First Baptist Dallas releases designs of historic sanctuary destroyed in July fire
DALLAS — First Baptist Dallas revealed designs to rebuild its historic sanctuary at Sunday morning church services. The church's more than 130-year-old building burned down more than three months ago.
The First Baptist Dallas congregation gathered eagerly to hear the details and see the designs of the new historic sanctuary destroyed by a July 19 fire.
"Our goal is to raise $95 million. This is the largest mission on a campaign that we have ever undertaken as a church," senior executive pastor Dr. Ben Lovvorn said.
Senior pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress said the design includes a larger steeple like the 1908 version.
"We're going to have it beautifully illuminated at night, and I think it will be an iconic space for downtown Dallas," Jeffress said.
The new sanctuary will feature three times more community space and more stained glass.
"We're actually lifting up the entrance from the ground level to the second level of our new campus that opened in 2013," Jeffress said.
Church members said they like the combination of traditional and contemporary features in the design, but it's the meaning behind rebuilding that means the most.
"We are still planning to keep that magical, that 'wow moment,' that 'wow factor' as part of the sanctuary but seeing it just a little bit, maybe modernized, but still keeping all that memory in there," church member Sarah Barrientos said.
"To see the sanctuary rebuilt has meant a lot to me because it always symbolized the church to me and had always been a symbol of what First Baptist Dallas had been throughout the past over 150 years," church member Daniel Ameri said.
More detailed images of the new sanctuary will be released the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
"God causes all things to work together for a good, and we think the end result is going to be a church that is improved in its facility, but also points us in the God that we love in this story," Jeffress said.
Construction of the new historic sanctuary is set to begin in January, as the church rises from the ashes to begin a new chapter in its story.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, although fire investigators said it was not arson. The church's fountain is already repaired and working again.
