Beaumont in the early 1800s was a dusty and muddy municipal that was neither attractive nor promising. Its forty or so homes and stores were primarily comprised of roughhewn timbers. The area was so prone to inclement conditions, locals often traversed the roads using "mud sleds." From this adversity, a few dedicated men and women assembled to worship God and in 1872 founded what is today known as Beaumont's First Baptist Church.

On a summer morning in the 1890's, Mr. George W. Carroll, a then-struggling timberman, crossed paths with his new pastor L.C. Kellis. After speaking with pastor Kellis, Mr. Carroll agreed to donate the funds required to invite the well-known evangelist Major William E. Penn to preach a revival in Beaumont, Texas.
Mr. Carroll could not have known how much God would bless this gift.
From this humble act of obedience, God began a work in the Carroll family that enriched their lives, grew His Kingdom, and forever shifted the global landscape of energy and natural resources.

Pandemonium broke loose in Beaumont on January 10, 1901. It was 10:30  a.m. when the Hamill brothers felt the floor of the drilling platform shake. The stream of black liquid shot up a hundred feet and over the next ten days would release some 700,000 barrels of crude before being capped. Spindletop oil field made its debut; Beaumont and the world would never be the same. As many saw the oil boom of 1901 as something to be capitalized, Mr. George W. Carroll, an early investor in oil exploration, saw a mission field.

Overnight, the population and economics of Beaumont, Texas skyrocketed. Properties previously deemed unfit for farming and livestock became profitable oil fields, transforming frontier farmers and settlers into men of wealth and notoriety. Beaumont's little Baptist church found itself on the front line of the modern gold rush.

During this season of unprecedented growth, Beaumont's First Baptist Church quickly outgrew what they lovingly referred to as the "Red Brick Church." Though only 15-years old, the congregation chose to raze the structure and build what they called "The Stone Church." Today, this previous church campus is home to the Tyrrell Historic Library.

Even after establishing four church plants in the Beaumont area, Beaumont's FBC continued to experience growing pains. By 1923, a decision was made to sell "The Stone Church" to Captain W.C. Tyrrell, who donated it to the city of Beaumont for a public library. On March 10, 1924, Beaumont's First Baptist Church broke ground on a newly purchased track of land. Having learned from their previous experience this new property offered space for future expansion.

The people of Beaumont's First Baptist Church held their first worship service in their new building on April 5, 1925. As growth continued,  Beaumont's First Baptist Church developed into a megachurch before megachurches existed. Their pulpit played host to some of the most renowned preachers and teachers. The musical program, comprised of top-level choirs and instrumentalists, was considered one of the best in the nation. From that first service in 1925, the historic campus of Beaumont's FBC would gradually expand to fill an entire city block and contain a bowling alley, gymnasium, cafeteria, and fellowship hall. Beaumont's FBC led countless mission trips, founded Baptist Hospital, and supported outreach to the local Spanish and deaf communities. Through the Great Depression and two World Wars, the people of Beaumont's First Baptist Church assembled each Sunday at the Calder Avenue campus.

In the early 1970s, the demographics and economics of downtown Beaumont  began to change. A significant shift in industry and the housing market  resulted in a departure from Beaumont's downtown district. Taking note  from other congregations, Beaumont's FBC invested in outreach programs  and bus ministries. The church experienced shifting seasons of ministry  throughout the following years but continued a gradual decline in attendance.  In the past, discussions about relocating the church were met with disagreement. The people of Beaumont's FBC had called the Calder Avenue location home for over 84 years. It is undoubtedly difficult to leave a building steeped in history and memories, but the people of Beaumont First Baptist Church were reminded that the church is not a building, the Church is a People.

A shift began as the remnant of Beaumont's FBC watched its resources dwindle. This undercurrent was the realization that although once an impressive juggernaut of the Southern Baptist Convention they had fallen to the Law of Entropy. Gradually, whispers grew into conversations about homeless ministries, recovery ministries, and local mission efforts. Over the next few years, Dr. Christopher Moody led the people of Beaumont's FBC towards a vigilant focus on personal disciple-making. A decision was made to relocate, which required reevaluating, refocusing, and retooling nearly every aspect of their ministries. The congregation that emerged from this transition had paid a high price, and God honored those difficult choices. Today Beaumont's FBC is a growing congregation of disciple-making disciples who strive to be mission-minded and Kingdom-focused. To God Be The Glory!