Hobby Lobby CEO David Green pledges $7M to help rebuild fire-ravaged historic First Baptist Dallas
Hobby Lobby founder and CEO David Green has donated $7 million to help rebuild the historic sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas.
The announcement came during a Sunday morning service at the downtown Dallas megachurch, led by Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress. Nearly 18 months after a devastating four-alarm fire gutted the 134-year-old sanctuary in July 2024, the donation marks a pivotal moment in the congregation's campaign to raise $95 million overall for the new facility and expanded ministries.
Before launching into his sermon series, "The Divine Defense: 6 Supernatural Weapons for Defeating Your Unseen Enemy," Jeffress recounted how Green's offer — initially a matching grant of up to $7 million — evolved into an immediate windfall. "A couple of months ago, you remember David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, came to visit us, and he loves our church. He loves what our church stands for," Jeffress told the congregation.
Noting how the Hobby Lobby Foundation, the giving arm of Green's company, usually donates to international causes and organizations rather than local churches, Jeffress said in this case, Green made an exception. "David recognized First Baptist Church is not just any local congregation," he said. "It has a worldwide ministry."
In his message as recounted by Jeffress, Green said, "Pastor, your church is about winning people to Jesus. And that's what we love at Hobby Lobby. We want to win as many people to Jesus as quickly as we can. And that's what you're doing. And we want to play a part in the rebuilding of that historic sanctuary."
At that point, said Jeffress, Green offered a matching grant of up to $7 million if First Baptist Dallas could match it with another $7 million, for a grand total of $14 million.
Jeffress described presenting Green's challenge to a "dedicated family" in the church, who responded the next morning with a pledge to cover the full match. "They called back the next morning and said, 'Pastor, we will give the entire $7 million.' So David put the check in the mail," Jeffress said, drawing laughter and applause. "We're close to what we're going to need to do this completely debt-free."
The funds come at a critical juncture for First Baptist Dallas, a Southern Baptist powerhouse with roots dating back to 1868. The church, now spanning six city blocks and boasting over 16,000 members, has grown into a multi-generational hub offering three Sunday services and bilingual discipleship programs, while Jeffress' "Pathway to Victory" broadcast reaches millions via radio, TV and a weekly Fox Nation stream.
Despite the devastation caused by the fire in July 2024 — including a roof collapse in First Baptist Dallas' historic sanctuary and an adjacent chapel suffering partial damage — Jeffress' church has persevered through the loss, and even earned the title of "best church" in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area in October.
With groundbreaking eyed for early 2026, Jeffress highlighted his plans for some practical upgrades, including the installation of a "giant escalator and staircase" linking the Crystal Center's ground floor to the second level. "Now, that's worth applauding, isn't it? That will be fixed and there'll be so many other great features," he said, adding he estimated the total reconstruction cost would likely be around $27 million.
Jeffress closed the Sunday service with gratitude and a call to action, thanking Green for his generosity and urging members to continue to give during the holiday season. "I first of all want to publicly thank a great Christian, David Green, and the Green family for what they've done for our church," Jeffress said, joking that he "will never complain when [Jeffress' wife] Amy goes to Hobby Lobby ever again."
"We appreciate and love David and Hobby Lobby," he added. "Most of all, we give God the glory for great things He has done and He continues to do through our church."
