Houston's First Baptist Church has put down roots across the fourth-largest city in the United States, gathering worshipers at four campuses that together span the greater Houston area. From its iconic Cross Tower at The Loop to a new worship center on the southern edge of Missouri City, the church has spent more than 180 years building a single congregation with many doors. Its signature is a simple rhythm: gather hearts in worship, grow souls in Scripture, and give lives in service.
Four Campuses Across Greater Houston
The Loop Campus, the church's home since 1970, stands near the interchange of the 610 Loop and Katy Freeway on the west side of Houston. The Cross Tower on the northwest corner carries a cascading waterfall meant to symbolize the living water of Christ. The worship center seats about 3,300.
Cypress opened in 2012 in the heart of Cypress, across the parking lot from Bridgeland High School. The roughly 100,000-square-foot building holds 1,300 worshipers, and a cross on the front facade marks the entrance.
Downtown returned to its original neighborhood in 2014 when the church transformed a space near the Toyota Center into a three-story worship and ministry building. Sienna opened its 74,000-square-foot facility in Missouri City in 2024 with a worship center that seats around 600, an indoor playground, and a student worship area.
A fifth gathering place, Houston's First en Español, meets in The Chapel at The Loop Campus each Sunday at 1 p.m. Kike Puig, originally from Spain, pastors this community, which also offers a Spanish Life Bible Study at 10:45 a.m.
A Church Plant That Outgrew Its First Building
Houston's First traces its story back to 1841, when the congregation first gathered in downtown Houston. After more than a century there, the church moved to the Loop Campus location in 1970. The opening of Cypress and the second Downtown location came in 2012 and 2014. Sienna followed in 2024. The senior pastor, Gregg Matte, came to the church in 2004 after founding the largest college Bible study in the nation, Breakaway Ministries, while a student at Texas A&M University. He holds a master's degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is also the author of Difference Makers, Finding God's Will, I AM Changes Who I Am, and Unstoppable Gospel. His Difference Maker Declaration - "I have a history-changing, difference-making, life-giving, Spirit-empowered legacy to leave" - shapes the way members are invited to live.
Worship in English and in Spanish
Worship at The Loop mixes a 75-voice choir and full orchestra at 9:15 a.m. with a vocal- and band-led 11 a.m. service and a more intimate 4 p.m. gathering called The4. Cypress and Sienna offer contemporary, band-led worship; Downtown offers modern worship with its own vocalists; Sienna also opens its doors at 8 a.m. for an early service. En Español holds a vibrant Spanish-language service at 1 p.m. in The Chapel at The Loop.
Online worship from The Loop Campus streams live each Sunday at 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m., and 4 p.m. on YouTube, Facebook Live, and the church's webcast.
Worship leaders include Roger Cullins, Minister of Worship at Cypress; Mon'Sher Spencer, Worship Ministry Director at Sienna; Brittany Reeves, Worship and Social Media Director at Downtown; Chris Colee, Associate Minister of Worship; and Daniel Suarez, who leads the Worship Band for en Español. The choir and orchestra, both based at The Loop, are open to adults; orchestra musicians audition, but the choir does not.
Sundays for Every Generation
Programming is built so a family can come for the whole day. Life Bible Studies - Houston's First name for Sunday school - meet before, between, and after the worship services for every member of the family, from infants through retirees. At The Loop, the schedule runs at 8 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m., and 5:30 p.m.; at Cypress and Downtown at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; and at Sienna at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11 a.m.
First Friends Preschool & Kindergarten serves infants through kindergarten. First Kids welcomes 1st through 5th graders. The HUB Student Ministry gathers 6th through 12th graders. Thru The Roof serves individuals of all ages with special needs and their families on Sunday mornings at The Loop. College students are welcomed through Loop Groups at The Loop, the College Ministry at Cypress, and Voyage at Downtown.
Single adults find community through Summit (20s), Sojourn (30s), and Impact (40s-50s) at The Loop, as well as Courageous at Cypress and Flourish at Sienna. Married adults meet in classes organized by years married and life stage - from Newlywed & Close and Embers to Application, Communitas, and Unity - plus a Spanish-language class called Agua Viva at Cypress.
Children's ministry leadership for a first weekend includes Bill Emeott (The Loop), Patrick Simpson (Cypress), Tyler Scott (Sienna), and Jason Payton (Downtown). The student ministry team includes Tommy Kersten (Cypress), Mark Cox (Sienna), and Giancarlo Callejas (Downtown). Pastor of college ministry at The Loop is Ethan Schifelbein. Minister to Singles & Metro Venue Pastor is Brandon Ayers. Married Adults Minister and The4 Venue Pastor is Brad Talbert.
Wednesdays at Houston's First
Mid-week programming offers something for everyone in the family. Equip Classes are short-term classes that cover prayer, discipleship, apologetics, parenting, and more. KidLink gives children two extra hours of discipleship on Wednesday nights. The HUB students gather mid-week for worship and teaching. Adults step into topical studies during this mid-week window as well.
PATHMAKERS and Safeguarding
Volunteers at Houston's First are called PATHMAKERS, a name meant to capture their calling to help make a path for others to Jesus. Roles vary from greeters and parking lot team members to Bible study leaders, choir members, and small-group leaders.
Because the church takes seriously its responsibility to protect children, youth, and vulnerable adults, anyone serving with minors or special-needs adults goes through Safeguarding. The Safeguarding process requires church membership and at least six months of active involvement (often through a Life Bible Study), and then an application, Ministry Safe sexual-abuse prevention training, references, an interview, and a background check.
The Counseling Center: A 40-Year Ministry
The Julianna Poor Memorial Counseling Center provides biblically based, clinically competent, and Spirit-sensitive counseling for individuals, couples, and families. The center was established in 1983 by Dr. Charles Poor, then Counseling Minister at Houston's First, and renamed in 1991 in memory of his daughter Julianna, who passed away at 21 after a cancer diagnosis. Today the center operates at The Loop, Cypress, and Sienna campuses, with offices at The Loop on the sixth floor (Suite 600) and at the Cypress and Sienna locations in adjoining annexes.
Counselors see clients for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relational conflict, spiritual concerns, marriage preparation, and family transitions. Half-day and full-day intensives are available for individuals and couples, and group work includes Conquer (for men), Courage and Mended (for women), Anchored in Hope (for spouses), DivorceCare, GriefShare, and First H.O.P.E. (a job-search ministry).
Fees are tiered by counselor credential, with reduced rates for church members and First Baptist Academy students. Sessions are 45 minutes long; the center does not accept insurance but can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement. Languages offered include English, Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese.
The Oaks: Hope and Healing for Vulnerable Families
The Oaks, a ministry of Legacy 68:5, offers trauma-informed therapeutic care for kinship, foster, and adoptive families. The center provides counseling, parent support, occupational therapy, legal assistance, and more, designed to nurture healing, resilience, and belonging. It grew out of Legacy 68:5, established in 2008 to connect, equip, and sustain families who answer the call to care for vulnerable children through adoption and foster care. Legacy 68:5 offers wrap-around teams, an Assistance Fund to help with adoption and licensing costs, Dad's Club, Moms of the Heart gatherings, and Spanish-language support.
Pastoral Care and Stephen Ministry
Pastoral Care walks alongside individuals and families during grief, illness, crisis, and major transitions. Stephen Ministers are laypeople with 50 hours of training who offer one-on-one, confidential care, available before and after each Sunday service in the Main Lobby at The Loop. Other Pastoral Care offerings include CanHope (cancer support), HopeHouse (temporary housing near the Texas Medical Center), homebound care, hospital visits within 75 miles of the church, and support groups including Ashes to Flourish, Common Ground (caregivers), Flourish (widows), Iron to Iron (widowers), and The Gathering Place (memory loss).
Music and Worship: Choir, Band, and a Worship Academy
Houston's First Worship Academy, based at The Loop, trains singers, instrumentalists, and dancers of all ages. Private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, drums, and strings are offered in 30-, 45-, and 60-minute sessions, alongside creative-movement dance classes. The academy hosts seasonal recitals, talent showcases, and worship nights throughout the year. Nikki Moss directs the academy.
The Loop campus is the only one with a full choir and orchestra serving each Sunday; the choir is open to adults without audition, while orchestra musicians audition due to the nature of instrumental placement.
Missions Locally and Globally
Missions at Houston's First is built around the Great Commission from Matthew 28. Locally, Faith Centers serve some of the most vulnerable in Houston with food, clothing, spiritual care, and practical resources. Legacy 68:5 supports foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Globally, the church partners with missionaries in more than 35 countries through GO Global Care, which provides missionary housing, home groups, counseling, and debriefing.
Short-term mission trips are organized through GO Method; Safeguarding screening is required for trips that involve children. A Missions Sending Scholarship supports members who feel called to long-term service.
Hunt Retreat: A Church Camp Forty Miles West
Hunt Retreat, the church's 14.7-acre property in Fulshear, sits about 40 miles west of The Loop Campus. Ministry has been happening there since the mid-1970s. The 8,800-square-foot house has two 71-foot porches, nine bedrooms, and nine and a half bathrooms (two ADA-compliant), and can sleep up to 54 people. The grounds include more than 60 Texas pecan trees, Bessie's Creek, a softball field, disc golf, and a fire pit. The retreat is open to ministries of Houston's First as well as other Christian churches and non-profit Christian organizations.
CornerBooks & Coffee and the Library
CornerBooks is a missional marketplace located at The Loop Campus, at the intersection of two main corridors. The store carries Bibles, devotionals, commentaries, handcrafted goods from ministry partners around the world, jewelry, purses, candles, rugs, and home items - purchases help provide sustainability for workers and carry the Gospel across borders. A coffee, tea, and snack bar anchors the space.
The CornerBooks Library, directly behind the registers, offers books, DVDs, CDs, Bible study kits, and digital access to Bible study platforms including RightNow Media. Library membership is free and open to the community, not only to church members. Store hours include Sunday mornings before and after services, Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesdays until 7 p.m. for Wednesday Nights at The Loop.
Fitness and Recreation at The Loop
The Fitness & Recreation Center at The Loop offers a fully stocked gym with basketball courts, racquetball courts, a six-lane bowling alley, party and event rooms, and a kids' indoor play land. Memberships include childcare in the Preschool Wing for children ages six weeks to five years during designated windows. Group classes include Pilates, Boot Camp, TRX, Spin, Piloxing, Perfect Alignment (a yoga alternative), and Young at Heart. Daycation, a summer camp for children who have completed K-7th grade, shares the space.
First Baptist Academy and Weddings
First Baptist Academy, affiliated with the church, equips students with the Truth of God's Word while developing their character, intellect, and potential.
Weddings at The Loop, Cypress, Downtown, or Sienna are reserved for members. Couples must complete the Preparation for Marriage Program 30 days before the ceremony. The Chapel is ideal for most weddings and seats up to 315; the Worship Center at The Loop seats up to 3,300 for larger ceremonies; and the outdoor Oasis Garden fits small, intimate gatherings. Weddings can be scheduled up to a year in advance, with Worship Center weddings scheduled at least six months in advance.
Baptist Beliefs and Church Membership
Houston's First affirms the Baptist Faith & Message (2000) as its doctrinal statement. The church teaches that the Bible is the inspired revelation of God without mixture of error; that there is one God who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that humanity was created in God's image and is fallen; that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; that Christian baptism is by immersion; and that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death until His return. Membership is open to anyone who has placed faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and has been baptized by immersion.
Giving, ECFA, and the Kingdom Come Initiative
Houston's First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Between now and February 2028, tithes and offerings are allocated to the Kingdom Come one-fund initiative, which supports the Great Commission Fund (the church's day-to-day operating budget). Giving is available online, by text (text "GIVE" to 44322), by mail to the Finance Office, through stock gifts, through bank bill pay, and through estate and gift planning with PhilanthroCorp.
How to Get Connected
First-time guests can register their visit online, fill out a Connect Card during a service, or stop by the Welcome Center after worship. The Make It Your Church gathering is offered over lunch or dinner at each campus several times a year and covers membership, beliefs, and the heart behind the church. Make It Your Church is the path toward becoming a member, voting at Church Conference, and taking the next steps of life, study, and service.
From its founding in 1841 to its campuses across greater Houston today, Houston's First remains a single church with many doors, gathering thousands each weekend to worship, growing in Scripture together, and giving their lives in service to Houston and the world.