Who We Are
First Baptist Dallas is built on the Bible and continues its mission to transform the world with God’s Word…one life at a time.
About First Baptist Dallas
Located in the heart of downtown, First Baptist Dallas is built on the Bible and continues its mission to transform the world with God’s Word…one life at a time.
As a multi-generational church community, we meet needs through a variety of worship experiences, Sunday School and discipleship options, mission opportunities, fellowship, and outreach events.
There is always something happening here, and we would love to help you get connected!
Opportunities
As a multi-generational church community, we meet needs through a variety of:
History
Originally founded in 1868, First Baptist Dallas by a small group of believers determined to begin a Baptist church in downtown Dallas. The Historic Sanctuary was built in 1890 and became the primary worship center until the church’s renovation in 2013, where it was preserved as a secondary worship center and historic landmark in downtown Dallas. Under the leadership of legendary pastors and teachers like George W. Truett and W.A. Criswell, First Baptist Dallas became an anchor in the Christian community, a church known for a firm foundation built on the Bible.
Led by Dr. Robert Jeffress since 2007, we continue that legacy today. Dr. Jeffress ushered in a new season of ministry at the church that reinforces our calling to reach our city, nation, and world for Christ through four primary courses of action:
Worship
We currently offer two Choir & Orchestra led services, a Band-Led service, and an online experience through our First Dallas iCampus.
Equip
Members and visitors will find active, thriving Sunday School classes for every age and life stage. Our Discipleship University ministry offers two semesters of classes on Sunday evenings.
Serve
It is our goal to equip, empower, and deploy every member of our body to serve in the role and gifting to which the Lord has called them.
Influence
We pierce the darkness with the light of God’s Word to the uttermost parts of the world.
As a church that is built on
the Bible, we believe in:
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God
We recognize that there is one and only one living and true God, who exists in three persons — Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit — but without division of nature, essence, or being. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1; John 1:14)
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FELLOWSHIP/COMMUNITY
We will actively pursue personal, family, and staff relationships characterized by integrity, mutual accountability, mutual serving, mutual encouragement, and mutual honoring. (Romans 12:10; 1 John 4:7-11)
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Authority of Scripture
We value Bible-centered preaching and teaching as the foundation for all that we do. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
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LIFE TRANSFORMATION
We will provide opportunities for every believer to develop a Christian worldview and thus engage the culture wherein he lives, works, and interacts. (Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:28)
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Worship
We will seek to praise and worship Him passionately—as individuals, as families, and as a local church. (John 4:23-24)
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Every Member Ministry
We will develop lay leaders who will function effectively in their respective roles of service and, in turn, train and mentor other believers for ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-12)
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Prayer
We will intentionally seek to set aside specific times for private, family, and corporate prayer. (Matthew 6:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
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Personal Evangelism/Missions
We will endeavor to share the message of salvation with all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status in our local community and throughout the world. (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
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FAMILY
We encourage lifelong commitments to marriage between one man and one woman; we support the ongoing spiritual nurture of the family; and we are committed to honoring the priority of family time through our ministries and activities. (Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-6:4)
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Stewardship
We encourage every member to adopt a lifestyle of stewardship that recognizes God’s ownership of everything and to practice the biblical principle of tithing (giving at least one-tenth of one’s income) to support the work of the church. (1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:10)
Our Pastor
Dr. Robert Jeffress is Senior Pastor of the 16,000-member First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas and a Fox News Contributor. He is also an adjunct professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Dr. Jeffress has made more than 4,000 guest appearances on various radio and television programs and regularly appears on major mainstream media outlets such as Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends,” “Hannity,” “Fox News @ Night,” “Varney & Co.,” and HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
Dr. Jeffress is Bible teacher and host of a daily radio program, Pathway to Victory, heard nationwide on over 1,000 stations in major markets such as Dallas-Fort Worth, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Seattle.
Dr. Jeffress hosts a daily television program, Pathway to Victory, that can be seen Monday through Friday on the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN) and every Saturday and Sunday on TBN as well as daily on the Hillsong Channel and Sundays on Daystar. Pathway to Victory is the highest-rated ministry program on TBN. Dr. Jeffress’ television broadcast reaches 195 countries and is on 11,295 cable and satellite systems throughout the world.
Dr. Jeffress is the author of more than 34 books including A Place Called Heaven: Surprising Truths About Your Eternal Home; Courageous: Strategies for Thriving in a Hostile World; What Every Christian Should Know: Core Beliefs for Standing Strong in a Shifting World, 18 Minutes with Jesus: Straight Talk from the Savior About the Things That Matter Most and THE 10: How to Live and Love in a World That’s Lost Its Way, and his newest book are we living in the end times? Biblical Answers to 7 Questions about the Future.
Dr. Jeffress led the congregation in the completion of a $135 million re-creation of its downtown campus. The project is the largest in modern church history and serves as a “spiritual oasis” covering six blocks of downtown Dallas.
Dr. Jeffress graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a D.Min., a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a B.S. degree from Baylor University. In May 2010, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from Dallas Baptist University. In June 2011, Dr. Jeffress received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dr. Jeffress and his wife Amy have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Executive Team
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Dr. Robert Jeffress
Senior Pastor
Dr. Robert Jeffress is Senior Pastor of the 16,000-member First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas and a Fox News Contributor. He is also an adjunct professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Dr. Jeffress has made more than 4,000 guest appearances on various radio and television programs and regularly appears on major mainstream media outlets such as Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends,” “Hannity,” “Fox News @ Night,” “Varney & Co.,” and HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
Dr. Jeffress is Bible teacher and host of a daily radio program, PATHWAY TO VICTORY, heard nationwide on over 1,000 stations in major markets such as Dallas-Fort Worth, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Seattle.
Dr. Jeffress hosts a daily television program, PATHWAY TO VICTORY, that can be seen Monday through Friday on the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN) and every Saturday and Sunday on TBN as well as daily on the Hillsong Channel and Sundays on Daystar. PATHWAY TO VICTORY is the highest-rated ministry program on TBN. Dr. Jeffress’ television broadcast reaches 195 countries and is on 11,295 cable and satellite systems throughout the world.
Dr. Jeffress is the author of over 32 books including A Place Called Heaven, Courageous, 18 Minutes with Jesus, What Every Christian Should Know, and Are We Living in the End Times?.
Dr. Jeffress led the congregation in the completion of a $135 million re-creation of its downtown campus. The project is the largest in modern church history and serves as a “spiritual oasis” covering six blocks of downtown Dallas.
Dr. Jeffress graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a D.Min., a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a B.S. degree from Baylor University. In May 2010, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from Dallas Baptist University. In June 2011, Dr. Jeffress received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dr. Jeffress and his wife Amy have two daughters and three grandchildren.
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Dr. Ben Lovvorn
Senior Executive Pastor
Dr. Ben Lovvorn serves by leading and overseeing the ministries, administration, and operation of First Baptist Dallas. As Senior Executive Pastor, Dr. Lovvorn also provides leadership to the church’s worldwide broadcast ministry, Pathway to Victory, and serves as the President of First Dallas Media, which owns and operates KCBI, one of the most listened to Christian radio stations in the country. He has served in full-time ministry for more than a decade and is passionate about building the church of Jesus Christ and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Dr. Lovvorn earned a PhD in Christian Leadership in Ministry from Liberty University’s School of Divinity, a Juris Doctorate from Baylor Law School, and a BBA from Hardin Simmons University where he played college football for the HSU Cowboys. Dr. Lovvorn and his wife, Parris, have four sons and one daughter.
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Dr. Cliff Duren
Executive Pastor of Music & Worship
Dr. Duren is a gifted orchestrator and arranger and has earned five Dove Awards for his contributions to church music. After becoming a Christian at age 17, Dr. Duren pursued a bachelor’s degree in music education from Shorter University in Rome, Georgia. He then earned a master’s degree in church music from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. Most recently, he completed a Doctorate of Education in Worship Leadership from Southwestern Seminary. Cliff and his wife, April, have four children: two sons and two daughters.
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Ryland Whitehorn
Executive Pastor of Ministries
Ryland believes the church should be the center of our community, operating as a New Testament church to serve as “home” for thousands of people. Ryland and his wife, Renea, have two married daughters, Shea and Kelsi, and four grandchildren.
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Guy Shafer
Associate Executive Pastor, Executive Office
Guy Shafer is an integrator for our ministries and operations, helping the church accomplish its mission strategically and effectively. He is also the champion and leader of the Stewardship Ministry at First Dallas. Guy has served in full-time ministry for more than 40 years. Married in 1985, he and Mary have two children and seven grandchildren, all living in the DFW area.
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Nate Curtis
Associate Executive Pastor
Nate is a natural fit to lead our broadcast and communications ministries because he believes media is a powerful, efficient way to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the entire world. When he’s not spending time with his wife, Lindsey, he’s likely on the golf course or pursuing his other hobby, photography.
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Jill Sullivan
Executive Director of Administration
Jill considers it a gift to use her experience in accounting and business administration to serve the Lord and support the ministry of First Dallas. She sees each day as a blessing and desires to steward well what the Lord has entrusted to First Dallas. She is blessed with an amazing husband, John, and three crazy dogs.
She looks to 1 Peter 4:10-11 as a daily reminder of her calling to serve. “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God… whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
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Michael Clarke
Executive Director of Pathway to Victory
Michael Clarke serves as the Executive Director of Pathway to Victory. With a business acumen and a passion for ministry, Michael has held executive leadership roles in major international faith-based media organizations for over 30 years. He authored the best-selling Canada: Portraits of Faith and has owned and operated restaurants with McDonald’s and Dairy Queen.
Born in Canada, he has lived in Texas since 2000 where he and wife, Cindy, enjoy a very close relationship with their two adult children, their spouses, and their six grandchildren. Michael’s life verse is Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
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Robert Reeves
Executive Director of Operations
Robert recently retired from law enforcement after 20 years, where he served in various roles from a deployment unit, SWAT member, and Public Information Officer, and managed countless security needs for private businesses and schools. He values family time with his wife and three children, and they love going to the lake.
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Alan Lynch
Minister of Pastoral Care & Counseling
Alan has served full-time on the staff of First Baptist Church of Dallas since May of 1987. He has a passion for ministering to and assisting the body of Christ in experiencing God’s fullest blessings. He is passionate about the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, and he is passionate about his family. Alan and his wife, Janna, have three adult married children and six grandchildren.
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Sherryn Cates
Director of Finance and Accounting
Sherryn serves with infectious enthusiasm, implementing and maintaining best business practices as part of First Dallas’s commitment to excellent stewardship. Sherryn and her husband, Ross, have a son, daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren.
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