Twenty years ago there was no burning bush, no pillar of fire. Twenty years ago there was no star shining in the east. There was only one man with a pull on his heart; an unction, an anointing on his life.
This man, Dr. Ralph Douglas West, Sr., founding and organizing pastor of Brookhollow Baptist Church, checked into the Brookhollow Marriot Hotel for a time of solitude with God. With a heavy heart and unanswered questions, he lay prostrate on the floor seeking God’s will and direction. He got up with a vision from God, “Go…plant”.
In November 1987, Dr. Ralph Douglas West and his wife Sheretta invited 32 individuals to their home on Joy Street in Northeast Houston to discuss the probability and practicality of forming a church. During this meeting, individual hearts united in faith and cast their lots to follow the vision of Pastor West – affectionately known as “Pas”. And the miracles began with the formation of Brookhollow Baptist Church with 32 founding members on November 6, 1987!
The first worship service was held at 7:00 p.m. on November 8, 1987 in a ballroom at the Brookhollow Marriott Hotel. Pastor West’s first sermon was titled, “The Cost of Discipleship”, Luke 14:25-33. Sixty-five adults and 50 children attended this service. Worship services continued at the Brookhollow Marriott for a year with approximately 250 people attending each service.
In November 1988, the Church purchased and moved into a 17,000 square feet facility at 5314 Bingle Road, the former home of the Houston Business Journal. Rapid growth required the addition of a second worship service in March, 1989 and a third service in 1992. Attendance averaged 1,500 people per Sunday.
After collective prayer, the Church embarked upon its first capital stewardship campaign aptly titled, “Together We Build” in March 1994. The Church acquired 40 acres of land for $114,000 at 5725 Queenston Boulevard, the site of the Northwest Campus. Another miracle!
On May 18, 1997, the doors of “The Church Without Walls” were opened on the Northwest Campus. The new name was birthed from a sermon series delivered by Pastor West. It represents a church that is not restricted by geographical location or sociological background, but limitless in God’s possibilities. It also represents a church where anyone is welcome.
In a spirit of rejoicing, the Church entered its second capital stewardship campaign, “God is Doing it Again” on Palm Sunday, March 28, 1999. The purpose of this stewardship campaign was to retire the debt on the Northwest facility and begin design and construction of a 2,500 seat cathedral, youth building, administrative space and meeting and banquet facilities.
In 2002, the Church Without Walls acquired another facility and 18 acres of land in Southwest Houston at 7500 Eldridge Parkway to accommodate growth and membership demographics. The Church dedicated its Southwest Campus to God for His purpose and glory on Christmas Day, 2002.
In March 2003, the Church launched its third capital stewardship campaign titled, “God’s Challenge…Our Choice”. This campaign was designed to liquidate the indebtedness on the Southwest facility, continue improvements on the Southwest Campus and facilitate preparation for construction on the next building phase at the Northwest Campus.
Through pledges and contributions, God used His people to retire the debt on the Bingle and Northwest facilities in December 2003. A 15-year indebtedness paid in 6 years. Now that’s a miracle – To God Be the Glory!
Today, The Church Without Walls, one church in three locations, encompasses approximately 150,000 square feet of space, 80 acres of land and embraces 21,625 members (14,778 families). The Church reaches national audiences through weekly television broadcasts and Internet streaming and actively supports work on multiple mission fields both at home and abroad.
