Picture this. A simple white frame building stands proudly. It is 1936. This is the original Broadway Baptist Church. It is a humble beginning for a congregation brimming with faith.
Broadway Baptist Church. A beacon in Houston’s East End. Its story begins not in a grand cathedral but in a home. In 1934 future members gathered at Mr and Mrs C M Terwilleger’s house on Brady Street. Their second meeting birthed a Sunday School. This met at Harrisburg School. It sits at the intersection of Broadway and Manchester Streets. The name Broadway Baptist Sunday School was adopted. A recommendation to organize Broadway Baptist Church followed in 1935. G C Griffith became the first pastor that August.
The early church had nothing. No land no building no money no credit. Yet the members took a leap of faith. They laid the foundation of what would become more than just a church. It would become a learning center. Children would grow physically mentally and spiritually within its walls. Judge J S Bracewell a charter member stepped forward. He devised a bond financing program. This enabled the purchase of five lots on Bowie Street. The new building was constructed in April 1936. It housed a sanctuary educational space nursery and offices. Six years later there were 892 members.
In 1942 a red brick educational building was added. This building remains a part of the church today. Judge Bracewell’s program the Broadway Plan of Church Finance was a success. It helped build over 6000 churches across North America.
The Broadway Baptist School opened its doors in 1949. Judge Bracewell donated his home for the school. It became a preschool kindergarten nursery school and daycare. The school grew. Grades 1-3 opened in 1951. Grades 4-6 were added the next year. A new elementary school building was constructed in 1957. By 1977 Broadway School had a senior high school and a new mascot the Bobcat. The school thrived with over 700 students. It closed in 2001.
Broadway Baptist Church stands as a testament to faith perseverance and community. It’s a story of growth and adaptation a legacy etched not just in brick and mortar but in the lives it has touched for generations. A place where faith blossomed and a community thrived. This is the enduring spirit of Broadway Baptist Church.