Second Baptist Church Houston
Encyclopedia
Second Baptist Church Houston is a megachurch
in Houston, Texas, USA affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
that has a membership of over 53,000. Its senior pastor is Dr. Ed Young.
Second Baptist Church is aligned with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, which broke away from the Baptist General Convention of Texas
in 1998.
A 2008 survey by Outreach magazine
gave attendance at 23,659.
In 2009 average weekly attendance was 22,723, making it the largest Baptist church in the country and the 5th largest church.
In 1946 the church sponsored foundation of the Second Baptist School
as a self-supporting agency.
The school occupies a 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) campus in the Memorial area and is open to students without regard to race, religion, or economic background.
In 1957, Second Baptist moved west to the current main location at 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston.
The Woodway church boasts a pipe organ with 192 stops and 10,412 total pipes, one of the largest in the world.
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. Since then this has expanded into international television, radio and internet distribution of the church's message.
The church participates in the Faith Comes By Hearing Audio Bible listening program.
The West Campus has a 4,500-seat worship center with separate buildings for educational programs, weddings, funerals, and other events.
It includes a 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) classroom facility and a 600-seat black box theater.
In 2004 Forest Cove Baptist Church joined Second Baptist and was renamed the North Campus, and satellite campuses in Pearland and northwest Houston were established in 2006.
Under the leadership of Ed Young the church grew from an average weekend attendance of 500 in 1978 to over 24,000 today.
The church has been described by its pastor as "a town within a city", with an annual budget of $55 million. 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.
In February 2006 the Second Baptist Church pledged $84 million to expand its three sites in the Houston area and to add others by using movie theaters across the United States.
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
in Houston, Texas, USA affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
that has a membership of over 53,000. Its senior pastor is Dr. Ed Young.
Second Baptist Church is aligned with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, which broke away from the Baptist General Convention of Texas
Baptist General Convention of Texas
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. The churches cooperating with the Baptist General Convention of Texas partner nationally and internationally with both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,...
in 1998.
A 2008 survey by Outreach magazine
Outreach Magazine
Outreach Magazine is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Vista, California. It focuses on activities of growing churches and is non-denominational.It is a periodical from the organization Outreach, Inc...
gave attendance at 23,659.
In 2009 average weekly attendance was 22,723, making it the largest Baptist church in the country and the 5th largest church.
First campus
The church was founded in 1927.In 1946 the church sponsored foundation of the Second Baptist School
Second Baptist School
Second Baptist School is a private primary and secondary school in the Memorial area of Houston, Texas, United States.SBS serves approximately 1200 students from PK – 12...
as a self-supporting agency.
The school occupies a 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) campus in the Memorial area and is open to students without regard to race, religion, or economic background.
In 1957, Second Baptist moved west to the current main location at 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston.
The Woodway church boasts a pipe organ with 192 stops and 10,412 total pipes, one of the largest in the world.
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. Since then this has expanded into international television, radio and internet distribution of the church's message.
The church participates in the Faith Comes By Hearing Audio Bible listening program.
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.
It includes a 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) classroom facility and a 600-seat black box theater.
In 2004 Forest Cove Baptist Church joined Second Baptist and was renamed the North Campus, and satellite campuses in Pearland and northwest Houston were established in 2006.
Under the leadership of Ed Young the church grew from an average weekend attendance of 500 in 1978 to over 24,000 today.
The church has been described by its pastor as "a town within a city", with an annual budget of $55 million. 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.
In February 2006 the Second Baptist Church pledged $84 million to expand its three sites in the Houston area and to add others by using movie theaters across the United States.