General Information
Broadway Baptist is located in the heart of Fort Worth just minutes south of downtown. (See map.)
Sunday Morning Worship (10:50 a.m.) is based upon a liturgical outline as old as the Old and New Testaments. The rhythm of calendar flows through the Christian year as we experience again and again the life of Christ and the action of the new church. The Chancel Choir and the 191-rank Casavant Frères organ join with the congregation in singing the hymns of faith. The preaching ministry of the church offers insightful, inspirational study of God's Word and guidance for Christian discipleship.
Sunday Evening is especially for middle and high school youth. Activities begin at 3:30 p.m. with handbell rehearsal followed by choir rehearsal and Sunday Night Live with fellowship and bible studies.
Wednesday Evening Worship (5:45 p.m.) begins with a cafeteria style family supper (5-6 p.m.) around tables in Fellowship Hall. The adult program includes prayers and Bible study led by the pastor.
Visitors' Guide to Our Web Site
In October 1993, taking a cue from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, English poet (1806-1861) whose fame rests largely on a group of love poems titled "Sonnets From The Portuguese", a Broadway member wrote a poem to explain his love for his church. Here is how the poem goes:
Dear Broadway Baptist Church, how do I love thee?
Let me list for you some of the many, many ways.
First, I love the beauty of your stately buildings,
Your arches, vaults, your impressive rose windows,
Your beckoning spire that pierces the vast Texas sky.
I love the beauty of the flowers on your communion table,
The refined elegance of your Centrum and office complex,
The majestic power and tones of your organ and choirs
The beauty of your Chapel, the convenience of parking.
Too, I love the good odor of food cooking in your kitchen.
I love your Library, so beautiful, and overflowing with
Wisdom books, and art, that stretch my very soul.
I love the kindness and the competence of your staff;
I love the brilliance and humor of our young Pastor;
And I love his great vision for Broadway's future.
I love the Sunday School, the meetings, the seminars;
And most of all the worship services in the Sanctuary,
Where, with friends and fellow pilgrims, I have the joy
Of coming into the presence of my God and Savior,
Jesus Christ, for you are truly a Christ-centered church.
I love your philosophy that we all are equals before God,
Rich or poor, black or white, male or female, young or old.
That we are a church in which we are moving together
To do the Lord's work here in our city and around he world.
And, with God's help, we are getting better at it each day."
The above-quoted piece is offered only as an illustrative statement of the attractiveness of Broadway Baptist Church as a church home as seen by this member. Ask any other member why he or she loves Broadway and you would get a slightly different listing. Our purpose here is to fill in the details about Broadway so that you can have a factual basis for making up your own mind whether to visit us and then perhaps to join us.
As narrated elsewhere on this Website Broadway Baptist Church has a long and colorful history. It was founded in 1882 in a near-downtown neighborhood and has remained there, ministering to people from all walks of life and all corners of Fort Worth and its suburbs.While it carries the name Baptist and is affiliated with several Baptist organizations, Broadway is not subservient to any state or national convention or organization.
It is governed by a Board of Deacons consisting of both men and women democratically elected by members of the church, with advice and assistance from the Church Leadership Council and various standing committees whose members are also elected by the church membership. The church operates under written by-laws which are amendable only by vote of the members. Anyone wishing to become a member may do so either by transferring their membership from another church or by public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, followed by baptism.
Our Church Mission Statement
The mission of Broadway Baptist Church is to share in Christ's work of reconciling the world to God.
This mission is accomplished by the church through its members, who are supported by an environment that provides:Personal and corporate worship experiences that encourage an on-going relationship with God;
Proclamation and education that promote spiritual growth and development;
Fellowship that provides care, support and nurture of individuals in their journeys of faith;
Preparation and support of persons for mission, outreach and ministry in their home, neighborhoods, workplaces and the world.
The Broadway Pulpit is a series of sermons in which the Pastor explains the scriptural basis and intent behind each of these four areas of ministry. We commend these to your reading. There are also many other pages here which can increase your store of knowledge about Broadway - - read about our history, look at the pictures of our pastors through the years, read about the Casavant organ, about our youth choir mission tours, check out our calendar of events and our Sunday School. We think you will find much of interest on this Website. Thank you for spending time with us.
Before you leave, let us imagine that you have just walked through the entrance doors to Broadway on a typical Sunday morning to attend our 10:50 a.m. worship service. You are in the Narthex, a large and beautiful rectangular room partititioned from the Sanctuary by a series of stained glass windows. Each window is a story within itself. You are immediately welcomed by one or more of our member greeters who will provide you with a printed Order of Worship with an enclosed sheet of news and facts about the life of the church. You then enter the Sanctuary on your own or in company with an usher and take your theater-type seat.
The choir files into the choir loft and you hear chimes as the Pastor approaches a position in the center aisle to greet the congregation with "THE LORD BE WITH YOU!" The congregation answers back "AND WITH YOU, ALSO! Then follows a brief period, perhaps a minute, during which each person turns to those on either side and in front and back and exchanges the same greetings. When the Pastor takes his seat the great organ begins to play and the worship service is under way.
At the close of each Sunday morning service the Pastor invites anyone wishing to do so to come down the aisle to make his or her desire known publicly and to receive the church's greetings. Also at the close of each Sunday morning service, all visitors are welcomed to meet the Pastor and other members of the church staff, and to ask any question about the morning service or the church in general.
