First Baptist Dallas pastor vows to rebuild after massive fire

DALLAS — The leader of a historic church in downtown Dallas nearly destroyed by a fire told congregants on Sunday that they will rebuild the iconic structure.

Services for First Baptist Dallas were held at the nearby Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where senior Pastor Robert Jeffress said they will rebuild the sanctuary, which now appears as a charred shell, with its stained glass windows ruined and virtually everything inside its brick walls destroyed.

"If we allow that thing to remain in ruins, it will look to the whole world like we've been defeated by the evil one, so we're going to rebuild," Jeffress said. "I'm not saying we're going to duplicate every square inch of that worship center. ... We're going to remember that historic place of worship and do everything we can to honor it."

Jeffress added that insurance will cover the costs of rebuilding.

"It's not the building, it's what that building represents: it represented the bedrock foundation of God's Word that never changes," said Jeffress. "We are going to rebuild and recreate that sanctuary as a standing symbol of truth."

Jeffress thanked Dallas Fire Rescue and the 100 firefighters who worked to contain the fire at the Historic Sanctuary on Friday. The rest of the campus, which spans six blocks of downtown Dallas, was preserved. He also thanked officials like former President Trump and others who had expressed their sentiments.

No deaths or injuries were reported after the blaze broke out Friday evening in the Texas Historic Landmark, a Victorian-style red brick church built in 1890. It took firefighters about three hours to contain the blaze.

"We are disappointed, but we don't despair, as the events of Friday night awakened a spiritual giant with incredible resolve," Executive Pastor Dr. Ben Lovvorn said in a sermon Sunday morning.

Interim Fire Chief Justin Ball said Friday the fire appeared to have started in the building's basement.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Capt. Robert Borse said Sunday the investigation into how the blaze started was ongoing and that there were no updates on that probe.