Lubbock's first Church building). It was located at what was then Chestnut & S. 2nd (now 13th & Ave. G). The first Church House seemed like a cathedral to pioneers!
(no photo available)	G. Otis Summers 1902-1903 Resigned to enter Serminary.
1902	In 1902 Baptist "Ladies' Aid Society Chapter" was organized; it later became "Baptist Women's Missionary Society" (which then became "Baptist Women's Missionary Union") in 1903. Mrs. S.A. Richmond was the chapter's first president. In the early years of WMS, charitable programs were financed by holding box suppers, ice cream parties, sewing and quilting bees, pie suppers, plays and musicals.
	Ben F. Dixon 1905-1909
1905	Brother Dixon and his family on the Church steps.
	Acker C. Miller 1909-1910
1909	Sunbeam Band.
August 9, 1910	The South Plains Baptist Association formed and FBC became affiliated.
	John A. Arbuckle 1910-1912 Died two or three months after resigning, FBC shared the cost of his headstone along with other churches he had served.
	L. T. Grumbles 1912-1915 Church building moved to Main Street and Ave. N a month before he left.
April 1915	Original church building moved to what was the Holly Ave. & North 1st Street. (now Main St. and Ave. N)
	J. B. Cole 191?-1919 No records showing when Pastor Cole arrived as pastor. First resigned May 4, 1919, but the church refused his resignation. Finally left July 1, 1919
1918	The Church was enlarged.
	Woodie A. Bowen 1919-1928 Ex-chaplain in WWI U.S. representative to the Vatican. Left only because BGCT recruited him in a statewide crusade.
1919	WMS members picked cotton to help fulfill the society pledge to a $75,000,000 campaign by the Southern Baptist Convention. Two upper floors were added to the red brick church, completing the original plans. A raised basement of brick was constructed on the Main Street site.
	Dr. W. R. White 1928-1929 Elected unanimously to be Secretary of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
1929	Rapid growth demanded more space, so the barn-like "tabernacle" auditorium with four classrooms was built. It was completed in two months. Although the Tabernacle was supposed to be a "temporary" structure, the church occupied it for over two decades.
	Dr. R. C. Campbell 1930-1936 Was elected General Secretary of the BGCT.
1934	FBC begins radio broadcast.
	Dr. Carl E. Hereford 1936-1946 Was in the process of planning a new church building.
1938	Tech Baptist Student Union was organized at FBC. The music program was enhanced by growth in the choir and the formation of the FBC Orchestra which was led by Herbert Brasher. Choir robes were handmade by WMU.
1941	Lattimore Ewing becomes FBC's first Youth Director.
1945	Rex Webster took over as choir director and song leader, a position he would faithfully hold for some 22 years! His sister, Imogene Harris, became church organist, a position she held until 1992!
	Dr. J. Ralph Grant 1946-1966 Durring his tenure as pastor, the present church complex was built, and church membership grew to be the second largest in the Southern Baptist Convention.
November 1948	The building site at Broadway and Ave. V was bought, loans secured, and interim financing arranged with banks. Abstracting and legal requirements met, the city's building permit office cooperated, contractors hired, and in mid-November of 1948, ground was broken! The eleven- story tower and sanctuary was under construction in early 1950.
February 18, 1951	Dedication day for the present building at Broadway and Ave. V.
December 1951	Jo Ann McIlhaney and James Conley were the first couple to be married in the Chapel. The Ford Chapel memorializes the son of Jean and Vernice Ford.
1952	W.M.U. (Ford Chapel)
1955	Jubilee Program
February 1961	The Activities Building was constructed.
	Dr. W. David Ray 1967-1972 Later became an Evangelist. Vice President of Development for Hardin-Simmons University.
January 17, 1968	FBC voted to sign a TV contract for 49 consecutive weeks of morning service broadcasts. The effectiveness of those television programs were so great, and the response so broad, the church never relinquished its television time slot so that it would be a live broadcast each Sunday! The Channel 40 television studio lies only 2 blocks from FBC. Channel 40 is now Channel 30 (Cable Channel 11)
May 11, 1970	A tornado devistates Lubbock.
	Dr. Jaroy Weber 1973-1979
	Dr. Fred Wolfe 1979-1980
	Dr. D. L. Lowrie 1980-1986 Promoted the aquisition of Channel 40, a low power TV station, to broadcast the morning and evening services.
	Dr. Hayes Wicker, Jr. 1987-1992 Dr. Wicker is currently the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church Naples, Florida. (www.fbcn.org)
	Dr. D. L. Lowrie 1992-2001 Retired on September 23, 2001 www.dllowrie.com
May 1993	"Love in Action" ministry begins.
1995	Centro de Alabanza opens.
November 2, 1995	University Baptist Mission Center opens.
June 1996	Good Shepherd begins.
September 7, 1997	ConQuest begins.
January 23, 2000	Body of Christ Day. Dedication of newly remodeled facilities.
September 23, 2001	Dr Lowrie retires.
	Bobby C. Dagnel 2002-present First Sunday at FBC was August 4, 2002.