TANGLEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH HAS ENJOYED A HERITAGE OF MINISTERING TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THIS MINISTRY WAS BEGUN AS A RESULT OF THE VISION OF SOME MISSION-MINDED PEOPLE UNDER THE PASTORAL LEADERSHIP OF BRO. WHITE OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN JASPER. THE PEOPLE OF FIRST BAPTIST TOOK A BOLD STEP AND EAST JASPER BAPTIST MISSION WAS ORGANIZED FOR THE PURPOSE OF REACHING THE LOST WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. ORIGINALLY THEY MET IN A HOME ON EAST MILAM ST. THEIR FIRST ANNUAL LETTER TO THE SABINE VALLEY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION RECORDED AN ENROLLMENT OF 35.

      THE NEXT YEAR THE CONGREGATION RELOCATED TO OUR PRESENT SITE AND BECAME KNOWN AS TANGLEWOOD BAPTIST MISSION. BRO. W.C. KOONCE SERVED AS THE FIRST MISSION PASTOR. IN 1962, BRO. RONALD BEAMS, A MINISTERIAL STUDENT AT EAST TEXAS BAPTIST COLLEGE, BECAME PASTOR. IN 1966, BRO. DON COURTNEY BEGAN SERVING AS PASTOR AND LATER WENT TO GUATEMALA AS A SOUTHERN BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSIONARY. BRO. KENNETH HENSARLING FOLLOWED AS PASTOR IN 1970 AND LED THE MISSION TO FULL CHURCH STATUS ON JANUARY L, 1975. BRO. ROGER (BUDDY) REED CAME AS PASTOR IN 1975 AND LED US IN A MAJOR BUILDING PROJECT INVOLVING A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT EDUCATION BUILDING AND A PAVED PARKING LOT. IN 1978 BRO. CLIFFORD NEAL BECAME PASTOR AND LED IN THE REMODELING OF OUR PRESENT SANCTUARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCOMMODATING A LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR WORSHIP SERVICES. BRO. DAVID MILLNER CAME AS OUR PRESENT PASTOR ON JANUARY 1, 1985. IN OCTOBER OF 1989, WE BEGAN TOGETHER WE BUILD AND SET ABOUT BUILDING A NEW SANCTUARY, SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS, AND CHURCH OFFICES.

      THE HERITAGE OF TANGLEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH IS ONE OF GROWTH. OUR PURPOSE MUST EVER BE THAT WE REACH OUT TO THE LOST, WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH THROUGH THE STUDY OF GOD’S WORD. OUR VISION OF GROWTH AND EXPANSION, UNDER GOD’S LEADERSHIP, HAS ITS ROOTS DEEPLY FIXED IN A HERITAGE OF A LOCAL CHURCH THAT IS A TESTIMONY OF WHAT GOD CAN DO. AS WE LOOK BACK AT OUR HISTORY, WE CAN SEE HOW GOD HAS BLESSED THIS WORK. WE BELIEVE THAT TANGLEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH HAS, IS, AND WILL PROVIDE THAT TESTIMONY FOR THE PEOPLE OF JASPER, TEXAS UNTIL JESUS COMES AGAIN.