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Mayfield Road Baptist
Church History
This brief history of
our church is accompanied by images of pop culture and milestones of the
day to help "place" the timeframe. Perhaps these images
will bring memories to mind for you, or perhaps you were not yet
around! No matter the case, Mayfield Road Baptist Church was, and
continues to be, a living congregation of believers that spans these
generations; and we thank and praise our Lord, in Whom we live and move and
have our being (Acts 17:28).
In 1967, a search was
begun by the Tarrant Baptist Association in cooperation with the First
Baptist Church of Arlington and the Baptists General Convention of Texas to find the
best possible site for a new church in the rapidly growing area of Spur
303. In October 1971, 4.37 acres at the intersection of Mayfield Road and Allen Road were purchased.
In early 1972, several Arlington Baptist pastors along with the Tarrant
Baptist Association Extension and Survey Committee began to explore ways
and means to start the new work. In June of the same year, an anonymous Arlington builder
gave $100,000 toward construction of an initial building.
On November 5, 1972, Mayfield Road Baptist Mission began meeting at Amos Elementary School with 73 people
attending Sunday school. Rev. Bill Hamilton served as mission pastor.
During this time, work began on the new building at 1701 E. Mayfield Road. The
congregation worshipped for the first time in the new building on June 10,
1973. After the resignation of Rev. Hamilton, Dr. Jimmie Nelson came as
interim pastor in August.
Rev. Bennie Slack was called as the first full-time pastor on December 2,
1973; and Bill Grisham began as part-time minister of music and youth.
After a one-year period of being self-supporting, the church concluded its
mission status on September 8, 1974. With the adoption of a constitution
and bylaws, and a unanimous vote from the Mission Committee and
congregation, the growing mission became Mayfield Road
Baptist Church.
As the church grew, needs for space also grew. On March 17, 1976, the
church launched a "Together We Build" campaign to raise funds for
a new educational building. Construction began in June, and completion and
occupation occurred on February 20, 1977. Building bonds were issued for
construction of a new, 500-seat auditorium, and construction began in
October 1979. The congregation worshipped for the first time in the new
auditorium on May 3, 1981.
After a very successful ministry at Mayfield Road, Rev. Slack resigned as
pastor on January 24, 1982; and Dr. Nelson was again called to serve as
interim pastor. In April 1982, Dr. Bob Maddox was called as pastor of the
church, and he began on the field June 27, 1982. Nineteen months later, Dr.
Maddox resigned as pastor to accept a position with "Americans United
for Separation of Church and State" in Washington, D.C.
For the third time, Dr. Nelson was called to serve as interim pastor.
On August 1, 1983, Rev. Frank Ashby took the field as pastor. It was during
this time that the Mayfield
Road Baptist
Church celebrated its
tenth anniversary on September 10, 1984.
Dr. Ashby resigned as pastor four years later, November 15, 1987. Rev.
Chuck Reynolds was called to serve as interim pastor. On June 26, 1988, the
church called Dr. Gary Baldwin as its fifth pastor to take the field on
August 8.
Mayfield Road Baptist
Church began two worship
services and two Sunday school sessions in October 1992. The spring of 1993
saw the return to one worship service and one Sunday school. Later that
year, the last of the bonds issued to build the new sanctuary were paid.
Dr. Baldwin resigned as pastor on February 16, 1994, after over five years
of service; and Dr. Harold Freeman was called as interim pastor. Work began
in May on Mayfield Rd.
to make it a four-lane divided parkway.
On September 11, 1994, Mayfield
Road Baptist
Church celebrated its
twentieth anniversary. Robert Stewart was called as pastor in May 1995. In
1996, a "Gold is Old" sanctuary remodeling campaign began, and by
September 1997, the remodeling was completed.
In August 1998, Mr. Stewart resigned as pastor after four years of service.
Dr. Nelson came to serve as interim pastor for a fourth time. On June 6,
1999, Bobby Bridges became the pastor.
On September 26, 1999, Mayfield
Road Baptist
Church celebrated
twenty-five years as a church body. We are pleased to share this history with
family and friends in the body of Christ.
May God receive all the glory for what He has done and
for what He is going to do in this place!
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