First Baptist Church of Los Angeles

First Baptist Church of Los Angeles is a Baptist church located at 760 South Westmoreland Avenue in Los Angeles, California. It was designated Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument 237 in 1981.[1]

First Baptist Church of Los Angeles
Front of the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles
Location760 South Westmoreland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90005
CountryUnited States
DenominationAmerican Baptist Churches USA
Websitefbcofla.org
History
Founded1874
Architecture
Architect(s)Allison & Allison
StyleSpanish Gothic architecture
Years built1927
Administration
DivisionAmerican Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, Southwest and Hawaii
Clergy
Pastor(s)Rev. Dr. Scott T. Arnold

History

On September 4, 1874, believers came together to pray.[2] In the beginning, they met on North Spring Street, but by 1884, they moved into its first building at the corner of Sixth and Fort Streets, until 1898.[2] Its construction was funded by donations from Isaac Newton Van Nuys (1836-1912) and James Boon Lankershim (1850-1931).[2]

The second building, constructed in 1897, was located at 727 South Flower Street, and Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) attended its dedication.[2][3] Billy Sunday (1862-1935) preached there in 1913.[2]

In 1927, a new church building, the current church, was designed by Allison & Allison in the Spanish Gothic style.[2] It was modeled after the Ducal Palace in Mantua, Italy.[2]

Theological significance

Pentecostal revival in Los Angeles is said to have started in this church in 1905 thanks to Rev. Joseph Smale, after he had met Evan Roberts (1878-1951) on a trip to Wales.[4][5][6]

Frank Bartleman (1871-1936) attended this church.[5]

Bibliography
  • Herbert L. Sutton, Our Heritage and Our Hope: The History of First Baptist Church of Los Angeles, California, 1874-1974 (1974)[7]

References
  1. http://cityplanning.lacity.org/complan/HCM/dsp_hcm_result_Citywide2.cfm?Monument=0
  2. Official website history
  3. Claremont Colleges Digital Library: First Baptist Church of Los Angeles, construction
  4. Ron Phillips, Awakened by the Spirit: Reclaiming the Forgotten Gift of God, Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1999, p. 99
  5. Roberts Liardon (ed.), The Azusa Street Revival: When the Fire Fell, Destiny Image Publishers, 2006, p. 94
  6. Michael J. McClymond (ed.), Embodying the Spirit: New Perspectives on North American Revivalism, JHU Press, 2004, pp. 42-43
  7. Google Books

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