Witnessing God’s Mercy Through a Church Untouched by Fire

As a small grass fire grew into a large wall of smoke and flame, Patrick Baptist Church Lead Pastor and Dallas Baptist University alumnus Tyler Poole '20 witnessed God's mercy as the fire left the church property and building entirely untouched.

Raised in a Christian home, Tyler recalls church forming some of his earliest memories. As he entered the eighth grade, he began having questions about God and eternity, soon realizing that while he had known about Christ his entire life, he never truly knew Him. He then accepted Christ into his life, sharing that the Lord did not just enter his life but pulled him out of the dark place he had been in.

While looking at universities, Tyler was drawn to DBU by the beautiful campus and the Christian excellence of its academic programs. He soon began his studies on University Hill, taking classes like Developing a Christian Mind with Professor and Assistant Vice President of the Center for Career & Professional Development Desi Henk, which transformed the way he viewed life, work, church, and marriage. Tyler also served as a graphic design student worker in University Communications and with the youth ministry at his home church, Patrick Baptist Church in Ferris, TX.

After graduating in 2020 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast and Digital Media, Tyler planned to pursue a career as a videographer or graphic designer. He soon realized that God had other plans for him as he continued his role as a youth leader at Patrick Baptist Church.

Around this same time, he married his wife, Shea, and the couple began their own business called Emulate Creative Media.

Years later, following the previous pastor's retirement announcement, Tyler was approached by several church members asking if he would be interested in taking on the role. After repeatedly responding with, "No way," God made it clear to Tyler that the position of Lead Pastor was the next step for him to take in his life and career.

In September 2024, Tyler was voted in as the Lead Pastor of Patrick Baptist Church. "Even though where I am now is not at all where I thought I would be when I was in college, God planned every step, and I would want no other job in the world," Tyler shared.

Two years into this new role, Tyler experienced God's power and mercy in a new way.

On Thursday, September 3, Tyler received a phone call from a church member saying she had seen smoke in the field next to the church as she was leaving. Making their way outside to check on the situation, Tyler and a few other members of the congregation witnessed the fire grow quickly from the small patch into a blazing wall of smoke and flame that seemed to be heading their way any minute.

Evacuating everyone from the premises as quickly as possible, firefighters soon arrived at the field to contain the fire.

By the time Tyler had left the church property, the fire had reached the property's fence line, which was just six feet away from the small house that he and his family live in. He was sure that everything would be lost, including the house and the historic brick church building. "The fire was spreading fast and burning hot, the wind was blowing hard, and I was making calls and telling people to pray, while praying myself that God would give us what we needed to rebuild after the fire passed," Tyler reflected.

However, as Tyler viewed aerial footage after the fire had diminished, he was amazed at what he saw. Though the entire field had burned, Patrick Baptist Church's property and building remained untouched, and no other buildings or people in the area were harmed.

Looking back at this moment, Tyler said, "What a mercy we had been shown." He is overcome with gratitude for the mercy the Lord had shown him and the church.

Tyler is even more in awe of God's power, sharing that weeks before the fire, the church had scheduled a representative from Texans on Mission to speak to the congregation the following Sunday.

The church had planned to find ways to help others affected by fires around Texas. Little did they know they would soon experience a fire firsthand and understand exactly what others in similar circumstances were facing.

As he continues to share this moment of God's mercy with others, Tyler hopes the situation will remind Christians of two things: that the Lord performs miracles and uses human hands simultaneously, and that God's plan is unique for every situation.

Each moment, whether a class, conversation, or conviction that God placed in his life, prepared Tyler to face moments like this fire with clarity. He expressed, "Nothing I have is really my own, not even my own life. Whether I lose everything or keep it, I must use it for Him. If others experience loss, we must come alongside them as Christ would. If others experience deliverance, we must rejoice alongside them as Christ would." In every circumstance, whether good or bad, Tyler concluded, "God gets the glory no matter what."

View FOX 4 News coverage of how Patrick Baptist Church narrowly missed the fire.