Our Story

In the Beginning

In the spring of 1871, twelve families along with several single persons departed the war-ravaged town of Rising Fawn, Dade County, Georgia, and headed west in search of a new life and better fortunes. Loading themselves and everything they owned into forty different wagons, they ventured into the great unknown that lay before them. Over mountain and river, through forest and plain, these brave pioneers dared the hardships of the over-three-month journey to arrive upon the Great Plains of Texas, where they stopped and settled a new community.

Central to this community was their need to worship and to draw hope and inspiration from God’s Word; as such, they immediately began meeting in a simple wood-frame house in the fall of 1871 (as they made preparations to build their first church building). The first formal service in their newly-built chapel took place in February 1872. As the first Methodist congregation in the area, crowds came from as far as 20 miles away to attend the then-named Oak Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Oak Hill/Austin Chapel

The leader of the 1871 caravan was S.B. Austin, who (with his family) settled on what is known as the Obadiah Knight Survey. It was Austin who organized the church (initially meeting in his home) that would come to be known as White’s Chapel. Upon a two-acre tract of land that Austin donated (to the south of the historic White’s Chapel Cemetery), a simple log-constructed chapel was built, and Oak Hill Methodist was born (with some forty Charter Members).

Rev. Lewis M. White

As the first Methodist church in northeast Tarrant County, traveling preachers (known as “Circuit Riders”) filled the pulpit. One of the most popular of these early parsons was the Tennessee-born Rev. Lewis M. White. Under his leadership (c.1886), the fledgling church blossomed…and came to be known by his name: every week people were showing up at “White’s Chapel.”

A Century of Mission

After many years and many pastors, White’s Chapel celebrated its centennial in May 1971. At this celebration, the State of Texas presented the church with its historical marker. In addition to marking 100 years of ministry, the anniversary also marked the beginning of a new age for the church: one that would be defined by great faith, powerful new ministry, and tremendous growth.

In the 1980s, the population of northeast Tarrant County grew dramatically; and by 1985, the small, white sanctuary was unable to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding community. A new sanctuary was designed to hold 300 worshippers and a choir of 30. In addition to the new worship space, eight Sunday school rooms and a large foyer were added. On Easter Sunday 1988, we held our first worship service in the new space (now, Grace Chapel).

Manna Till Now

In 1992, Dr. John E. McKellar was appointed to White’s Chapel as the Senior Pastor. At the time, the church had 450 members, one service, and about 100 in attendance on Sunday mornings. Though the congregation was well over 100 years old at that time, the church and the community around it were prepared for expansive growth. With an infusion of new energy and a commitment to engaging entire families in ministry, Dr. McKellar’s vision for a vibrant church began to take shape – leading to the opening of our current sanctuary in 2002.

In the decades following, White’s Chapel experienced extraordinary growth: now including over 15,000 church members and an average of 5,000 worshippers in weekly worship (on campus and online). While the church’s ability to engage large numbers of the community is a point of pride, discipleship at White’s Chapel goes much deeper than church attendance. Thousands of children, youth, and adults participate in discipleship classes every week, and the FaithWorks missions and outreach team engages in missions of mercy and justice, both, locally and around the world. All these actions are tied together in a single vision: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world! It is a call that drives us to maintain that quintessentially “small church” feel that has marked White’s Chapel’s ministry from its inception – being a church of real people making a real difference.

The Dream Lives On

In recent years, with the further expansion of our staff and campus (including the addition of discipleship and fellowship spaces and the renovation of our contemporary worship venue, The Bridge), White’s Chapel is poised to continue its pioneering heritage: bravely pressing onward, dreaming big dreams, faithfully following God to become the church He calls us to be.

Going forward, White’s Chapel is committed to living out the dreams that inspired the undaunted settlers who came before us: the dream that our community could be rooted in a place of worship, that people would allow God to shape and guide their lives, that others would know us by the fruit we bear, and that grace would really make a difference – across the street and across the world. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the presence of love and grace, and through the open hearts of our community of faith, we have been blessed by nearly 150 years of powerful ministry…and we can’t wait to see (and to share) what God has in store for us next.

(Parts taken from the Southlake Journal Article – Friday, Oct. 26, 2007)