Texas history

Texas

Wheatland Bible Chapel in Duncanville, southwest of Dallas, has its origin in 1912. J. Thomas Dean was an ordained Baptist minister for many years. He and his brother, I. R. Dean, another ex-Baptist minister, left that organization at great cost to family relationships. When Thomas and his wife Antoinette moved to Dallas, they started a Remembrance Meeting in their home at 2613 Pennsylvania Avenue in about 1912.

James Sommerville and Charles Foord and their families were among the early Christians who met in the Dean home and they were responsible for continuing and expanding the work after Mr. Dean’s sudden death. In 1918, these two men, who worked at Dallas Tent and Awing Company, donated a tent and the meetings were held in it for over a year.

The next move, in 1920, was to a building on Hickory Street in Dallas. Several families were added to the fellowship during the time they met in that building. William Bush, Sr. of Waxahachie, was invited to hold revival meetings there and several were saved.

In 1924, the assembly moved to another tent, referred to as the Tabernacle, erected on Fitzhugh Avenue and Phillips Street in Dallas. T. B. Gilbert and his wife came to Dallas to help build the assembly and spent about six months in the area. After Mr. Gilbert left, he sent A.P. Gibbs to Dallas to continue working with the assembly.

Mr. Gilbert urged the brethren to build and in 1929 the assembly moved into Fitzhugh Gospel Hall, which they constructed on a lot across the road from the canvas Tabernacle. Six Sunday School rooms, a baptistery, and a small porch were added later to the original building and it was renamed Believers’ Chapel. The assembly continued there until 1954.

In the late 1930s and during the 1940s, Fitzhugh/Believers’ Chapel was blessed with several energetic couples and single young men and women. Their social lives were centered around the activities of the assembly and this vibrant group welcomed and included Dallas Theological Seminary students and visitors in these functions. No doubt, this warmth contributed towards attracting the students because every year, the assembly had a wealth of these young men in fellowship. It was during these years that the assembly organized the first Texas Youth Camp.

In addition to seminary students, the Christians were blessed by ministry from many outstanding preachers who came annually to teach short term courses at Dallas Seminary. Carl Armerding, Charles Feinberg, Harry Ironside, and Charles Van Ryan were some who regularly visited.

The area where Believers’ Chapel was located was rapidly changing in the 1950s from residential to commercial property, and the brethren decided to locate in Oak Cliff, an area where many of the Christians resided. Wilfred Looney found a lot at the corner of Polk Street and Nokomis Avenue. The first meeting in the new Polk Street Bible Chapel in Oak Cliff at 3303 S. Polk Street was a prayer meeting in March 1954. The assembly continued in this location for 26 years and had the distinction of being the first assembly to have a commended worker accepted as a Chaplain in the armed forces. Three young men in fellowship served in this capacity.

Once again, neighborhood changes forced the elders to consider a move. John David Rice found lots on Wheatland Avenue at Tucson in Duncanville. The new Wheatland Bible Chapel was completed in June 1980 and opened with a Daily Vacation Bible School during the day and Gospel meetings conducted by Brian Atmore at night.

Other men who have served as elders at the assembly include Edward Davis, Roy Sorenson, Noel Gardner, Larry Dean, Doug Rice, and Jimmie Hornsby. The assembly has commended several to the work of the Lord. About 60 adults and youngsters attend Wheatland Bible Chapel.

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Fitzhugh Gospel Hall and Polk Street Bible Chapel have given birth to other assembly gatherings in the metroplex. Lewis Johnson and several other families were exercised about commencing a work in north Dallas and it was shortly after the move to Polk Street that they announced their intentions. These men asked the elders if there would be any objection to the new group using the name Believers’ Chapel. Permission was granted and today this is a thriving ministry, though it no longer considers itself to be part of the brethren movement.

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Zane Hodges came to Dallas in 1954 to attend the seminary. He had a real zeal for the Mexican work. Following the worship meeting on Sunday morning, Zane and several other Christians would drive to the ‘mission’ on Jeffrey Street, where they had Sunday School and evening services. Later in the 1950s, they left Polk Street Bible Chapel to have all their services in that site. This move was made with the full blessing of the brethren. This work among Hispanics is now concentrated at the Victor Street Bible Chapel in Dallas, where Zane Hodges in the full-time worker. About 50 to 60 adults and children are in the assembly. Luis Rodriguez is a commended worker who works with Hispanic youth and has a weekly soup kitchen for poor people in the area.

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Some of the Fitzhugh/Polk Street Christians who lived in the Arlington area conducted Sunday evening meetings in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jameel Hissen. Eventually, this group became an assembly and purchased a building for the Arlington Bible Fellowship.

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For many years, several families came to Polk Street Bible Chapel from east Dallas. In September 1976 some of these formed the Garland Gospel Chapel. This created quite a void in assembly numbers at Polk Street, but the new work was started with the blessing of the Christians who remained.

The Christians comprising the Garland Gospel Chapel originally met in the North Garland YMCA and moved to their current location at 1420 W. Avenue B in 1978, changing their name to Garland Bible Chapel, after that. The original families included those of John Rodgers, Ed Davis, Robert Muldoon, Joe Muldoon, Bruce Blake, and George Varner. Elders have included these and Tom Messer, E.J. Carter, Dave Shoop Gerry Meyer, Richard Peck, and John Daniels.

Garland Bible Chapel has commended or co-commended workers to Japan, Africa, Peru, Estonia, Sandy Creek Bible Camp, and Emmaus Bible College. About 90 adults and youngsters are in the assembly.

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Christ Congregation in Dallas started in December 1967, meeting first at the Civil Air Patrol office, White Rock Airport. The founders were Arthur L. Farstad and Garland Brock. Co-founders were students at Dallas Theological Seminary who were in fellowship at Polk Street Gospel Chapel. After meeting in several locations, Christ Congregation in 1971 established its meetings in the home of Arthur Farstad, 6218 Prospect, where it continues to meet. Before buying the house in 1971, Arthur Farstad rented rooms to seminary students who have since gone to the mission field. Christ Congregation has commended workers to the field in Russia and in the U.S., Elders have been Marcus Farstad, Rick Rencher, Roy Brown, Don von Dohlen, Dan Mosher, and James Davis. About 20 adults and children attend Christ Congregation.

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The Christian Brethren Assembly in Irving started in 1985 as the East Dallas Brethren Assembly and derived from the Dallas Brethren Assembly. The principal people involved in the start-up were P.C. Abraham, P.C. Chacko, Skaria Varghese, and M.O. Joykutty. The first three of these have been the elders. About 120 adults and youngsters attend.

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Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas began in 1976 in the home of Anthony Evans. In that year, Reuben Connor of Urban Evangelical Mission, and Gene Getz of Fellowship Bible Church North in Dallas, who wanted to see a strong Bible church in the Oak Cliff area, approached Tony Evans, at that time an evangelist, about planting a church. Mr. Evans contacted Crawford Loritts of Norristown, PA and asked him to partner in this effort. When he agreed, they began the assembly, meeting alternately in their homes.

They both preached each Sunday, and in a month the assembly moved into the Briargate Apartments clubhouse. Soon they began developing programs to meet the specific needs of the congregation, including The Learning Center for children, with Elizabeth Cannings as the first teacher. When 25 families joined in the fellowship, they moved again, in 1977, to the Advent Lutheran Church at 6607 South Hampton.

Mr. Loritts left to minister with Campus Crusade for Christ, but still by 1978, about 100 families were attending Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship regularly, with Mr. Evans doing most of the preaching. The church then moved to Adelle Turner Elementary School at 5505 South Polk. In this period, Van Howard became an elder, and the women organized the Ladies’ Discipleship, under the leadership of Shirley Hawkins and Lois Evans.

Once again, the expanding fellowship needed more room, and when the Camp Wisdom Road property of Faith Bible Church became available, the money for its purchase was donated, and the assembly had a permanent home. Ministries were added, including the Child Development Center under the direction of Van Howard, and a tape ministry. Martin Hawkins was hired as assistant pastor, Tony Evans remaining as the main pastor.

The membership reached 250 families in 1982, and staff were added to minister to their needs and for outreach. Carl Husband and Larry Mercer were among those brought on in leadership capacities. Regular support to specific missionaries and Christian Organizations was instituted. Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship has not hesitated to add programs for the benefit of its people, which they call an alternative vision to provide a biblical foundation for all aspects of life. Growth was explosive as people were saved and strengthened. In 1987, 1200 families were associated with the assembly; in 1988, an interim facility called the Family Life Center was built. In 1989, 22 acres on Camp Wisdom Road were purchased. “Sonny” Acho was added to the staff in 1990, and Roger Skepple and Sylvester London in 1993. The newly constructed Worship Center was opened in 1995. Today, about 4000 adults and youngsters attend the assembly, which has about 50 full-time ministry staff.

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The early accounts of assembly activity in Fort Worth come from Earl Tatum. According to Mr. Tatum, the original Fort Worth Assembly was formed in 1901 and an assembly testimony has met continuously in the city since then.

In 1916 or 1917, the assembly was meeting in rented space on Samuel Avenue. In about 1919, the meeting moved to a north side location as the Fort Worth Gospel Hall; in 1946, the assembly moved to the near south side and was known as the St. Louis Avenue Chapel in Fort Worth. In the early 1960s, that property was sold and property on the east side at 1939 Handley Drive was purchased. Meadowbrook East Bible Chapel was completed in 1964.

J.A. Gracey and William Scott are remembered as leading in the early days of the meeting, while William Bush helped in preaching and visited regularly. Mr. Hillis and Mr. Grierson of Houston held six weeks of meetings in the early days, in which several couples were saved. Earl Tatum was a man of unusual ability in the Scriptures and did most of the shepherding in the earlier days. Fred Pearson came to Fort Worth from Byfield, MA in the early 1960s, and was a great help in feeding the flock.

In addition to Messrs. Gracey, Scott, Tatum, and Pearson, those in leadership at Meadowbrook and its predecessors have included L.B. Shilling, Ted Ball Sr., Otho Logan, and Kenneth Livingstone. Keith Livingstone now does much of the administrative and caring ministry as an elder, while Tom Duncan is a teaching elder. The assembly has commended George Byrum to chaplain duty in the U.S. Navy. About 50 adults and youngsters are in Meadowbrook East Bible Chapel, which has a vigorous outreach program to youngsters, in which nearly all the adults are involved.

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In 1968, assets from Meadowbrook East Bible Chapel were divided and several families purchased a building in northeast Forth Worth, establishing Glenview Bible Chapel in North Richland Hills. The principal men involved in this were Herb Fyke, Joe Hicks, Roy Milford, Dewey Shilling, Earl Tatum, and Ross Gutierrez. In 1984, the Glenview Chapel was sold, and another building was purchased in the Summerfield Addition of north Fort Worth and called Summerfield Community Chapel. Others in leadership at Glenview and Summerfield have been Donald Welborn, John Ferris, Ralph McCord, Kenneth Morrow, Bob Newberry, Richard Averett, and Jay Carter.

In 1993, the Christians sold the chapel because, among other reasons, building codes being enforced by the city would have necessitated remodeling. From then until April 1998, the meeting was in the home of Donald and Gloria Welborn. Following that, the assembly began meeting in the Children’s Palace Christian Learning Center on Davis Boulevard, with about 40 in fellowship, pending purchase of land for a new facility.

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An assembly was formed in 1994 in Lewisville, northwest of Dallas, and incorporated as Believers Bible Chapel. The assembly derives from Believers Assembly in Carrollton, an ethnic assembly which conducts its meetings in one of the languages of India. The Lewisville assembly was begun by John Ferris, a former missionary to Korea, his daughter Jan Ferris, and the families of Sajan Abraham, Johnson George, George Jacob, and George John.

The Christians originally met in an Inn. In 1996 they purchased land and, pending construction of a chapel, rented space in a realtor’s building for their Sunday meetings. They met in homes for prayer and Bible studies in midweek. They moved into their newly constructed chapel at 1724 Edmonds Lane in Lewisville in 1998, at which time they changed their name to Edmonds Lane Bible Chapel. John Ferris and George John have been the elders of the assembly, which has commended workers to the Lord’s service in Romania. About 60 adults and youngsters now attend Edmonds Lane Bible Chapel

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Pineview Gospel Hall in Houston began in 1937 as a hive-off from the Louisiana Street Gospel Hall, whose origin has not been available. Now called Pineview Bible Chapel, the assembly has been at 9742 E. Hardy Road since it began. Robert and Madge Lammert, Andrew Patterson, Earl E. Griffin, Roland Avenell, Charlie Jones, and Raleigh Smith were among those who began the work. Others in leadership over the years include J.B. Clooney, Luby Walker, Edwin O’Farrell, Eric Unander, James Patterson, Allen Thrall, Gene Bailey, and James Cross.

Missionaries have been commended by the assembly to work in Argentina; others have been commended to ministry within the U.S. About 60 adults and youngsters attend Pineview Bible Chapel.

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A Spanish-speaking assembly, founded by immigrants from Argentina, hived off from Pineview Bible Chapel in Houston in about 1960 and established the MacGregor Spanish Bible Chapel. (See Ethnic section)

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First Colony Bible Chapel in Sugar Land, on the southwest side of Houston, was established in 1964 by Sydney Green, Leland Smith, Allen Jones, and Herschel Martindale. Other leaders over the years include Herb Green, Dick Nohr, Art Griffin, and Al Yeomans. A hive-off from MacGregor Bible Chapel, the assembly was known first as Braeburn Bible Chapel; the name was changed to First Colony Bible Chapel in 1990. Nearly 200 adults and youngsters attend the assembly. First Colony Bible Chapel has commended several workers to the service of the Lord.

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The first meeting of the India Brethren Assembly in Houston was in 1975 in the home of John T. Mathew. From there, the assembly met in various homes for several years, and now meets in its own building at 14643 Henry Road, adjacent to Colonial Hills Bible Chapel in Houston. The assembly derived directly from the brethren in India and supports many evangelists in India. Besides Mr. Mathew, those involved in the start of the India Brethren Assembly include P. Thomas Philip, Abraham Varghese, and T. John George. Other leaders over the years include Cherian Varghese, Skaria Varghese, Samuel Thomas, and V.K. Abraham. About 70 adults and youngsters attend the assembly.

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Waco Bible Chapel began in the late 1940s in the home of John and Judy Lane on Mockingbird Lane. In 1948 or 1949, the Christians were able to buy property and build a chapel at 3300 N. 22nd Street, at which time they took their present name. A Mr. Hillis and Tom McCollough were involved in starting the assembly, along with the Lanes. Leaders have been John Lane, Howard Kohrmann, John Fullerton, Don Welborn, and Glenn Lightfoot. In its earlier years, Waco Bible Chapel commended several to the Lord’s work, including Don Welborn to ministry in the U.S. Today, the meeting has about 15 adults in fellowship.

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Temple Assembly, in the town of Temple north of Austin, was started in the early 1970s by Joe Vasilinda. He and his family had moved from Waco, where he was in fellowship at the Waco Bible Chapel. Possibly meeting first in the Vasilinda home, the small group of believers were meeting in the lobby of a theatre in downtown Temple by 1972; then they met for a time in a vacant mansion on 7th Street before returning to the Vasilinda home at 1311 N. 7th Street. There were never more than about 10 adults in fellowship at the Temple Assembly. Glen Lightfoot had a leadership role for a time. When Mr. Vasilinda died in 1997, the remaining members of his family returned to the Waco Bible Chapel, and the Temple Assembly discontinued. However, Mrs. Olga Farley, her two children, and Ralph Nowell, who had been in the Temple Assembly, continued to Remember the Lord in Mr. Nowell’s home in nearby Holland.

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The Amarillo Assembly of Believers started with two families meeting in the Puckett Elementary School Cafeteria in October 1988. Since then, other families have been added and gather at the same place, awaiting the Lord’s timing to purchase a building. Richard Hamilton and Roberto Estevez are elders.

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Community Bible Church in Bryan in the southeast part of the state, began in 1982 as an independent Bible church. The elders of Community Bible Church met with the elders of Eastfield Bible Chapel of Mesquite in 1994 to discuss establishing Community Bible Church as a New Testament assembly. Bruce Postma, commended by Eastfield Bible Chapel, is the current full-time worker for the new assembly. The average Sunday morning attendance is about 25. The vision of Community Bible Church is to plant and multiply home churches in the immediate area.

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Grace Bible Fellowship in Mauriceville has its roots with the Baptists. Charim Baptist Church began in 1982 in Vidor, near Beaumont in the southeast corner of the state, as an offshoot of Beaumont Independent Baptist Church. Through the efforts of Gary Sprinkle, who was the Baptist pastor, Grace Bible Fellowship was formed in about 1990 and moved into a warehouse at 320 W. Freeway. They now meet at 6025 Highway 12, further east in Mauriceville. In leadership have been Gary Sprinkle, Lynn Baker, Milton Hatton, Les Jones, Charles Klock, Merrill Donahue, Joe Byerly, and Cliff Hilton. The assembly has about 80 adults and youngsters in attendance.

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South Plains Bible Chapel in Lubbock in the western part of the state, began in the 1960s, principally by people not associated with the brethren. Some believers came out of Bible Church backgrounds. One older couple, Charles and Ruby Waller, had become convinced of New Testament principles of gathering. They sought to encourage others in this direction, but progress was slow. With the encouragement of Edwin and Mary Ellen Meschkat, who had moved to the area and were commended earlier from the Houston-area assemblies, they opened a rented house near Texas Tech stadium as a meeting place in 1966, announcing it as South Plains Bible Chapel.

In 1969, a building was completed at 5402 Quaker Avenue, with seating for 100 persons, plus class rooms and a kitchen. In 1979, a Sunday School wing was added. Elders over the years have been Charles Waller, Edwin Meschkat, D.P. Holmes, Tim Lambert, Burt Bradley, and Stan Friedli. South Plains Bible Chapel has commended several people to the Lord’s work. About 120 adults and children attend South Plains Bible Chapel.

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The assembly known now as Grace Chapel in El Paso met at 2231 Montana Street for several years. Dr. S.F. King served as correspondent from 1927-1936 (minimally). In 1955, the Christians sold their building and purchased a site in a new subdivision at 7319 Alpine Drive in the Ranchland Hills section of southeast El Paso. First services were held in the new building in July 1956. The assembly now meets at 7601 Wilcox Drive.

Mr. and Mrs. John Halliday, formerly missionaries to Chile, moved to El Paso to work among the Mexican people as well as giving help at Grace Chapel.

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The San Antonio Gospel Hall was started in 1924 at West Laurel Street by the families of William Brown, Arthur Pomeroy, Frith Everett, Paul Lamb, Flora Darling, and Moore, Myer, Elford, Stolfus, Stockard, Baird (first names not remembered). From Laurel Street, the Christians moved to Kentucky Avenue as the San Antonio Bible Chapel. They later moved to 135 W. Cheryl Drive in San Antonio and are now known as Cheryl Bible Chapel. Those in leadership have included Arthur Pomeroy, Lawrence Darling, Louis Kreusel, Sr., Alvin Beswick, Hugh MacMillan, Walter Hart, Kyle Turner, and Louis Kreusel, Jr. Cheryl Bible Chapel has commended a worker to Ecuador. About 60 adults and youngsters are in the assembly.

Sources

• Questionnaire Responses
• A History of the Wheatland Bible Chapel, Duncanville, Texas, by Arlene J. Dean, 1989
• Historical Sketch, The Lewisville Assembly, Lewisville, Texas, anonymous, 1998
• Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Church History, anonymous, October 1995
• Letters of Interest, November 1955, p. 12; November 1957, p. 9; July/August 1971, p. 13