Pastor Skylar Spradlin of Trinity Baptist Church said it was “an ordinary day” when he and another church staff member discovered a fire that broke out in the church’s sanctuary Nov. 1, 2022.
Spradlin first saw a flicker of fire in the ceiling above the platform in the sanctuary, before realizing smoke was filling the sanctuary. He grabbed a fire extinguisher but by the time he returned, the fire was already spreading fast. The building was a total loss.
Trinity Baptist continues to meet at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
In the hours following the devastating fire, Spradlin said they received great encouragement from the Weatherford community, as well as Oklahoma Baptists.
The very next day, Todd Fisher, Oklahoma Baptists executive director-treasurer, presenting the church with a $5,000 check from Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief to help defray costs associated with the fire.
Fisher also gathered Oklahoma Baptists staff members to pray over the couple at the Baptist Building and announced that another pastor who is retiring had offered Spradlin his entire pastoral library, since Spradlin’s was lost in the fire.
In an open letter of gratitude to Oklahoma Baptists, Spradlin wrote, “Some events are life changing. They leave an impression that does not go away… While the fire was of monumental importance to our emotional, physical and spiritual outlook, it is not what has left the biggest impact – at least not on this pastor. Instead, it has been the kindness of God’s people poured over us in the days since that has made the deepest mark.“