First Baptist Dallas leaders and congregants on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating four-alarm fire that destroyed the downtown church’s historic sanctuary.
First Baptist Dallas marks anniversary of fire that destroyed historic chapel
Adrian Ashford on the anniversary of the First Baptist Fire July 11, 2025.
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Church officials presented a memorial plaque to the Dallas firefighters who helped contain the July 19, 2024 fire before holding a news conference to provide the latest details on the efforts to reconstruct the old chapel that has been a part of the urban core for over a century.
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The 134-year-old building, located in the heart of downtown Dallas, had served as First Baptist’s primary place of worship before a $130 million expansion was completed in 2013.
It then served as a secondary chapel for First Baptist. That historic building has been mostly demolished, senior executive pastor Ben Lovvorn told The Dallas Morning News this week.
Related:First Baptist Dallas marks anniversary of fire that destroyed historic chapel
In service Sunday, Lovvorn and senior pastor Robert Jeffress gave a group of Dallas firefighters a commemorative axe that said “Dallas-Fire Rescue.” Jeffress thanked the firefighters for containing the fire last year, ensuring that the church’s main sanctuary remained intact.
Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighters, including driver/engineer Kevin Middleton (center), bow their heads in prayer as First Baptist Dallas marked the one-year anniversary of the chapel fire by honoring the Dallas firefighters during their Sunday service in downtown Dallas, July 13, 2025. First Baptist Dallas’ historic secondary chapel, which was over a century old, was destroyed in a four-alarm fire last July.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
By the evening of July 19 last year, more than 60 units were responding to the fire, according to a list of active calls on Dallas Fire-Rescue’s website.
Jeffress also preached a sermon on Satan’s methods for deceiving believers through well-timed temptation. He said the devil could use catastrophes, like the deadly floods this month in the Texas Hill Country, to encourage people to question God.
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“The great promise for Christians this morning is this: You do not have to be another casualty on the spiritual battlefield,” Jeffress said. He reminded listeners that Jesus endured temptation and difficult circumstances, but remained obedient to God.
First Baptist plans to rebuild its historic sanctuary, and hopes to break ground on reconstruction of the building in January 2026, Lovvorn said. The church hopes to preserve and restore two of the historic chapel’s original walls and complete the rebuild by Easter 2028.
Lovvorn said it would be premature to share a cost estimate for the rebuild. First Baptist is currently running a fundraising campaign with a goal to raise $95 million for “our 2025-2026 ministry budget, the reconstruction of the Sanctuary, and the enhancement of our church campus,” according to its website.
Related:First Baptist Dallas shares renderings for rebuild of sanctuary damaged in fire
First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress speaks to media following a service for the one-year anniversary of the chapel fire during their Sunday service in downtown Dallas, July 13, 2025. Jeffress made a statement about insurance carrier Travelers and a shortfall of payment that he said the carrier wants to make for the historic chapel that burned a year ago. First Baptist Dallas’ historic secondary chapel, which was over a century old, was destroyed in a four-alarm fire last July.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
Jeffress told reporters that reconstruction of the sanctuary was stalled as the church negotiated with its insurance carrier. He said if the church followed the insurance company’s plans, they would have to tear down the building’s two remaining walls, which they were hoping to preserve.
Two media contacts for Travelers, the church’s insurance carrier, did not immediately respond to phone requests for comment Sunday from The News.
In October, First Baptist released renderings that provided a first look at its plans for the rebuild. The church shared several new images after service Sunday.
The reconstructed sanctuary will be modeled after a 1908 design of the building, which has been through four remodelings, Jeffress told The News in October.
The building’s steeple will also resemble the steeple in the 1908 design, he said. The church hopes the steeple will light up at night and become a downtown Dallas landmark.
A new rendering released by First Baptist shows plans for the reconstructed interior of the church’s historic sanctuary.(Courtesy of First Baptist Dallas)
First Baptist selected the Beck Group, one of Dallas’ best-known design and construction companies, to lead the rebuild. The church worked with the Beck Group on two recent projects, including its 2013 expansion.
Shelly Taylor, minister to preschool and children, talked with The News after service about her memories of the fire last year.
Taylor runs the church’s Vacation Bible School program for children, and said a large group of children were at VBS at the church hours before the fire last year. Taylor said she was grateful those children had been sent home before the fire broke out.
“We see the hand of God, and we really see his protection over us,” she said. “Even though the fire was terrible, and we’re sad about that, God really protected our children and our staff.”