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The First Baptist Church of Hammond is a fundamentalist Independent Baptist church in Hammond, Indiana. It is the largest church in the state of Indiana and one of the largest churches in the United States. Though founded in 1887, it was under Jack Hyles' leadership from 1959-2001 that it became a megachurch, one of the first megachurches in the United States. It has a weekly attendance of around 20,000. It also operates Hyles-Anderson College (a bible college) and K-12 schools. Jack Schaap, Hyles' son-in-law, succeeded as pastor after Hyles' death in 2001.

First Baptist Church also hosts three national conferences. The first Pastors' School invites pastors, assistant pastors, Christian leaders, school administrators, and Christian laymen to a week of training and learning. Youth Conference, is held in mid-July and is for the youth and teenagers of Christian churches nationally. The final conference of the year, held every October, is the Christian Womenhood Spectacular for Christian women of all ages.

History

FBC was founded in November of 1887 by Allen Hill of Jennings County, Indiana. Its first meeting was on 14 November 1887 with 12 members on the 28th. However, it originally met in the Morton House Hotel which stood on what is currently the 100 block of Willow Court. Allen Hill's pastorate was short lived at approximately 4 months.

By April 1888, B.P. Hewitt became the church's permanent pastor and Allen Hill went on to start several other churches. Needing more room, Hewitt moved the church's meeting place to the Hohman Opera House at the corner of State and Hohman. In 1889, the church erected its own structure for $2,358 when Marcus Towle, Hammond's first mayor and member of FBC, donated land on Sibley Street to the church.

Subsequently, on 3 January 1901 Pastor E.T. Carter proposed a new building, and the first service was held on 14 April 1901. On the 27th of November of that same year, Pastor Carter announced his resignation for a job at the Central Baptist Orphanage in Michigan.

Ministries and Outreach

First Baptist Church has several outreach ministries, including Hyles Publications, Hyles-Anderson College, Fundamental Baptist Missions International, Hammond Baptist Schools, City Baptist Schools, Chicago Baptist Academy, Memory Lane Cemetery, Christian Womanhood Magazine, First Baptist Church Little League, Nursing Home Ministry, Sailor Ministry, Truck Driver's Ministry, Bus Ministry, Blind Ministry, Pathfinder Ministry (Educable Slow), Homeless Ministry, Rescue Mission, Public School Ministry, Inner City Chapel Ministry, and Deaf Ministry. The church also has several services in Spanish and some oriental languages.

List of Pastors

Controversy and criticism

It has been suggested that Preying from the Pulpit be merged into this article. (Discuss)

Teachings

The Richmond Times quoted ex-Hyles follower and later critic, Robert Sumner, who said "Jack Hyles, runs his church in an authoritarian, almost 'cultist,' manner." Sumner, like most others with strong independent religious views, disagrees with a number of doctrinal issues with Hyles. Sumner, who has a personal website which he publishes and edits himself, called The Biblical Evangelist, was also quoted criticizing Hyles in another newspaper. This newspaper documented disputes that Sumner had with Hyles. Each of Sumner's charges were refuted by Hyles, who termed the accusations as "lies'. According to the Richmond Times Sumner's article had over 100 allegations.

Jack Hyles

Allegations of misconduct were first made public in the "Godfrey Letter," sent by Evangelist George Godfrey to several hundred graduates, pastors, and former students of Hyles-Anderson college

On May 25, 1989 The Chicago Tribune reported that Victor Nischik, a former deacon of the First Baptist Church, accused Hyles of committing adultery with Jennie Nischik, Nischik's wife and Hyles' long time assistant. On May 28 the Tribune repeated this and added Nischik's allegations of questionable financial dealings. Hyles replied by saying the charges were "false". Hyles was not ever charged with a crime.

Sexual abuse

Hyles has been a target of occasional criticism during his nearly 34 years at the helm of the independent First Baptist.

1,300 supporters of Hyles gathered to listen to Hyles as he branded the news reports linking him to a nationwide pattern of sexual molestations and abuse as "ridiculous assumptions and malicious lies". He said the reports were really an attempt to end Sunday school "bus ministries" operated by his church and others like it.

There is one documented instance where a member of First Baptist was found guilty of a crime of abuse. Daniel Lehmann of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "In March, 1993, a deacon at First Baptist, A.V. Ballenger, was found guilty of one count of child molestation dating from 1991." Furthermore, "a church worker reportedly witnessed the act and removed the girl from the room, police said." During the criminal trial Jack Hyles "told the child's parents that Ballenger 'just liked little girls,' and, 'You don't have a case.'" The parents later filed suit for one million dollars against Hyles and his church." Ballenger was found guilty of molestation and sentenced to five years.

Lehmann reported that in May 1993, a Detroit, Michigan area news team, did a story called Preying From the Pulpit where it followed up on allegations of child molestation. The Sun-Times series said it found seven U.S. churches - all with ties to Hyles, it said - involved in sex scandals. However, Lehmann noted that "the Lake County (Ind.) prosecutor's office said it did not have any current cases involving Hyles or the church, and the Hammond Police Department confirmed a statement of last month that 'there is no investigation' of the church or Hyles".

Lehmann remarked that Hyles "disputed the latest reports point by point in a speech to Midwest ministers and businessmen, brought together by COMPASSION - Churches Organized & Mobilized for Preservation and Safety for Sunday Schools in Our Nation." Hyles also claimed out that those people said to have attended Hyles-Anderson College had not really attended the school.

On December 8, 1997 Christianity Today reported that Hyles and his church, the First Baptist Church of Hammond, were being sued for "for negligence in connection with alleged sexual assaults on a mentally disabled church member over a six-year period" The lawyer for the woman, Vernon Petri, "says Hyles is a defendant because he failed to protect the woman", such that "Controls have to be set to be sure things are conducted appropriately..." However, Christianity Today pointed out that no criminal charges were ever filed in the case.

Also, Hyles denied the allegations that either he or his church were negligent in the care of the woman in an October 12 advertisement in the Hammond Times. Hyles pointed out that his church had a long-standing outreach program to the handicapped and underprivileged of the Hammond area, ministries that Hyles said "are a financial liability. This is especially true in the case of the educable slow. We get nothing from them but the satisfaction of helping them."

In the article, Hyles also said the church does "not believe that the events described in the allegations occurred." Hyles said the church preaches against and detests "any form of sexual misbehavior." In a news report, Hyles indicated that the church had no record of the woman's attendance at Sunday school since 1991.

References

1. "Blind Man Says Church Bans Him, After He Gets Guide Dog," The Associated Press, July 6, 1984.
2. "Charges All Lies, Hammond Pastor Says," The Chicago Tribune, May 28, 1989.
3. "Hyles-Anderson College Catalog (pages 8-23)" (PDF). Hyles-Anderson College. Retrieved academic school years. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
4. "Pastor Linked to Sex Abuse Lashes Out," Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1993.
5. "AV Ballenger," South Bend Tribune, August 30, 1996.
6. "Church leaders sued in sex-abuse case," The Chicago Tribune, Oct 16, 1991.
7. "Baptist Megachurch Faces Sex Suit". Christianity Today. Retrieved Dec. 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
8. "Experts say Combs child abuse case unusual," The Associated Press, April 7, 2000.

External Links

• First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana– Official

1. ^ "Ed Briggs. Fundamentalists' House Displaying Widening Cracks" Richmond Times - Dispatch. Richmond, Va.: Jul 22, 1989. pg. A-9
2. ^ "Charges All Lies, Hammond Pastor Says," Chicago Tribune, May 28, 1989.
3. Ed Briggs. "Fundamentalists' House Displaying Widening Cracks." Richmond Times. Richmond, Va. Jul 22, 1989.
4. ^ "AV Ballenger," South Bend Tribune, August 30, 1996.
5. ^ Lehmann, Daniel J. "Pastor Linked to Sex Abuse Lashes Out," Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1993. pg. 5
6. ^ "Church leaders sued in sex-abuse case," Chicago Tribune, Oct 16, 1991.
7. ^ "Baptist Megachurch Faces Sex Suit". Christianity Today. 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-01.

• Megachurches
• Baptist churches
• Churches in Indiana
• Sex scandals
• Religious scandals