Imagine a towering forty-foot lighthouse. It stands 300 miles from the sea. It once blinked its warning signals across Oak Cliff. This is the story of The Lighthouse Church.
The Lighthouse Church has a unique history. It began with Pentecostal preacher J.C. Hibbard and his wife Nell. They organized the church in Dallas in 1940. They had previously preached at the Oak Cliff Assembly of God Church. Controversy led them to form their own church.
Their first church was built at 1914 S. Ewing in Oak Cliff. Services were initially held in a circus tent. The congregation helped build the church. Construction continued non-stop. The church was completed in January 1941.
A Dallas Morning News headline announced: “Lighthouse Church Warns Oak Cliff of Sin’s Penalty.” The article described a “bluish mercury-vapor beam.” It would shoot through the night. It was meant to guide “shaken mariners adrift on the sea of sin.”
By 1948, J.C. Hibbard was very popular. This was largely due to his radio sermons. Ground was broken on a larger church next to the first. J.C. himself designed it.
The new Lighthouse Church had many amenities. There was a nursery with a lounge. Mothers could tend to crying children. They wouldn’t miss the service. Sound-proof glass contained the crying. Speakers piped in the sermon.
Both Lighthouse Church buildings still stand today. They are located in Oak Cliff. The original caretaker’s house is also still there. The buildings are beautiful.
The first church was “a modern concrete and steel building.” It was overlaid with white Austin stone. The “bluish mercury-vapor” beam came from the lighthouse. It sat above the foyer. The later church had rounded walls.
In the 1970s, The Lighthouse Church moved. It went to a new location overlooking Mountain Creek Lake. This was at the intersection of Walton Walker and Illinois Avenue. It still holds services there.
Today, the original Ewing Avenue buildings have been repurposed. They are now used by Dream Center Dallas. This organization provides community support. It addresses homelessness, poverty, and addiction.
The Gospel Lighthouse Church’s design was inspired by the Lighthouse Movement. California evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson founded this movement. The lighthouse motifs are symbolic of McPherson’s influence.
The 1950 Lighthouse Church building included a blue beacon. Its style resembles McPherson’s Angeles Temple. This unique architectural choice reflects the church’s history. It connects it to a broader movement.
So, as you stand before The Lighthouse Church, remember its story. It’s a story of faith, controversy, and community. The Lighthouse Church continues to shine. It is still a beacon of hope in Dallas.