In 1958, a few dozen members of First Baptist Church of Amarillo met at Paramount Terrace Elementary—a new school on the southwest edge of town—to share a vision. They wanted to reach the families building new homes in the neighborhood springing up near Amarillo’s city limits. For two years, these first members met in the school itself, setting up chairs and nursery beds every Sunday morning, hauling hymnals and literature in suitcases.
Eventually, seven-and-a-half acres of nearby land were acquired for a new church site. Two years later, the growing congregation—now called Paramount Baptist Church—gathered for the first time in a building of their own. In the years that followed, Paramount grew into one of the leading churches in Amarillo, a body of believers known for its music and worship ministries, its commitment to youth and young families, and its focus on missions. Countless “Paramount kids” who grew up in our hallways and classrooms have become pastors, ministers, and missionaries around the world. Paramount members have planted mission churches and started new ministries in Amarillo and beyond.
Today, we’re no longer on the southwest edge of Amarillo—in fact, we’re not far from the center of our city, both in terms of geography and population density. Paramount offers a place for worship, service and discipleship to people from all walks of life. In late 2006, we purchased and expanded into the facility of Paramount Terrace Christian Church, our across-the-street neighbor, when that church moved to a new location. We gained two buildings, several parking lots, a gymnasium, and an expanded ministry base to better serve our community.
Today, our membership is in the thousands, and includes everyone from parents of preschoolers to senior adults, from singles and youth to international refugees seeking help with language skills. Our legacy is one of outreach, love, and service, based on a foundation laid years ago in the cafeteria of an elementary school.