This is a brief summary of our church’s beginnings:
The First Baptist Church of Nederland saw a need for a mission on the east side of Nederland and authorized Rev. Francis S. James to begin the work necessary to establish one. The Seventh Street Baptist Church began as a mission Sunday School in June, 1954.
In August, 1954, a meeting place was secured in the old Ware Store building at Boston & Eleventh Streets. This building was rented by the church for $25.00 per month and the first service was held on September 19, 1954 with 51 present for Sunday School. For the first year, only Sunday School and morning preaching services were conducted. Later, Training Union and evening services were added to the schedule.
In January 1956, the mission, which had been officially named the “First Baptist Mission,” began to operate with its own budget and Bro. James continued to lead the mission until June 1, 1957.
The church was able to secure a tract of land on Seventh Street in December 1955 and a loan from the Land Holding Fund of the Baptist Executive Board in Dallas was used to purchase the property. In May 1957, negotiations were completed with the Baptist Church Loan Association for funds to be used in the construction of a permanent building. The services of Rev. A. W. Ludlow as pastor-builder were offered the church by the Department of Direct Missions. He began his work immediately after he came in June and set about to erect a temporary tabernacle on the Seventh Street property. This was completed within a week and the first Sunday services were held on June 16th.
Work then began on dismantling the old First Baptist building at Boston and 11th Street that had been offered to the mission to aid in erecting a new auditorium and educational unit that would accommodate approximately 200 people. Many hours of volunteer labor were provided on the temporary building and the construction of the new chapel.
The first services in the newly constructed chapel were conducted on October 13, 1958. Rev. J. W. Caldwell, architectural consultant for the Baptist Executive Board, Dallas, preached at the afternoon dedicatory services.
On January 15, 1958, the church officially approved the name change to “Seventh Street Baptist Chapel.” On April 2, 1958, a recommendation to constitute Seventh Street Baptist Chapel into a Baptist church was made. First Baptist Church authorized the constitution of the chapel into a church on June 1, 1958, transferring all funds, records, and letters pertaining to the new church at this time, thus bringing to a close the sponsorship of First Baptist Church. Dr. Arthur Rutledge delivered the dedicatory sermon at the services.
