Our beginnings
Nearly 200 years ago there was a movement of the Holy Spirit all around the world. This drew believers to the Name of Jesus only and away from various practices which had arisen in the professing church that were not in accord with Scripture. GBC is a continuing part of this movement.
The first local fellowship began in the 1920’s in Dallas at Fitzhugh Street, near downtown. It eventually moved to Polk Street in South Dallas. Several believers living in the NE Dallas area hived off from Polk Street to Garland in 1977, meeting in temporary quarters, and to its current permanent location in 1978.
F.A.Q.
WHO WORSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS AT GBC?
GBC receives and welcomes every believer who has obeyed the Gospel by coming to Christ for salvation and who is living a God-honoring moral life to the remembrance meeting. However, anyone is welcome to visit us and enjoy the ministry of God’s Word at our various teaching and preaching services.
WHAT IS THE BREAKING OF BREAD?
The Breaking of Bread a.k.a. The Lord's Supper, is a memorial feast instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ for believers to remind them of what He had done for them at the Cross of Calvary. Please click the following link for more help on the matter : Breaking of Bread
WHO LEADS AT GARLAND?
Christ is the head of the universal church, His body, made up of all true believers, and since the local church is the visible gathering of Christ’s body, He is also the head of our local church,
Eph. 1:22, 23; Col. 1:18.
Christ is our Leader. We are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
WHAT CHURCH GOVERNMENT DO WE FOLLOW?
The Lord Jesus guides Garland Bible Chapel through a plural number of male elders, in accord with the New Testament Scriptures, I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The believers at GBC acknowledge the qualifications of these elders. There is not merely one pastor. The Lord is the Shepherd and the elders are under-shepherds. Deacons are also appointed to assist the elders in accord with God’s Word, I Timothy 3:8-13; Acts 6:1-7.
WHAT IS OUR FOUNDATION?
GBC stands on the supreme authority of Scripture, which we believe is from God the Father through God the Son. We believe God the Son to be in Himself the Word and only Foundation.
See John 1:1, 14; I Cor. 3:11.
We believe that only the Scripture interprets the Scripture and only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We only receive teaching, and teachers, who believe and follow this rule. We receive no other teaching. We do not accept traditions or reasoning which do not accord with the Scripture. However we do take seriously what the Holy Spirit has taught those who have gone before us. We believe the Scripture in its original texts to be fully inspired and inerrant, and sufficient for all things.
WHAT GOSPEL DO WE PREACH?
This is the gospel in which we stand: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” I Cor. 15:1-4.
WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES OF GBC?
We meet to carry out the same purposes as stated in Acts 2:42, “And they (the early church believers) continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers”.
The GBC believers gather first to worship God, and then to teach and build up believers so that they can do the work of the ministry to the church family, be witnesses of Christ to the world and testimonies by their lives of faith and devotion. We meet for fellowship with Christ and one another in Him. See John 4:23, 24; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 John 1:1-4.