Dr. Jack Hyles was born in Italy, Texas on September 25, 1926. At the age of eighteen he entered the Army where he meet his wife Beverly. After the war was over, Pastor Hyles went to East Texas Baptist University to finish his education. After Pastor Hyles graduated he began preaching at several small Southern Baptist Churches, including Miller Road Baptist Church. While Pastor Hyles preached at that small Southern Baptist Church the congregation grew from fourty-four to four-thousand. In the time Pastor Hyles had at Miller Road Baptist Church he converted from Independent to Southern Baptist. In 1959, the Hyles family braved the move from Texas to Hammond, Indiana to pastor First Baptist Church of Hammond. At that time the First Baptist Church of Hammond had seven hundred people in the congregation, most of them were thought of to be the 'high society types.' About a third of the congregation left after hearing his preaching style. Pastor Hyles led the Church in it's status as an Independent Baptist Church, freeing it from it's ties with the American Baptist. The church didn't suffer from losing one-third of the congregation. Soon after coming to the church he started the bus ministry. The church congregation grew from several hundred to twenty-thousand. Ten years later the church was recognized to have one of the largest Sunday School in the U.S. The same year Dr. Elmer Towns wrote a book called "The Ten Largest Sunday Schools and What Makes Them Grow." In Dr. Towns book it named the First Baptist Church of Hammond to have the largest Sunday School class and Christian Life magazine came to the same conclusion. For nine years Pastor Hyles prayed about starting a private school. It was next to unheard of at the time and pricy. One of the school buildings in the area was called the Wallace Building. The local media actually desribed it as "...............an abandoned building." The Wallace Building was often the subject of graffiti, not to mention broken windows and fallen plaster. Even though the Wallace Building hadn't been used in years it still had a dozen classrooms, cafeteria room, not to mention a science lab. Pastor Hyles attended a special meeting to buy the Wallace Building, which was the only bid placed that evening. Miraculously, they walked away knowing they owned a school building. The congregation worked together to get the building remodeling done. Imagine the joy that day in 1970 to finally be opening the school. That morning Pastor Hyles said this "We now reach the climax of months of hoping, working, dreaming, and planning. For the biggest thing about a school is you: the student. The members are not made for the church; the church is made for the members. The patiences are not made for the hospital; the hospital is made for the patience. Students historic occasions to the Hammond Baptist High School. As a "Swordsman," carry your saber proudly and gracefully as we sharpen our swords for Him." Hammond Baptist Schools consist of Grade School, Junior High, High School, and Special Education. In 1972, Pastor Hyles and Russel Anderson founded Hyles-Anderson College. Russel Anderson is a man with a large business. He often helps pastors who are struggling financially. Even though Pastor Hyles has been a subject of some criticism that great man of God is still in high regards of many people, preachers, and students. In 2001 Pastor Hyles had his childhood home shipped from Texas to Indiana and Dr. Ray Young encouraged him to turn it into a museum. When Pastor Hyles died in 2001 the Chicago Sun Times wrote this " When he chose the interest of poor, inter city kids over millionaire church-members, they said he'd never keep his church doors open. However, Pastor Hyles proved them wrong. In the process he built one of the largest congregations in the country, six schools, a college, and a vibrant ministry that will now have to survive without him." It was not unnoticed by the community that one of the leaders of Hammond was gone. A portrait of Pastor Hyles and his widow Beverly proudly hangs in the First Baptist Church of Hammond. Founder's Park in Hammond laid thirty-thousand bricks as flooring for life sized statues of Pastor Hyles and Beverly.