Houston's First Baptist Church
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles on I-10 pass by The Loop Campus of Houston’s First every day. Whether they’re headed to work, running errands or simply passing through town, these passersby will see a new landmark beginning in April 2014 that not only identifies the church, but also declares why they exist.
Houston’s First is installing a new cross tower and water wall on the north side of its campus on I-10 near the Loop 610 west that replaces a smaller sign and tower that had stood there since the 1980s.
The water wall reaches a height of 30 feet — equal to the roof of the three-story building behind it. The cross rises another 30 feet beyond that. At 60 feet tall, the top of the cross will be nearly the same height as the six-story tower on the south side of the campus. The structure was designed by Ken R. Harry Associates.
The wall will feature cascading water on both sides, and a circle of benches around the structure will invite people to pause and reflect. On the back, the wall will feature John 7:38: “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”
“This is a sign of declaration, not information,” said pastor Gregg Matte. “We want to declare the power of the Cross and the truth of John 7:38. Our prayer is this new landmark will do far more than let people know where our church is located. We want it to help people find Him, not us.”
In keeping with Houston’s First’s passion for missions, it is partnering with Living Water International to bring attention to the work it’s doing around the world. The water wall will include a plaque noting the church’s ongoing relationship with Living Water. The church has committed to providing funding for at least one new well a year going forward.
The new water wall and cross tower will be activated on Palm Sunday, April 13.