First Baptist Church of Dallas, a megachurch established in 1868, is on fire. The church, which is located in downtown Dallas and is pastored by outspoken Trump supporter Robert Jeffress, has an estimated 19,000 members. 

According to the Dallas Morning News, first responders were called to the church at 6:05 p.m. Central. Fire Capt. Robert Borse said they were met with 'heavy smoke and fire conditions involving the structure." 

Forty fire units were dispatched to the church to battle a blaze that reportedly began in the secondary chapel of the historic church. 

Dallas Fire-Rescue crews are battling a two-alarm fire at the First Baptist Historic Sanctuary in Dallas.

The sanctuary was built in 1890 and received a historical marker in 1968. It is the only downtown Dallas church still on its original site.pic.twitter.com/FGYJbIgW3x

— The American Conservative (@amconmag) July 20, 2024

A Dallas judge said it appears no one was inside at the time of the blaze: 

The historic brick sanctuary ⁦@firstdallas⁩ is on fire. Thankfully it appears no one was inside. Please pray for ⁦@dfrtraffic⁩ firefighters responding now. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the staff and members as well. https://t.co/NItg6x2ca1

— Clay Lewis Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) July 20, 2024

Dallas Fire-Rescue responders are battling a chapel fire at the historic First Baptist Dallas church in downtown Dallas Friday afternoon, a spokesperson confirmed.

At 6:05 p.m., responders were called to the building at 1717 San Jacinto Street and were confronted with “heavy… pic.twitter.com/t5wJwD09Ii

— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) July 20, 2024

Pastor Jeffress has been a key evangelical supporter of Trump and was appointed to his Evangelical Advisory Board and White House Faith Initiative in 2016. 

More recently, he reacted to the attempted assassination attempt on Trump on the website of Pathway to Victory, his radio and TV ministry: 

I think Donald Trump has a purpose. My own feeling is God spared him for the purpose of calling our nation back to its Judeo-Christian foundation. Trump has said that very thing. You know, many years ago, I had a conversation with President Trump—then businessman Trump—and we were talking about the role of God in elections.

I said to him that I believed the words of Daniel 2: God establishes kings and He removes kings. Some people don’t believe God has anything to do with elections and with politics and with government. Make no mistake: God has everything to do with government. God cares about what happens in governments around the world.

Benjamin Franklin was a deist most of his life, not a Christian, but he said: “The older I get, the more I’ve come to believe that God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall from heaven without his notice, how can an empire be raised without his aid?”

Related: "Intersection of Faith and Politics Podcast"—Spiritual Ramifications of Trump Shooting

There's no word yet on the cause of the blaze or estimated damage. God help us all if this was a domestic terror attack. I'm on record of not being a fan of churches getting heavily involved in politics. Nevertheless, Jeffress and First Baptist deserve and need our prayers right now. 

This is a developing story. We will update this story when more information becomes available.