Proclaiming Jesus Christ Since 1972
In 1972 The Chapel was new in Baton Rouge. Since few people had ever seen a church like The Chapel, it was more often described by what it wasn't than by what it was. It wasn't traditional or stuffy. It didn't pass out attendance pins or have formal fund drives. It didn't have pews or an organ. Not only did it not have a building, it didn't even have a regular place to meet. According to many observers, The Chapel didn't have a chance of succeeding.
But The Chapel not only succeeded, it thrived--growing beyond its own expectations and into a second location. The success of The Chapel has been its commitment to its founding vision to share the good news of Jesus--without formality or fanfare--with the community through ministry and around the world through missions. Chapel leadership has consistently stepped out in faith, confident that God would provide a place for the ministry passion He placed in their hearts. The evidence of God's faithfulness is seen in the two facilities The Chapel calls home.
The Billy Graham Crusade had been in Baton Rouge in October 1970, drawing people from many churches to serve as counselors and workers. One member of the advance team, Donald Tabb, became especially close to people in Baton Rouge. In December, Rolfe and Dot McCollister hosted a dinner for Donald. At the close of that evening, Dot told Donald that she believed he would come to pastor an interdenominational church on the LSU campus. Donald, still a member of the Graham team, and his wife Mary moved their family to Baton Rouge. He was preparing for a crusade in Cleveland when a group of six or seven couples asked Donald to pastor this fledgling church.
During the first three years, The Chapel met in many different locations. Finally realizing that a growing church needed a more permanent identity, the current location and sanctuary building was completed in the fall of 1976. Later the first educational building was built. By 1985 a second two story educational facility was added at the rear of the original buildings. Since then the church has continued to grow and flourish under Donald Tabb’s leadership. Pastor Tabb retired to become Pastor Emeritus in 2002.
It then became clear that The Chapel’s reach was moving beyond the campus, and the elders initiated Forward by Faith, a new effort to reinforce the outreach to LSU and to provide an intentional focus to the community at large. A second temporary location was established at The Dunham School. In October 2006, this second location found a permanent home when The Chapel purchased The Oaks Community Church and merged ministries.
The Chapel's second location has been appropriately named The Chapel in the Oaks. The facilities, including a gym, commercial grade kitchen, football field and classroom space, make it ideal for community focused ministry. It provides an inviting place for The Chapel's existing youth ministry and worship arts programs. Excitement grows with the opportunities at hand for sports ministry programs that will build bridges with community. The Chapel looks forward to many more years of proclaiming Christ.