Second Baptist Church Houston

Second Baptist Church Houston is a megachurch in Houston, Texas, USA that currently has a membership of over 83,000.[1] Its senior pastor is Dr. Ed Young.[2] Second Baptist Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.[3] A 2008 survey by Outreach magazine gave attendance at 23,659.[4] In 2009 average weekly attendance was 22,723, making it one of the nation's largest churches.[5] As of 2020 their weekly attendance had grown to over 32,000.

Second Baptist Church Houston
Location Houston
Country United States
DenominationSouthern Baptist
Weekly attendance32,000 (2020)
Websitehttp://www.second.org/
History
Founded1927
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Dr. Ed Young

History

The church was founded in 1927.[6] In 1946 the church sponsored foundation of the Second Baptist School as a self-supporting agency.[7] The school occupies a 42-acre (170,000 m2) campus in the Memorial area and is open to students without regard to race, religion, or economic background.[8] In 1957, Second Baptist moved west to the current main location at 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston.[6] The Woodway church boasts the largest all-pipe Rodgers organ ever built, with 192 stops and 10,412 total pipes, qualifying the instrument as one of the largest pipe organs in the world. Although it was silenced for approximately one year due to severe water damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike in 2008, the organ is now played weekly in the church's traditional worship services, as well as for concerts and special events throughout the year. In addition to repairing the organ, the extensive damage from the hurricane required the church's Worship Center to be repaired and remodeled. It now contains seating for 5,500.[9]

In 1979 the church launched a weekly broadcast of worship services on local television. In 1982 a local radio program began, as well as national TV broadcasting known as The Winning Walk.[10] Since then this has expanded into international television, radio and internet distribution of the church's message.[11] In 2010, Second Baptist Church brought on the best selling Christian book author, Gary Thomas, as a writer in residence. Thomas also serves on Second's teaching team.[12]

On Easter day in 2012 the church began Spanish-language services.[13]

Expansion

In 1999 Second Baptist opened the West Campus. The West Campus has a 4,500-seat worship center with separate buildings for educational programs, weddings, funerals, and other events.[14] It includes a 215,000-square-foot (20,000 m2) classroom facility as well as other meeting spaces.[15] In 2004 Forest Cove Baptist Church joined Second Baptist and was renamed the North Campus, and satellite campuses in Pearland and Cypress were established in 2006, with the 2015 addition of the 1463 campus in Fulshear.[16]

Under the leadership of Ed Young the church grew from an average weekend attendance of 500 in 1978 [5] to over 32,000 today. The church has been described by its pastor as "a town within a city". In addition to worship facilities it has fitness centers, bookstores, information desks, a café, a K-12 school and free automotive repair service for single mothers.[17]

Second Baptist Church now has 6 physical campuses in the Houston area and an online campus.[18]

In 2016, Second Baptist Church, in cooperation with other local churches, developed and launched Loving Kids, a ministry initiative that focuses on children in specific lower income areas with the goal of seeing literacy rates increase, school ratings improve, crime rates decrease and families becoming involved in the community's churches.[19]

Second Baptist also has a counseling center, offering biblical guidance and professional counseling.[20]

See also

References
  1. "Second Baptist Church-West Celebrates 20 Years". Houston Chronicle. October 7, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  2. "Second Baptist Church". Second Baptist Church Houston. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  3. "SBTC Find A Church". sbtexas.com. September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  4. "Top 100 Largest Churches". Outreach Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  5. "Baptist churches' size, growth rank among top in U.S." The Alabama Baptist. October 8, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  6. "Second Baptist Church". SiteCore. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  7. "About SBS: Past Present and Future". Second Baptist School. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  8. "Second Baptist School". Houston Area Independent Schools. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  9. "Second Baptist Church Houston Hurricane Ike Reconstruction Program". Tellepsen. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  10. "The Winning Walk". The Winning Walk. September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  11. "Second Baptist Church: Ed Young". Goodnewsline.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  12. "Woodway Media". Second Baptist Church. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  13. "Second Baptist will launch Spanish service on Easter." Houston Chronicle. April 6, 2012. Retrieved on May 3, 2014.
  14. "Second Baptist Church Hits all Four Corners with Meyer Sound". Meyer Sound Laboratories. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  15. "Second Baptist Church-West Celebrates 20 Years". Chron.com. Houston Chronicle. October 7, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  16. "Second Baptist Church-West Celebrates 20 Years". Chron.com. October 7, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  17. Jesse Bogan (June 26, 2009). "America's Biggest Megachurches". Forbes. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  18. "Locations". second.org. September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  19. "Houston Area Pastors Launch "Loving Kids" Program". Style Magazine. May 30, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  20. "Counseling, Biblical Guidance and Professional Counseling". second.org. September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.

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