Our History
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In 1985 Park Cities Baptist Church proposed a new mission church in the Valley Ranch area. In February 1986 an initial core group was formed, and later that month Dr. Paul Basden was called as the founding pastor of the mission church. A few weeks later 26 people met in a home in Valley Ranch and the Valley Ranch Baptist Mission was launched!
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The first public worship service was held at the LaPetite Daycare Academy in May 1986. Within a year, membership had grown to almost 150, and the mission became self-supporting. A year later, June 7, 1987, the church’s status changed from a mission to a fully-functioning church. By the end of the 1980’s, the church’s membership grew to more than 300. In 1989, the church settled into more permanent facilities in the Westwood III business complex in Farmers Branch.
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In 1990, the church’s founding pastor, Dr. Basden, accepted a call to serve as Minister to the University at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1991, the church called Dr. Jerry Carlisle to serve as senior pastor. By 1992, the church had initiated two worship services and two Bible study hours to accommodate growth.
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In early 1992, the church purchased 7 ½ acres near the intersection of Beltline Road and McArthur Boulevard in Coppell. On October 2, 1994, Valley Ranch Baptist Church held its first worship service in the new facility constructed on that site. By then, the membership of the church was almost 600 with an annual budget of $475,000. Within a short period of time, additional worship services and Bible study hours were added, along with additional ministerial and support staff.
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In January 1998, Dr. Carlisle became the senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Temple, Texas. Bruce McGowan was called as interim pastor, and the church began an intense but effective intentional interim program. In August 1999 Valley Ranch Baptist Church called Dr. Larry Parsley as senior pastor.
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| The church continued to experience growth and added third Bible Study and Worship service. In 2000 the church launched The Christmas Store ministry which helped the church focus even further on mission in the community. During this time they also adopted a recommendation from The Facility Task Force to expand the Beltline location, breaking ground on Phase II in 2002. In September 2003, the church moved into the new 900 seat sanctuary and additional Bible study space with 661 members. In September 2006, VRBC completed the renovation of the West Wing (the original building), creating space for Student and Children’s ministries. |  |