History of CityRise

Our church has been around for nearly 100 years, and we expect to be found still faithful when Jesus returns, whether it’s tomorrow, another 100 years, or beyond. Here is a brief timeline of some of the highlights of our rich history, beginning with the first Bible study that would become a faithful worshiping church.

  • 1928

    Charles S. Rush, Pastor

    West University Baptist’s first Bible study was ​held on the front porch of Miss Nannie David’s home at 6600 Buffalo Speedway.

  • Feb. 26, 1928

    A number of pastors and deacons from Houston ​area Baptist churches meet with charter members ​at West University Elementary School to organize ​West University Baptist Church.

  • April 1928

    Time extended for accepting charter members. After organization, the first service was held in the field office of West University Place (University at Buffalo Speedway).

  • Charter members

    West University Baptist’s charter members

  • 1929

    WUBC Worship Services were held in the school building.

  • Oct. 25, 1929

    Present site purchased from city for $650.  A portion was sold back to the city for $450 to ​create Amherst Street.

  • April 1937

    New auditorium (wooden) built to house both Primary and High School department.

    First full-time secretary hired.

  • 1938

    New education building built (wooden).

  • 1940-1941

    Ernest Quick ​Second Education building built to care for ​estimated enrollment of 700.

  • 1945

    Ray V. Mayfield​, Pastor

    Ray V. Mayfield​, Pastor

    1945 – 1961​

  • 1945
    Sanctuary 1945

    Original WUBC Sanctuary, 1945

  • party 1940s

    1940s church party

  • Nov. 1947
    WUBC 2nd Sanctuary

    First masonry and steel building built, with the first floor used as an auditorium (now our Chapel, library and elevators).

     

  • Though our teenagers dress a little differently than when this photo was taken, we have always had a heart for our students!

    Though our teenagers dress a little differently than when this photo was taken, we have always had a heart for our students!

  • 1949

    Cottage on Milton Street purchased (now a Parking lot).

  • 1949
    Gleaners Class 1949

    Gleaner’s Class

  • Football team 1950s

    WUBC Football Team

  • 1954
    Education wing construction

    Present sanctuary built and three-story education building is erected at the same time.

  • 1957

    Hired first Youth Director, Doris Penkert.

  • Dec. 16, 1957

    At close of service, building burns.

  • 1960

    Milton Street education building built.

  • 1962

    LeRay Fowler, Pastor

    1962-1985​

    Becomes Pastor Emeritus at retirement.

  • 1962

    Church calls Ronny Barner on staff as Music Minister.

  • 1967
    youth choir 1967

    Youth Choir 1967

  • 1969

    Building for Preschool and new activities building erected.

  • 1971

    Open Door organized.

  • VBS 1972

    Children have always been at the heart of our ministry. Here is a picture of Vacation Bible School in 1972.

  • wub singers 1970s

    WUB Singers

  • sweet expressions 1970s

    Sweet Expressions

  • This is the 50th birthday celebration of West University Baptist in February, 1978. Dr. Fowler was pastor at the time.

    This is the 50th birthday celebration of West University Baptist in February, 1978. Dr. Fowler was pastor at the time.

  • 1981

    Prime Time Singers (Sr. Adult Choir) organized.

  • 1983

    Sunday School attendance reaches 700.

  • missions trip 1980s

    Missions Trip

  • 1986

    Charles Blackmon

    1986 – 1996​

    ​Church’s first mission trip to Rio Grande.

  • 1987​

    Purchase of parking lots.  Purchase and renovation of the cottage.

  • 1990
    praise alluia 1990

    Praise-A-luia 1990

  • missions trip 1990s

    Missions Trip

  • 1996

    ​Barry Landrum​, Pastor

    Purchase properties on University Blvd and​ Amherst St.

  • Called as pastor in 1996, Dr. Barry Landrum, and his wife Charlotte, led the church from one service with 300 people gathering for worship, to four services across two locations, with nearly 1200 people worshipping together each week.

    Called as pastor in 1996, Dr. Barry Landrum, and his wife Charlotte, led the church from one service with 300 people gathering for worship, to four services across two locations, with nearly 1200 people worshiping together each week.

  • 1997

    A Children’s Village/Mother’s Day Out program was started.

  • 2000

    Contemporary Early Service began – March.

  • 2001

    Great Heritage, Great Hope financial Campaign begins – $4.0 million dollars raised.

  • Nov. 2002​
    Great Hope Great Harvest celebration

    Phase I of GHGH completed. (new classrooms, ​Chapel, Welcome Center, offices and elevators).

  • 2003
    vbs 2003

    VBS 2003

  • 2003
    75th anniversary time capsule

    75th anniversary time capsule burial

  • April, 2004

    Phase I of Auden Renovation completed.

  • Sept. 2004

    ​Church voted to purchase First Baptist Church, ​Bellaire (now Crosspoint Church) $3.6 million.

  • crosspoint bellaire construction

    In 2004, with a heart to reach our city, Dr. Barry Landrum led West University Baptist to expand to 4601 Bellaire Blvd. in an effort to reach more people living inside the inner-loop. In January 2005, Crosspoint Church—Bellaire was launched.

  • 2005

    ​Imagine the Possibilities Campaign to fund reconstruction of West University Baptist and Crosspoint campuses.

  • 2005
    hurricane katrina relief 2005

    Hurricane Katrina relief

  • 2007
    VBS 2007

    VBS 2007

  • 2008

    Church launches Casa El Buen Samaritano, a free medical clinic in partnership with Iglesia Horeb to reach the poor of our city.

  • May, 2009

    Church calls Roger Patterson as senior pastor – elect, beginning a year of intentional transition as Dr. Landrum plans to retire.

  • May 2010

    Roger Patterson, Pastor

    Dr. Landrum retires and Dr. Patterson begins tenure as pastor.

  • 2013

    Bylaws amended, Executive Council Established, Impact Fund of $5.0 million is given, and church begins to deploy internationally.

  • 2014

    Church adds Pastor Rick Vasquez and Iglesia Crosspoint, and Pastor Joshua Tao, and West U Chinese Church, as two language congregations are added to the weekly worship schedule.

  • Reaching university students has always been a passion for our church family.

    Reaching university students has always been a passion for our church family.

  • April 2016

    Church builds two student ministry buildings, one at each inner-loop campus.

  • Kids ministry has always been a high value on all our campuses. These kids were probably at our construction site to make sure we didn’t forget the kids wing!

    Kids ministry has always been a high value on all our campuses. These kids were probably at our construction site to make sure we didn’t forget the kids wing!

  • Feb. 2018

    Church celebrates 90th birthday and begins to ask, “Where will we be when we turn 100 years old?”; Strategic Planning Teams Launched.

  • March 2020

    Coronavirus Pandemic hits the United States; Congregational worship moves online; CityRise Brand and YouTube channel are launched in a matter of days.

  • Jan. 2021

    Church launches third campus called CityRise Missouri City, embracing the people and campus of Emmanuel Baptist Church (formerly First Baptist Church, Missouri City); Casa El Buen Samaritano moves to CRMC and establishes permanent clinic campus; Church launches the CityRise Network in an effort to collaborate with other city reaching groups to lift the city of Houston together.

  • Jan. 2022
    Fight for It book

    Church launches the Fight For It Campaign to help re-gather and rebuild the church, and set the table for the Deep and Wide Generosity Initiative.

  • Our senior high school students go on a life-transforming trip every year to Ecuador to serve people and share the gospel. It’s amazing what God does when we are faithful to respond when He says, “Go!”

    Our senior high school students go on a life-transforming trip every year to Ecuador to serve people and share the gospel. It’s amazing what God does when we are faithful to respond when He says, “Go!”

CHRISTY AND CHARLIE’S STORY

Christy: I grew up at West University Baptist Church. I started going when I was three years old. My family was very active, and any time the church was open, we were there. That taught me how to be a member of a church. As an adult, I’m still active in my church in many ways.

Charlie: My mother’s dad was our first family member at West University Baptist Church in the late 1930’s, and my mother was born in 1940, so she was raised around the corner from the church. As a child, that’s where all my family was, and it was home. I became sort of a prodigal son as a teenager until I was in my mid-twenties, when I had an encounter with God that brought me home again to West University Baptist and I got reacquainted with Christy. We got involved with a class for young married couples, and some of our deepest relationships came about then. West U is home to us, and we care deeply.

Through the years I would pop my head into the church and drop some money in, but it wasn’t ever any type of commitment or tithe. Once, after a teaching from my aunt and uncle on tithing, we came home and Christy said “we’re going to tithe.” We weren’t making much money, but I thought if she handled it and I didn’t worry about it, we’d be fine, so that’s how we’ve rolled until recently. Obedience is a big part of it, but there’s more to it than just that.

We’ve had the opportunity to give additionally to other organizations and missionaries, but it all started out of obedience. Now going through this series, we’ve realized that before God can do something through us, He needs to do something to us. And I’ve realized that my giving should be more than just obedience, but intentional and out of gratitude. I want it to be first from my heart, and then from my checkbook.

Christy: There’s a Scripture that tells about how these people initially gave obediently, but then even more out of their hearts because of their love for Jesus. We think it’s really important to evolve that check box of obedience into something more intentional and really trusting God to provide and allow us to be more generous.

Charlie: Christy and I have spent many years in the financial industry, so we know how to teach people for example about retirement. My uncle, Hollace Waldtl, used to say “Pay the Lord first, pay yourself second,” so I’ve tried to teach my children to do that in the same way that you would save for retirement.

We’ve never found ourselves wanting, and we’ve continued to give and support kingdom-oriented organizations and people. But we are now trying to give beyond, and I’m excited about the change in our hearts after studying this material.

It’s such a blessing to do life with other people who believe what we believe . . .

Christy: There’s no question that we’ve been immensely blessed by God through so many different ways. Even just through hosting several young women from Africa while they work or go to school; they were such a good influence on our own children, and even we benefited from that. I think because of our faithfulness to the church, we’ve been really blessed.

My parents got divorced when I was young, and even then, the church was my home and a safe space for me. Back in 2005 I was diagnosed with very aggressive breast cancer. I was under the age of 40, had two small children, and the church rallied around us so much, bringing us meals, babysitting, and doing whatever they could to help us. It was so powerful, and I couldn’t imagine not having a church family in their life, because it’s such an intricate part of who we are.

It’s such a blessing to do life with other people who believe what we believe, and I’m really excited for the Deep & Wide campaign and study that we’re going to be doing. It’s just another opportunity for us to come together in a small group and be vulnerable with people. It’s one thing to come and worship at church, but it’s really important to get personal and have real conversations and relationships with people. It really becomes a blessing for us and those around us when we do. To hear their struggles and winnings and to relate to people is so important, and I think that’s why the Deep & Wide campaign is another great opportunity for us to do that.

I’m also excited about what we can learn about being generous. There’s just so much to learn about who the Lord is and how He shows His love for us through His abundant provision, and how He wants us to give to His kingdom. Regardless of where you are on your giving journey, there’s still something to learn. Even for us, our giving is evolving.

After spending 25 years as a global asset manager, I’ve been really moved to missions and nonprofit ministry, something greater than corporate America. For the past couple years I’ve worked for a medical clinic Casa el Buen Samaritano. The more people we can see, the more people we can share the gospel with. This is why I’m here, to grow the kingdom in the most excellent way.

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