History of Highland

Highland Place Baptist Chapel began December 3, 1950 as a mission of College Avenue Baptist Church. Taylor Pendley pastored the mission with 42 people attending the first service in a laundry on Orlando Avenue and 34^th Street. On June 3, 1951, the mission held its first service in its own building and was organized into a church with 149 charter members. Brother Pendley resigned as pastor in 1952 to work with the Baptist General Convention of Texas as a church/mission developer.

I. D. Walker became pastor in September, 1952, and led the church through five major building programs. Two missions were begun and the church reached its largest enrollment and attendance in Sunday school during the mid-sixties; 1,000+ people attended Sunday School on several occasions. Brother Walker resigned in September 1970, to work in missions in Alaska.

Richard Waters pastored from February, 1971 to September 1985. During those years the current worship center was built, the annex purchased and renovated, the Highland Place Shopping Center was purchased (including the laundry where the church began), and the Safeway building renovated to become the Activity Center. Dr. Waters became Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1985.

Stan Blevins became pastor in January, 1986. In 1991, the church observed its 40^th Anniversary with renovation of the annex and east education building. In the "Preface" of the church history, written in 1991, Dr. Blevins summarized Highland, and it is still appropriate for 2006:

Forty years. Four decades. Prayer and praise. Birth and death. Mission and ministry. Good times and bad. Victories and defeats. Harmony and debate. Additions and deletions. Ups and downs. Experiences of every sort. What keeps God's church alive and vibrant for forty years? It's the "press on" spirit. Highland knows it, respects it, and has helped define it. While some may falter on occasion, all know the truth of God's call to press onward.