First Baptist Church of Cisco

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm passin' it right along to you. Now, every good Texas story starts somewhere unexpected — and this one starts not in Cisco at all, but a mile to the west, at a little place called Red Gap. The Rev.

C.G. Stephens, founder of that Red Gap Community, joined forces with the Rev. W.B.

Cobb in 1878 to organize the Red Gap Baptist Church. Thirteen charter members. One room.

A log schoolhouse. That was the whole operation. But don't let the modest beginnings fool you — that small membership organized seven churches into the Red Gap Baptist Association.

Seven churches. Out of thirteen people meeting in a log schoolhouse. There's something almost tall-tale about that on its own.

Then came the railroads. The junction of the Texas and Pacific Railroad and the Houston and Texas Central Railroad established Cisco, and with Cisco came the slow, inevitable demise of Red Gap. The congregation read the writing on the wall and moved to Cisco in 1881, building a church house at 10th and Avenue E.

The very next year they constructed a thirty-six by fifty foot building at this site. Now here's where the story gets heavy. In 1893, a deadly tornado totally destroyed that building.

Gone. The congregation came back and completed a new structure the following year. That one burned in 1924.

Two buildings, two disasters. And if that weren't enough, the collapse of an earlier oil boom — which had brought rapid growth to both Cisco and the church — hit the congregation with serious financial losses. They gathered where they could: Cisco City Hall, schoolhouses, anywhere with a roof and room enough to meet, waiting until a new structure could be completed.

Through all of it, this fellowship never stopped reaching outward. They started a mission at Liberty Hill, four miles to the northwest, and a Spanish language mission in northeast Cisco. And the pastors who came up through this church?

They went on to become presidents of Baptist colleges, missionaries, evangelists, and special service ministers. From thirteen souls in a log schoolhouse in Red Gap, to a congregation that weathered tornadoes and fire and the bust that follows every boom — and still sent leaders out across the wider world. That's a long way from one room.

What the marker says

The Rev. C.G. Stephens, founder of Red Gap Community (1 mi. W), joined the Rev. W.B. Cobb in 1878 to organize the Red Gap Baptist Church. Forerunner of the First Baptist Church of Cisco, The Red Gap congregation had 13 charter members who met in a one-room log schoolhouse. This small membership organized seven churches into the Red Gap Baptist Association. The junction of the Texas & Pacific Railroad and the Houston & Texas Central Railroad established Cisco and began the demise of Red Gap. The congregation moved to Cisco in 1881 and built a church house at 10th and Avenue E. The next year they constructed a 36' x 50' building at this site. A deadly tornado in 1893 totally destroyed the building. A new structure, completed the following year, burned in 1924. The collapse of an earlier oil boom, which had brought rapid growth to Cisco and the church, caused financial losses. The congregation met in Cisco City Hall and schoolhouses until a new structure could be completed. This fellowship started a mission at Liberty Hill (4 mi. NW) and a Spanish language mission in northeast Cisco. Former pastors of this church have become presidents of Baptist colleges, missionaries, evangelists and special service ministers. (1978)