A historic Baptist church in south Alabama announced Monday that it is on the move.

The Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile said it is selling its current property and looking to find a new permanent location.

The church is currently located at 3661 Dauphin Street where it has been since 1988.

The decision came after many months of “prayer” due to the church experiencing a decline in membership despite Mobile undergoing population growth.

According to WKRG, the church has a congregation of about 6,000 after having about 8,000 upon its initial opening several decades ago.

Paster of the church, Dr. Lee Merck, said that the place of worship has amazing days ahead of it and believes God has great plans for their future.

“We have an amazing church! I could not ask for a greater group of people to work with in relocating and replanting Dauphin Way Baptist Church,” Merck said.

“As a former church planter, I can tell you that we are in for some amazing days. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do.

“I believe many others will desire to be a part of a work like this. We praise God for His blessings, for His faithful direction, and His provisions. It’s a new day at Dauphin Way. This is no longer just a hopeful expression. God is making it a reality, and it is evident that He has a great plan for our future.”

With roots stretching back to 1904, the church lost one building to fire on Christmas 1935, according to Mobile Bay Magazine.

The church rebuilt in the 1940s and grew as shipbuilding brought more people to the city.

“By the late 1960s, Dauphin Way Baptist Church was bursting at the seams…. It was the largest Baptist congregation in the state” which sparked the move in 1988, the magazine reported in 2017.