A rendering of the planned reconstruction of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. | Screenshot/YouTube/First Baptist Dallas
First Baptist Dallas has revealed ambitious designs to reconstruct its historic sanctuary, which was devastated by a fire earlier this year.
First Baptist Dallas’ Executive Pastor Jeff Lovvorn outlined the church’s efforts to rebuild during its service on Sunday.
“Our goal is to honor the past while looking forward to what God will do here,” Lovvorn stated. “We are committed to preserving the historic exterior walls of the sanctuary, and we’ve been working diligently to shore them up during this challenging time.”
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The proposed designs feature a larger steeple, reminiscent of the original structure, and plans for restored stained glass windows that will enhance the worship space.
“The steeple has been a symbolic cornerstone for our church, reminding us that Jesus Christ is our true cornerstone,” Lovvorn added.
The new sanctuary will also include an elevated floor and a redesigned pulpit, which will be oriented on the north side of the building. This change, said Lovvorn, aims to create a more welcoming atmosphere for worshipers while incorporating modern amenities, including an expanded fellowship space, a grand staircase, and a new multi-purpose venue beneath the sanctuary.
Lovvorn said First Baptist Dallas is planning its largest fundraising effort ever, Mission 18, in order to bring its new vision to life by raising $95 million to support both the new sanctuary and other church ministries.
“We see this not just as a reconstruction but as a vision for the future,” Lovvorn emphasized.
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Construction of the new sanctuary space is scheduled to begin in January, according to CBS News.
Following the fire, which occurred in late July, the congregation has rallied together in faith and determination. One congregant who’s been a member of the church for 13 years expressed their grief over the loss but also their hope for the future: “It’s heartbreaking to see our sanctuary gone, but I believe in the church’s mission and the strength of our community.”
As plans continue to develop, First Baptist Dallas encouraged its congregation and the wider community to participate in the rebuilding efforts.
“This is our opportunity to make history for the glory of God,” Lovvorn concluded, urging members to pray and contribute to the cause.
The church’s leadership plans to provide ongoing updates and renderings as the rebuilding progresses over the next two years.
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Founded in 1890, the historic red brick sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas was gutted by the fire, which originated in the basement and caused extensive damage, but somehow spared the historic pulpit from the flames.
Fire investigators have not determined the cause of the fire, but arson has been ruled out.
The church has been a cornerstone in the Southern Baptist Convention, often described as the “Notre Dame” of the denomination. Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress, a former spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump, leads the congregation of about 16,000 members.
Reflecting on the fire, Dr. Richard D. Land, a former associate pastor and professor at First Baptist Dallas, shared his personal connection to the church in his weekly column for The Christian Post. Land recounted his years of service and the deep community ties within the church, which have seen generations of families worship and grow in their faith together.
Land said while the church’s physical structure has suffered, its congregation’s spirit remains unbroken. He told readers that the spiritual essence of the church is not confined to its buildings but embodied by its people and their faith.
DALLAS – A Dallas Police investigation into a double homicide continues after the suspected gunman was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Mesquite, authorities announced.
Double murder-suicide investigation
What we know:
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Dallas officers responded to a shooting call in the 15800 block of El Estado Drive in Far North Dallas at 2:40 p.m. on December 11, 2025. The preliminary investigation determined that two people had been shot.
The victims were identified as 24-year-old Arlina Sander, who died at the scene, and 27-year-old Darvilease Washington, who was taken to a local hospital where he later died.
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Detectives quickly identified a possible suspect and a suspect vehicle registered in Mesquite. As Dallas detectives prepared an arrest warrant, they were notified by the Mesquite Police Department about a shooting in that city.
Suspect found dead in Mesquite
The suspect in the El Estado homicides was found dead in the 1000 block of Craig Drive in Mesquite, having suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect’s vehicle was found in the driveway.
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The Dallas County Medical Examiner has identified the man as 44-year-old Jonathan Lakill Mantoy Jones. His time of death was just after 5 p.m., according to the M.E. report.
What we don’t know:
The motives and circumstances surrounding the offense are still under investigation.
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Dallas Police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Paul Johnson at 469-271-6328 or via email at paul.johnson@dallaspolice.gov.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas Police Department.
After a gloomy Saturday, cold temperatures moved through Dallas-Fort Worth through the evening, though the area is expected to see some sunshine on Sunday.
Temperatures are forecast to reach a high near 43 on Sunday with early morning wind chills in the 20s or lower for parts of North Texas, according to the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
Nighttime temperatures are likely to drop to a below-freezing 28, with wind gusts calming down in the evening after reaching as high as 30 mph during the day.
The coming week is expected to be somewhat sunny, barring some cloud cover during the night.
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Starting Tuesday, the weather is supposed to get warmer with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
The latest Dallas weather forecast from KXAS-TV (NBC5):
SUNDAY (HANUKKAH BEGINS): Partly sunny, breezy and much colder. High: 44. Wind: N 10-20 mph.
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MONDAY: Mostly sunny and chilly. Low: 28. High: 53. Wind: SE 5-10 mph.
TUESDAY: Mixture of sun and clouds, mild. Low: 43. High: 63. Wind: S 10-15 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny and warmer. Low: 53. High: 71. Wind: S 10-20 mph.
THURSDAY: Plenty of sunshine, warm. Low: 56. High: 71. Wind: N 5-10 mph.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and pleasant. Low: 47. High: 67. Wind: SE 5-10 mph.
The BMW Dallas Marathon is in full swing this weekend. Events started Friday night and will run through Sunday.
Saturday morning included a 10K, 5K, and the kids’ 100-meter dash, but Sunday is the big day so many runners have been training for.
From young runners to older runners, thousands participated in Saturday’s events, including one of Santa’s elves.
“Santa made me work today,” said John Schmidt, who participated in the 5K dressed as Santa’s finest.
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Myrna Besley came from Colorado to jog the BMW Dallas Marathon 5K on Saturday morning, pushing her grandson along the way.
“My daughter is a runner, we do this to go along with her, she’s way ahead of us, and she’ll be running in the marathon tomorrow,” Besley said.
Teachers Caroline Menzia and Emma Gayle took a break from the classroom to hit the pavement.
“We work hard every day in our job, and I don’t know, we wanted to push ourselves outside of our work, to do something for us that we can accomplish,” said Menzia.
Organizers said while a lot goes into planning this event, it’s important for runners to enjoy the journey it’s taken to get here.
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“Have some fun, smile, it’s hard, getting to the finish line is not easy,” Jason Schuchard, president of the BMW Dallas Marathon, said. “But just relax, trust your training, and just remember to smile.”
If you’re one of the thousands of runners running on Sunday, organizers said to arrive early, stay hydrated, and stay warm.
“Come early, park early, make yourself comfortable, you don’t want to stress out,” said Dr. Logan Sherman, chairman of the BMW Dallas Marathon. “It’s going to be cold, so bundle up and any clothes or any items you want to discard before you get to the start, please know that you can discard it on the side of the corral right before you’re about to take off.”
There will be many road closures in Downtown Dallas on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit: https://dallasmarathon.com/.
