FBC Jacksonville 'In Cardiac Arrest', Must Shrink Its Campus Downtown

First Baptist Church to Shrink Downtown Jacksonville Campus from Ten Blocks to One | Financial News & Daily Record - Jacksonville, Florida

"First Baptist Church Jacksonville Senior Pastor Heath Lambert thought it would be difficult to convince his congregation that a $30 million loan is the best way for the 181-year-old church to address a debt crisis and stop 'bleeding from its pores'."

"Eleven straight years of decline dropped average attendance at First Baptist Church to about 3,200 as of 2018, Lambert said. He showed the fall in a line graph to members Sunday. At its height, Sunday attendance averaged 10,000"

"'Here’s what I’m telling you — First Baptist Church is in cardiac arrest,' Lambert said during his sermon Sunday. 'And if we don’t jolt back to life with a loan, we’re not going to make it'."

"Lambert said Sunday the church will consolidate its ministry from 10 city blocks Downtown into one....bounded by Church, Hogan, Laura and Ashley streets. That block includes Hobson Auditorium, which was built in 1904....which will once again serve as the First Baptist Church worship facility....That block does not include its main auditorium and the Lindsay auditorium"

"Lambert unveiled the plan, called 'A New Generation of Miracles,' to the congregation during the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday. The congregation voted Sunday to authorize First Baptist Church leadership to take out a $30 million loan to finance a renovation and retrofit of 'The Hobson Block'."

fbcjax.com/thestorycontinues

 

Church's website says the loan will be repaid by members' giving:

The Story Continues... · FBC JAX

 

Dire straits:

"Senior Pastor Heath Lambert....told the congregation about how on Monday mornings he would be on the floor in his church office, praying while a church committee at another location counted the offerings from the day before. He was 'begging God to have enough money to pay our people this week'."

"'Every day in the month of July, I don’t care who you are, you had more money in your bank account than First Baptist Church did,' Lambert told the congregation on Sept. 8. 'Every single day. If you had $1 in your bank account, you had more money than First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, and we are spending $1.2 million a month'."

Florida Times-Union • FBC Jacksonville tries to avert demise

Church likely already multi millions of dollars in debt before taking on this $30,000,000 loan:

"loan documents recorded in the Duval County Clerk’s office....May 2015 document showed the church with a $5 million revolving line of credit promissory note with SunTrust Bank....July 2018 document showed the church with a $6 million promissory note with SunTrust. First Baptist declined to comment on what the current unpaid principal amount is."

 

First Baptist Academy to move across St. John's River to Florida Baptist Children's Home property

"The academy is currently at 124 W Ashley St [in downtown]....In September, First Baptist Church announced plans to consolidate its sprawling 10-block downtown campus, which includes the academy, into one block."

 

First Baptist sells Ortega campus | Jax Daily Record | Financial News & Daily Record - Jacksonville, Florida