First Baptist Church (Hammond, Indiana)
The First Baptist Church of Hammond is a fundamentalist Independent Baptist church in Hammond, Indiana. It is the largest church in the state of Indiana and one of the largest churches in the United States. Though founded in 1887, it was under Jack Hyles' leadership from 1959-2001 that it became a megachurch, one of the first megachurches in the United States. It has a steady weekly attendance of around 20,000. It also operates Hyles-Anderson College (an unaccredited bible college) and K-12 schools. Jack Schaap, Hyles' son-in-law, succeeded as pastor after Hyles' death in 2001.
First Baptist Church also hosts three national conferences. The first Pastors' School invites pastors, assistant pastors, Christian leaders, school administrators, and Christian laymen to a week of training and learning. Youth Conference, is held in mid-July and is for the youth and teenagers of Christian churches nationally. The final conference of the year, held every October, is the Christian Womenhood Spectacular for Christian women of all ages.
The church has been involved in a few controversies during its first 50 years, including a conviction of sexual molestation by one of its deacons in 1993, and accusations of adultery and financial misconduct made by a former employee.
History
First Baptist Church was founded in November of 1887 by Allen Hill of Jennings County, Indiana. Its first meeting was on 14 November 1887 with 12 members on the 28th. However, it originally met in the Morton House Hotel which stood on what is currently the 100 block of Willow Court. Allen Hill's pastorate was short lived at approximately 4 months.
By April 1888, B.P. Hewitt became the church's permanent pastor and Allen Hill went on to start several other churches. Needing more room, Hewitt moved the church's meeting place to the Hohman Opera House at the corner of State and Hohman. In 1889, the church erected its own structure for $2,358 when Marcus Towle, Hammond's first mayor and member of FBC, donated land on Sibley Street to the church.
Subsequently, on 3 January 1901 Pastor E.T. Carter proposed a new building, and the first service was held on 14 April 1901. On the 27th of November of that same year, Pastor Carter announced his resignation for a job at the Central Baptist Orphanage in Michigan.
Ministries and Outreach
First Baptist Church has several outreach ministries, including Hyles Publications, Hyles-Anderson College, Fundamental Baptist Missions International, Hammond Baptist Schools, City Baptist Schools, Chicago Baptist Academy, Memory Lane Cemetery, Christian Womanhood Magazine, First Baptist Church Little League, Nursing Home Ministry, Sailor Ministry, Truck Driver's Ministry, Bus Ministry, Blind Ministry, Pathfinder Ministry (Educable Slow), Homeless Ministry, Rescue Mission, Public School Ministry, Inner City Chapel Ministry, and Deaf Ministry. The church also has several services in Spanish and some oriental languages.
List of Pastors
| Pastors of the First Baptist Church of Hammond | |
|---|---|
| Allen Hill | November 1887 - March 1888 |
| B.P. Hewitt | April 1888 - May 1893 |
| Simon W. Phelps | August 1893 - October 1900 |
| Edward T. Carter | November 1900 - December 1901 |
| William H. Jones | January 1902 - October 1907 |
| J.E. Sharp | January 1908 - April 1911 |
| Floyd H. Adams | August 1911 - December 1918 |
| R.O. Licklider | January 1911 - August 1921 |
| J. Clark Oranger | November 21 - March 1927 |
| J.M. Horton | August 1927 - September 1941 |
| Theodore Leonard Lewis | October 1941 - August 1944 |
| F. Russell Purdy | October 1944 - June 1947 |
| Owen L. Miller | October 1947 - November 1958 |
| Jack Frasure Hyles | August 1959 - February 2001 |
| Jack Schaap | March 2001 - present |
References
External links
- First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana– Official
Criticism
- The Jack Hyles Story by Robert Sumner -- Criticism of Jack Hyles
- Biblical Discernment Ministeries -- Criticism of Jack Hyles