Pathway is the church where you have a friend! No matter where you are in your faith journey, there’s a place for you at Pathway. You’ll always be accepted as part of the family. You’ll never be just another face in the crowd and there is always a seat for you!
Our Vision
We are the church where you have a friend. Friendship is the heartbeat of our church, a COMMUNITY of friends COMMITTED to Jesus Christ.
Our Mission
We exist to bring people into a supreme friendship with Jesus Christ, His family, and to befriend the unchurched for the glory of God.
Committed. Community.
We believe we will fulfill our vision and mission as we practice COMMUNITY in weekly Life Groups and become more COMMITTED as a 5>5>5 Disciple.
555 is our Friend Code for someone who practices:
at least 5Minutes of Daily Bible Reading,
prays the 5Points of the Lord’s Prayer, and
has 5People in their circle (i.e. their Friend Group).
Out of this practice of COMMITTED COMMUNITY flows our Connection with God (worship), Care for others (service), and sharing Christ (mission).
Our History
Pathway is a 110-year-old, missionary Baptist church in Waxahachie, TX. We are a conservative, Bible-believing and teaching family church. Our worship style is blended, in a multi-generational context. We are affiliated with the Baptist Missionary Association of America.
Beginnings In 1912, a small group of people met under a tent on the grounds of the Texas Baptist Home for Children at 629 Farley Street for the purpose of organizing a Missionary Baptist church. In March 1913, Marvin Street Baptist Church was organized with six charter members. W. J. Johnson was called as the first pastor. In November of 1913, the young congregation purchased two lots at 111 Farley Street and a year later moved a building onto the property. The name of the church was changed to Farley Street Baptist Church. From 1913 until 1941 the church had thirteen different pastors.
1941-1965 In March 1941, the church called L.H. Raney to be their pastor. On his first Sunday, attendance in Sunday school was 69. In 1944, a brick auditorium was erected, and in 1946, a masonry educational building was added. During the next ten years, the church grew and bought the lot at 600 E. Marvin. In 1962, the church dedicated a new 600-seat sanctuary and educational building. The new facility contained a total of 15,505 square feet. Church member Jerry West built a beautiful organ for the new church. In 1972, a new 12,000 square foot educational annex was added to the facilities.
1966-1992 In December of 1966, Jack McDaniel was called as pastor. In 1974, the church added a 12,000 sq. ft. education addition. In 1985, Farley Street voted to establish a new congregation four miles north of the city. Farley Street provided the land and facility for Heritage Baptist Church, and sent over 50 members to the new congregation. Jack McDaniel announced his resignation to the church as pastor in 1988 after 22 years of service.
Kirk Shelton was called as pastor in 1989. During Kirk's ministry, the educational buildings were remodeled and the AWANA ministry was begun.
1993-Present In March 1993, Farley Street called Richard W. Smith to be pastor. He began an aggressive program to assimilate the membership into ministry. In 1994, the church purchased ten acres on Brown Street with plans to relocate. In November of 2008, we moved into Phase I of our new facilities (currently the Family Life Center, nursery, and children’s ministry area). Phase II was completed and dedicated in 2014 (the worship center, offices, music suite, and classrooms).
In February 2023, the church voted to change the name from Farley Street Baptist Church to Pathway Baptist Church. The new name exemplifies our goal of being a path to the Way who is Jesus Christ!
God has blessed our church family in great abundance throughout the years. Hundreds of people have come to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A sister church was started. New facilities have been built. Pathway continues to be a place where God’s people can grow in their relationship with Him and serve others. To God be the glory!
