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 | |
Location | 760 South Westmoreland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90005 |
Country | United States |
Denomination | American Baptist Churches USA |
Website | fbcofla.org |
History | |
Founded | 1874 |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Allison & Allison |
Style | Spanish Gothic architecture |
Years built | 1927 |
Administration | |
Division | American 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
- http://cityplanning.lacity.org/complan/HCM/dsp_hcm_result_Citywide2.cfm?Monument=0
- Official website history
- Claremont Colleges Digital Library: First Baptist Church of Los Angeles, construction
- Ron Phillips, Awakened by the Spirit: Reclaiming the Forgotten Gift of God, Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1999, p. 99
- Roberts Liardon (ed.), The Azusa Street Revival: When the Fire Fell, Destiny Image Publishers, 2006, p. 94
- Michael J. McClymond (ed.), Embodying the Spirit: New Perspectives on North American Revivalism, JHU Press, 2004, pp. 42-43
- Google Books