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When the town of Irving was founded in 1903, developers Julius Otto Schulze and Otis Brown set aside parcels of land for the Baptist, Church of Christ, and Catholic denominations. The new town grew steadily, and by January 1904 the Irving Baptist Church was organized. Led by the Rev. Dr. J. B. Gambrell, the congregation began with eighteen charter members. The Rev. W. J. Shipman was called as First Pastor, and he conducted worship services once a month. Early worship services were held in a local schoolhouse, in rented quarters, and in a temporary tabernacle on this site until a permanent structure was completed in 1911. The Rev. W. T. Newsom became the congregation's first full-time pastor in 1920. The name was changed from Irving Baptist Church to First Baptist Church of Irving in 1940. A new sanctuary was completed in 1951, and by 1964 the church's facilities had expanded to include an entire city block. The First Baptist Church has grown with the City of Irving. Since its humble beginnings in 1904, the church's services to the community have grown to include a variety of worship, educational, missionary, and outreach programs. |
