Featured App: First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park
FBC Hamilton Park is “the official app of the First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park in Richardson, TX, led by pastor Dr. Gregory Foster.” It gathers the church’s live stream, giving, prayer requests, Bible and service information into one simple, warm app for a congregation with roots going back to 1954.
The app is built with AppPresser and powered by the church’s WordPress website.
In this featured app spotlight, we take a closer look at the team behind FBC Hamilton Park, what the app does, who it serves, and why it is such a strong example of what happens when a WordPress site and a mobile app work together.
Who Is Behind First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park
First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park, known to its members as First Church, began with the vision of Dr. J. Lee Foster, a young man born and raised in Dallas. On December 28, 1954, he became the organizer of the church, joined by his wife, Annie Pearl Foster, and three other members: John J. Howard, Mother Green and Reba Mitchell. Together they launched First Church in the historic African American community of Hamilton Park during the segregated era. According to the church’s history, First Church went on to become “the first African-American Church in Richardson, Texas with a thriving membership.”
After Dr. J. Lee Foster died in February 2003, his elder son, Rev. Dr. Gregory Foster, became Senior Pastor, assisted by his younger brother, Rev. Anthony Foster, who later went home to be with the Lord. Pastor Greg, as the congregation calls him, was called to ministry in October 1979. He earned a diploma in Biblical Studies from Southern Bible Institute, a Master of Arts in Theology from Tyndale Theological Seminary, a Diploma in Old Testament from Moody Bible Institute and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1995, along with a second master’s degree from Criswell College in 2001. He also served as Senior Pastor of the First Independent Baptist Church in Corsicana before returning to Dallas to help his father at First Church. His guiding verse is Galatians 6:9: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”
The church describes its mission as “reach one, teach one” and says it has more than 40 ministries. Two of them carry the founders’ names. The J. Lee Foster School of Biblical Studies, accredited by the Accreditation Commission International, offers degree and diploma programs in theology and Bible, with Dr. Gregory Foster as Board President. The Annie Pearl Foster Center for Youth Enrichment offers free tutoring, counseling and college mentoring for young people ages 3 to 19. The church is at 300 E. Phillips Street in Richardson, Texas, and online at fbchp.org.
What the FBC Hamilton Park App Does
The FBC Hamilton Park app opens with a bright welcome screen and a grid of large tiles. Each tile leads to a clear page with a single Continue button, which makes the app easy for every generation in the congregation to use.
Here are the main areas the app covers:
- Our Pastor, with a photo and biography of Dr. Gregory Foster.
- Our Services, with Sunday worship, Sunday School and Wednesday Bible study and worship times.
- Upcoming Events, with flyers for church events and services.
- Live Stream, so members can watch services from anywhere.
- Media to “watch and learn” from the church’s sermons and teaching.
- Bible, an in-app Bible to “read God’s word.”
- Take Notes, for notes during a sermon or Bible study.
- Give, with donation options for supporting the church.
- Prayer Requests, under the promise “Let us pray for you.”
- Contact, with a map, the church address, a phone number and social links.
What makes the app distinctive is its simplicity and its welcome. Every feature has the same friendly design: a warm orange tile, a short line of explanation and one button to continue. A “Give to FBCHP” link sits at the bottom of nearly every screen. For a church that has been ministering in Hamilton Park since 1954, the app is a modern front door that still feels like home.
App Screenshots
Here is a look at the app. Use the arrows or the numbered buttons to move through the screenshots.
Test Drive the App
The best way to understand the FBC Hamilton Park app is to try it. Download the app on iPhone, iPad or Android, read about Pastor Greg, then open the live stream and send in a prayer request.
Key Features That Stand Out
Welcome Home
The home screen greets users with the church’s seal, the words “Welcome to our app!” and large tiles for Give, Prayer Requests, Media and the Bible. Each tile has a short line underneath, like “Let us pray for you” or “Watch and learn.” It is an inviting start for longtime members and first time visitors alike.
Meet the Pastor
Our Pastor introduces Dr. Gregory Foster with a photo and his story, beginning with the way he has worked since 2003 to continue his parents’ ministry and mission of “Walking in the Word.” Visitors can learn about the church’s leader before they ever walk through the door. It gives the app a personal, pastoral feel.
Service Times
Our Services brings together worship and Bible study times, with photos of the congregation at worship and a Give to FBCHP button. Members and visitors can check when to come without looking anything up. Upcoming Events adds flyers for special services and church gatherings.
Live Stream
The Live Stream page invites members to “view our live stream” with one tap of the Continue button. Alongside it, the app offers an in-app Bible and a Take Notes page, so a member can watch a service, follow the Scripture and write down what they learn, all in one place.
At a Glance
- The official app of First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park in Richardson, Texas, founded in 1954.
- Led by Senior Pastor Dr. Gregory Foster since 2003.
- Live stream, media, an in-app Bible and sermon notes.
- Giving and prayer requests, each a tap away.
- Service times, upcoming events and contact information with a map.
- Free on iPhone, iPad and Android, first released in January 2020.
- Powered by the church’s WordPress website through AppPresser.
Who FBC Hamilton Park Serves
The FBC Hamilton Park app is built first for the members of First Church. With the live stream, the Bible, sermon notes, giving and prayer requests in one place, members can stay connected to worship and to one another throughout the week, whether they are in the sanctuary or watching from home.
It also serves visitors and newcomers. Anyone curious about the church can read about Pastor Greg, check the service times, see what events are coming up and find the church on a map. It is a gentle, low pressure way to get to know a congregation before visiting in person.
Finally, it serves families across Richardson, Hamilton Park and the wider Dallas area, including the young people and students reached through the Annie Pearl Foster Center and the J. Lee Foster School of Biblical Studies. For a church with a long legacy of serving its community, the app helps carry that service to the phones families already use every day.
Technology Behind the App
The FBC Hamilton Park app is powered by First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park’s own WordPress site, fbchp.org.
The app is built from WordPress, and WordPress drives it. Church pages and events live on the WordPress site, and AppPresser carries that content straight into the app, so updates made on the site show up in the app without a separate system to manage.
Looking at the site itself, these are the platforms behind the experience:
WordPress, the foundation for the church’s website. WordPress is the open source content management system that powers more websites than any other platform.
YOOtheme with Widgetkit, for design. YOOtheme Pro is a WordPress theme and page builder.
Modern Events Calendar, for events. Modern Events Calendar is a WordPress events plugin.
Smart Slider 3 Pro, behind the site’s image sliders. Smart Slider 3 is a WordPress slider plugin for building responsive slideshows.
Site Kit by Google, for traffic insights. Site Kit is Google’s official WordPress plugin for connecting a site to Search Console, Analytics and other Google tools.
AppPresser, which turns the WordPress site into the mobile app. AppPresser is a mobile app builder that creates native iOS and Android apps from a WordPress site.
What FBC Hamilton Park Shows About AppPresser
First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park runs its website on WordPress. The app shows how AppPresser can take a church’s site, with its pastor biography, events calendar, live stream and giving tools, and present it as a clean mobile app that anyone can navigate.
It also shows how much design matters. The consistent tiles, clear labels and single Continue buttons make the app approachable for members of every age, which is exactly what a multigenerational congregation needs.
And it shows how AppPresser serves churches with deep history. A congregation founded in 1954 can offer the same kind of polished mobile experience as any modern ministry, while keeping its own voice, its own colors and its own story front and center.
Congratulations to Dr. Gregory Foster and the First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park family on building an app that carries First Church’s legacy into the future. We are proud to have AppPresser behind it.
Do You Want Your Own App?
If your organization already runs on WordPress, launching your app with AppPresser is simple. Your app pulls directly from the website you already manage, so every update you make to your site appears in your app automatically. Ready to get started on your app right now? Check out our pricing page.
Not on WordPress yet? AppPresser can still help. Our team can move your website onto WordPress and then set up your app, so everything works together from the start. And if you need something more tailored, from custom features to a completely custom app, our custom development services have you covered.
If you need help or have any questions, tell us about your organization and what you’d like your app to do, and we’ll get back to you with a clear answer on costs and next steps.
