Church of the Month Calvary Baptist lew York City In the heart of a metropolis: A lighthouse for God ^|)he story of Calvary Baptist Church, towering light- I house for God in the heart of metropolitan New *- York, began 107 years ago. Since that time it has grown from a membership of 14 to its present 1,500 members. The church now owns a $2,500,000 17- story building on Manhattan’s busy 57th Street. They meet on the ground floor and the rest of the building is used by the church-owned Salisbury Hotel.
An outstanding group of men have pastored this church. Dr. Robert Mac- Arthur was among these and was there for nearly 42 years. Under his leadership the work grew and re ceived over 5,000 new members. Then back in 1923 when radio was in its infancy and there were less than 30 broadcasting stations in the country, Dr. John Roach Straton had a vision. Under his ministry Calvary set up the nation’s first religious broadcasting station (WQAO). Today the Calvary broadcast has the distinc tion of being the oldest continuing religious radio program on the air. Its programs now reach several of the eastern states and are beamed by short-wave around the world. A year after Dr. Will H. Hough ton took over the work, their new skyscraper church was dedicated. He was followed by William Ward Ayer, voted in a radio poll as New York’s third-leading citizen. He was with the church for 13 years and also active in the National Association of Evangelicals. In 1950 Dr. John S. Wimbish, a Moody Bible Institute graduate* came to take up this work in the heart of the world’s metropolis. He was' for merly pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Edgefield, S. C. The church now supports 25 home and foreign missionaries. Over 60 short wave receiving sets have been purchased by the church and are being sent to mission fields around the world. This year’s missionary budget will run over $120,000.
Calvary church-goers stop to chat at foot of skyscraper cathedral on West 57th St.
Dr. John S. Wimbish heads radio ministry; Choir, below, reaches world air audience.
18
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker