Our History
1970
Back ⇡The idea of a Southern Baptist Church in the FM 1960 area of Houston, Texas was born in the heart of Reverend Robin Guess, Founding Pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church during its first seven years. He and his family held the church's first service on September 20, 1970, with six people present. Five were from the Robin Guess family and the sixth was the first music director, Pete Sanchez. Sunday services initially were held in the Klein Intermediate School. As the congregation grew, the Wednesday evening services were moved out of homes and into St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church.
1972
Back ⇡On October 1, 1972, the fellowship of believers constituted as a church. In a special called conference, Gordon Meece made the following motion: “That we organize today as a Southern Baptist Church to be named Champion Forest Baptist Church.” A total of 230 became charter members on that day.
1973
Back ⇡On February 25, 1973, the church held a ground-breaking for a worship center and education wing on a nine acre site located at 12501 Champion Forest Drive in the Greenwood Forest Subdivision.
1974
Back ⇡In March 1974, the church's first revival was conducted with John Bisagno preaching.
1975
Back ⇡In April 1975, two Worship services and two Sunday School hours were started. In June, the first Vacation Bible School on campus was initiated. WMU was started and Wednesday evening meals at the Church commenced.
1976
Back ⇡The members pledged $400,000 through the “Together We Build” program for the purpose of constructing a new family life center. Construction of the family life center was commenced, and the first parking lot enlargement was completed. The church library opened.
1977
Back ⇡On July 24, 1977, the Founding Pastor, Reverend Robin Guess, resigned and a nine-member Pastor Search Committee was elected.
1978
Back ⇡On April 2, 1978, Reverend O. Damon Shook became the church's second Pastor. Five portable buildings were leased for additional Sunday School space. Two worship services were started in August. Champion Forest was recognized by the Southern Baptist Convention as being in the top 1% in growth among Southern Baptist churches.
1979
Back ⇡The worship center was remodeled to provide additional seating, an enlarged choir loft, and expanded office space. A two-story, 20,000 square foot education building was completed.
1980
Back ⇡Balcony seating for 200 was added to the worship center, parking spaces for 165 cars were added, and planning for a new worship center was begun. The church voted to begin plans and construction for a new children's education building.
1981
Back ⇡A “Building Together By Faith” program was started in May to help fund construction of the new worship center. In October, a ground breaking service for the new worship center was held.
1982
Back ⇡Three portable buildings were leased to allow for additional Sunday School growth.
1983
Back ⇡The new worship center was completed, including new office space, a music suite, and an instrumental room. In January, the first service in the new worship center was held. The old worship center was renovated into a two story structure that housed 7,500 square feet of education space on the ground floor and a chapel seating 400 on the top floor. A new two story building was constructed that included a new library and additional educational space. The former library was remodeled to provide education space and a preschool/children's playground was constructed.
A report from the Future Planning Committee was adopted that provided education space for Sunday School attendance of 3,100 by December 1987 as well as future space for 5,000 in Sunday School and 6,000 in worship.
The Southern Baptist Convention reported that Champion Forest was among the top ten fastest growing churches in the convention.
1984
Back ⇡Because additional education space was needed, the church voted to renovate the family life center into a two-story building to house the preschool and youth departments. A new three-story education building was designed for future construction.
1985
Back ⇡The construction projects approved in 1984 were started. Two additional portable buildings were leased to house Sunday School departments.
1986
Back ⇡The three-story education building was completed with the third floor remaining unfinished until a later date. Plans were developed to build a two-story parking garage that would provide spaces for 350 cars.
1987
Back ⇡The third floor of the educational building was completed.
1988
Back ⇡Construction on the parking garage started in the fall for expected completion in early 1989. To relieve parking congestion, a previously established bus shuttle system was expanded.
1990
Back ⇡In June, it was voted to establish a Land Acquisition Committee to locate and recommend a site to be purchased to accommodate a future church relocation.
1991
Back ⇡Upon the recommendation of the Land Acquisition Committee, the church voted to purchase 54 acres of land at Stuebner-Airline and Strack Road for $2,270,385.
1992
Back ⇡In July, the church began developing plans for the eventual move to the new site. The church elected a Building Committee, Finance Committee, Sales Committee, and School Feasibility Committee.
1993
Back ⇡In March, The School Feasibility Committee recommendation for the establishment of a Christian School for preschool and kindergarten age children was approved. Additional grade levels would require approval by church vote.
In November, a master plan was approved for the development of facilities at the new site (commonly referred to as “North Campus”). It was voted to proceed with Phase I of the master plan which consisted of constructing a family life center, a central utilities plant, an education building, and parking. The family life center was designed as a dual-purpose facility – to serve the long-term purpose of family recreation and fellowship as well as the interim purpose of providing a 2,200 seat worship center.
1995
Back ⇡In September, construction of Phase I at the new site was started. The ground breaking celebration, with a huge bulldozer knocking down potential barriers to the church's growth, was a joyous occasion for all the church members.
1996
Back ⇡The church voted to operate two campuses, one at the old site and one at the in the new facility when Phase I construction was completed. Two campuses were to be operated until Phase II construction was completed and the entire congregation could be accommodated at the new site. In December, Phase I construction was completed.
1997
Back ⇡Services were started at the new site, with services also being conducted at the old site.
1998
Back ⇡Construction started for Phase II at the new site. This consisted of an administration building, student building, additional parking spaces, and expansion of the central utilities plant.
1999
Back ⇡In August, Phase II construction was completed, and a total move to the new site was completed. The former church facilities on Champion Forest Drive were no longer used. In November 1999, all of the property on Champion Forest Drive was sold.
2000
Back ⇡In August, construction began on the Phase III at the new site. This consisted of a 4,500 seat worship center, a 400 seat chapel, a 4,000 square foot library (housing 30,000 books), further expansion of the central utilities plant, and additional parking.
2002
Back ⇡In August, construction of Phase III was completed. The worship center was dedicated on August 18.
2004
Back ⇡The student ministry began conducting a worship service for students in the family life center worship area at the 11:00 hour.
The International Mission Board advised Champion Forest that in 2003 the church was the number one financial contributor to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
2005
Back ⇡In January, Damon Shook announced his retirement effective May 1, 2005. Pastor Shook served during a period of great growth in membership, Sunday School attendance, and baptisms. When Pastor Shook arrived in April 1978 the church membership was 1,400, and at his retirement in April 2005, the membership exceeded 12,000.
On February 13, 2005, a nine-member Pastor Search Committee was elected by the church's membership.
2006
Back ⇡Dr. David Fleming preaches in view of a call. Immediately after the sermon, the CFBC congregation overwhelmingly voted Dr. Fleming as the third pastor of Champion Forest Baptist church.
2007
Back ⇡January 7th 2007, Dr, Fleming preaches for the first time as senior pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church.
2008
Back ⇡Church votes to build approximately 168,000 sq feet of additional education space in three buildings based on a $40,000,000 budget. The buildings included a Student Building, expansion of the Preschool/Children Building, and a Adult Education/Atrium Building with expansion of the existing library, as well as refurbishment of the Family Life Center Worship area. An “IMPACT” building pledge campaign to fund construction resulted in pledges totaling more than $21,600,000. In spite of a difficult economy, the church trusted God and saw the buildings completed and dedicated in 2010.
2010
Back ⇡As Houston continued to grow in both size and diversity, CFBC grew in its desire to reach all the people in the shadow of its own steeple. CFBC first became one church in two languages (English and Español). Then, one multi-ethnic and multi-cultural church, and finally one church, ministering in six different languages every Sunday. Committed to spiritual unity in the midst of diversity, CFBC became a reflection of its community, the result of a vision to reach its community for Christ.
2011
Back ⇡CFBC's Main Worship Center undergoes a remodel in June, 2011.
2011 (and beyond)
Back ⇡CFBC, a church plant itself, has a history of planting other churches. in 2011, a vision for church planting was rekindled and a commitment to church planting was rekindled and renewed. CFBC began planting churches in cities across America, including Seattle, New York City, New Orleans, St Louis, Boston, and Denver. Two international churches were also planted, one in Haiti and the other in Santiago de Chile. By 2017, these church plants were averaging over 2,000 people in attendance per Sunday.
2012
Back ⇡From 2012 - 2017, CFBC entered a season of local and international CFBC TV Programming. In November of the same year all of the Worship Center sound and video was upgraded.
2013-2019
Back ⇡CFBC embraced a multi-site model when 300 of its members became a gospel-presence in the North Klein area. Soon, A third campus was launched in partnership with Conroe's Good Shepherd and C3. CFBC then expanded to a fourth location in Jersey Village with Jersey Village Baptist Church. Through the process of becoming multi-site, the "main" sending campus at Stuebner Airline Road has become known as the Champions Campus.
Through multi-site strategy, CFBC has extended its reach across NW Houston and grown in attendance from 5,000 in 2013 to about 8,000 in average attendance as of September 2019.
2019
Back ⇡After 13 years of faithful ministry and mission, Dr. David Fleming stepped down as Senior Pastor of CFBC on September 8, 2019.
The church voted and formed a nine-member Pastor Search Committee, who lead the search for the fourth Senior Pastor in CFBC's history.
2020
Back ⇡In December of 2020 the Pastor Search Committee extends an invitation for Dr. Jarrett Stephens to come and preach in view of a call as their unanimously selected candidate for Senior Pastor.
On December 13, 2020, the church overwhelmingly votes (98%) to affirm Dr. Jarrett Stephens as our new Senior Pastor. Pastor Jarrett becomes the fourth Senior Pastor in Champion Forest's history.
