First Baptist Grapevine is debt-free

At a Feb. 22 service, church leaders at First Baptist Grapevine used a chainsaw to cut a debt document in shreds to symbolize the church being debt free for the first time in over half a century.

The dramatic reveal accompanied an announcement that the church was also celebrating the sale of 26 undeveloped acres on Texas 121 to a development firm.

Church officials called the event “a historical day” as the church celebrated what it is calling “A New Day!”

“Destroying the document reminds our church that the past is behind us and it’s a new day,” Pastor Doug Page said.

Billie Ebersole, who has been a part of the church since 1946, took part in the chainsaw slashing of the document.

Joining in the ceremony were representatives of the church’s financial and real estate teams.

“We believe God wants us to stay in downtown Grapevine and God put an exclamation point on that decision by how quickly and easily this property was sold,” Page said. “We prayed that God would do something so big that only he could get the credit. And he did it.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "First Baptist Grapevine is debt-free."