Video footage has emerged showing a massive fire at a Dallas megachurch associated with Robert Jeffress, a pastor and Donald Trump ally.
Firefighters responded to reports of a blaze at the First Baptist Dallas church on Friday shortly after 6 p.m. It was first classified as a 2nd alarm fire, before being upgraded to a 3rd alarm at 7:25 p.m., meaning it required a larger response including four fire engines, three trucks and two rescues.
It was later upgraded to a 4th alarm as the fire worsened.
The fire, which was large enough to be visible from across the city, caused the historic church’s secondary chapel to partially collapse, an official said.
Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool via Getty Images
Jeffress said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that nobody was injured in the fire to his knowledge.
Video footage posted to social media of the fire showed a section of the church up in flames, with thick dark gray smoke filling the sky above.
Everyone please lift up our SBC family at First Baptist Dallas right now.
Their historic sanctuary is engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire (or any injuries) is still unknown.
Pray for Dr. Jeffress, the members, & the safety of the first responders.
pic.twitter.com/5ndeHT0pVY— Center for Baptist Leadership (@BaptistLeaders) July 20, 2024
Ben Lovvorn, executive pastor of First Baptist Dallas, told The Dallas Morning News that he believes the fire started shortly after 6 p.m. but said he did not yet know the cause.
Lovvorn said he was one of the last people in the building.
“We know that God is in control, and we know, even in difficult times, he’s sovereign over all things,” he said. “If at all possible, we’re planning on having church on Sunday.”
First Baptist Dallas started in 1868 with just three men and eight women, according to a story marking its 150th anniversary.
The church now has more than 16,000 members and says its mission is to transform the world with God’s word one life at a time through its ministries, including its international broadcast of Pathway to Victory and its iCampus, which reaches millions of listeners and viewers worldwide.
Robert Jeffress, who has been a close ally of Trump for years, is a senior pastor at the church.
“PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH,” he said on X following the fire. “We have experienced a fire in the Historic Sanctuary. To our knowledge, no one is hurt or injured, and we thank God for His protection.”
He continued: “He is sovereign even in the most difficult times. ‘And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.’ – Romans 8:28 We will keep you updated as we prepare to come together to worship.”
In a later statement, he revealed that no lives were lost. “We are grateful that no life has been lost that we know of even though we just had 2,000 children and volunteers on campus for Vacation Bible School,” he said.
“As tragic as the loss of this old sanctuary is, we are grateful that the church is not bricks and wood but composed of over 16,000 people who are determined more than ever before to reach the world for the gospel of Christ. Please pray for all of First Baptist Dallas.”
Jeffress was one of former President Donald Trump’s most prominent Christian advisers and was a frequent visitor to the White House during his presidency.
Trump visited the First Baptist Dallas church in December 2021, with Jeffress referring to Trump several times during the visit as one of his closest friends and describing him as “the greatest president since Ronald Reagan, The News reported.
He did not endorse Trump in 2024, saying that he believes the Republican primaries will be a “knife fight” and he wants no part of that battle.
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