In February 1852, in Tarrant
County, the Texas town of Birdville was the designated county seat. Population was
still very sparse in Tarrant County. On February 26,1852, the Church of Christ in
Birdville conducted its first meeting. Twelve charter members attended this
congregation's first worship service. The event was reported in Alexander Campbell's
periodical. The Millennial Harbinger (June 1852) by J.W. Elliston.
It is likely that the Birdville
congregation experienced sporadic growth, decline, and periods of inactivity in its first
thirty years. A rejuvenation or reorganization of the church occurred in 1882.
They met in the Birdville school house.
In 1900, Richard M. Gano, the well
known evangelist and confederate general, conducted a revival.
In 1906, the members built a frame
building at a cost of $600.00. It was built on the present church building site at
3208 Carson Street, in what is now Haltom City. The land was the property of the
John McCord family, who gave the use of the land to the church for as long as it was used
to provide a place of worship. The property was formally deeded to the church June
19,1944.
There were approximately twenty
members in the congregation in 1907. Ministers working with the congregation between
1907 and 1924 were: C. C. Woolridge, C.R. Nichol, Early Arceneaux, Charles Robertson,
Jesse E. Powell, Edd Stewart, and a brother Fitzgerald. There were no regular
preachers during the mid-1920s. The congregation became inactive about 1926, the
building fell into disrepair.
In about 1929 Jeff Page of nearby
Bedford, with help from the Polytechnic Church of Christ, revived the work at rural
community of Birdville. The building was renovated and a missionary meeting was held
by Jimmy McCall of the Polytechnic congregation in 1929.
After the meeting twenty-one year old
Joe Barnhill was employed as the part time minister in 1929. He remained at
Birdville until 1941. The first Sunday he preached, there were eight in attendance
and the total collection was fifty cents. This was during the time of the Great
Depression.
During the 12 years Joe Barnhill
was there, and he built up the church from the original eight souls, to where it had over
one hundred and fifty members, and the church could employ Fred McClung as a full time
preacher.
The little frame building was
partially destroyed by fire in 1939 and rebuilt larger. In 1950 the frame building
was damaged by fire, and it was replaced in 1951 with a brick building. A
classroom wing was added in 1960. On May 24, 1970, fire again damaged the
building. About forty percent of the roof in the main auditorium and offices were
destroyed. In 1990 a new all purpose room was added to the south end of the Jr.
Auditorium.
Preachers who served at the
Birdville congregation after Fred McClung are Max T. Neal,, Wilbur Dennis, Leonard Gray,
Jess Hall, Gilbert Copeland, Bill Nix, H.D. Smith, George Tips, Melvin Harbison, David
Howell, Jack Orbison, Foy Forehand and presently Robert Dodson.
Until late 1978, the Birdville
Church of Christ continued under the leadership of 3 elders, H.D. Dowdey, Lloyd Goodman,
and David Smith. Because of health problems brother Dowdey resigned as elder in
1978. Lloyd Goodman also resigned due to health problems in 2000. The present
elders are Ruben Marín, Rex Owens and David Smith. At this time Birdville's
membership is about 280.
