NURSERY/CHILDREN'S CHURCH SCHEDULE

Here are some answers to questions you may have about Grace Baptist Fellowship.

• How big is your church?
  Grace began as a home Bible study in 1950 and has grown into fellowship of over 280 members. Our average combined attendance of both morning services is around 400.
  
  
• What time is your Sunday worship service?
  We have two worship services on Sunday morning: 8:30 and 11:00. Both services have the same music and sermon.
  
  
• What kind of things do you do in your worship service?
  We sing worship songs of various styles, from traditional hymns to contemporary praise music. There is a time for greeting, announcements of fellowship events, and receiving an offering. Scripture reading and prayer are usually woven into the worship time. Over half the service time is given to a life-related exposition of Scripture by Pastor Delaine or a guest speaker.
  
  
• Do you have to dress up to attend your worship service?
  There is no “dress code” at Grace. You will see people wearing everything from jeans and t-shirts to sports coats and ties at our services.
  
  
• What do you offer for children/youth on Sunday morning?
  There is a Sunday school class for all ages at 9:45 (between worship services). The children’s classes – Grace Place – are based on rotating learning centers. Junior High (180 Degrees), high school (the element) and college/career (E201) students meet in the youth department.
  
  
• What do you offer for babies and toddlers?
  Grace has a well-staffed and clean nursery facility for children three years old and younger. There is also a children’s church program for three and four-year-olds that runs simultaneously with the second worship service. We have implemented a stringent child protection policy which includes background checks of all our workers.
  
  
• Is it okay to bring my children into the worship service?
  Absolutely. We have parents with children as young as a few weeks old in our services. The pews at the back of the auditorium are available for families who have little ones who may need to leave during the service.
  
  
• Do you have anything for adults?
  We have many programs geared for adults. There are several Bible Education electives offered during the Sunday school hour at 9:45 on Sunday mornings. We have men's and women's Bible studies during the week. Our Women's Ministries provide several special events throughout the year and there is a Men's Breakfast each month. You can check our bulletin for details.
  
  
• What should I expect if I attend a church service?
  One of the best ways to see what happens at Grace is to watch a live streaming video of our 11:00 a.m. service on Sunday. There are archives of the sermon here.
  
  
• Who is on your staff?
  Grace has four pastors: Delaine Bailey, senior teaching pastor; Dave Dunkin, music and media pastor; Bill Cummins, adult education pastor; and Brian Stuart, student ministries pastor. You can find more biographical information about these men, as well as the members of our church board at the staff page.
  
  
• Does your church have during-the-week activities?
  Besides the morning worship service, we have a Sunday night Bible study at 6:00 called Evening Insights. The element (high school youth group) meets at the same time.
  
  Wednesday nights are busy at Grace. We have AWANA Clubs (children age 4 to grade 6), 180 degrees (junior high youth), prayer meeting, men’s Bible study, and choir practice (seasonal). There is a ladies Bible study on Thursday mornings in September through April. Monthly events include Bonnie Blankets workdays, a men’s breakfast, and PrimeTimers (adults 60+) get-togethers.

• Do you celebrate the Lord’s Supper together?
  Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month and all who are followers of Jesus Christ are invited to participate with us.
  
  
• What style of music do you use at Grace?
  Since Grace is a multi-generational fellowship, we include a variety of musical styles in our worship set. That means you will hear hymns like “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” as well as contemporary songs such as Matt Redman’s “10,000 Reasons” and Keith Getty’s “In Christ Alone.” Our team of vocalists is accompanied by piano, keyboard, acoustic and bass guitars, violin, and drums.
  
  
• What Bible version do you use?
  While members of our church use many versions – including the King James, New American Standard, and New International Version – the text on the screen is from the English Standard Version.
  
  
• What are the office hours at your church?
  The church office is open from 9:00 to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 to noon. 

Apologetics Conference Information:  

Friday Evening Schedule
   Grace Baptist Fellowship, 338 N Park St, Lynden

   6:30p - 7:30p  "The Challenge of New Atheism", Dr. Richard G. Howe 

   8:00p - 9:00p  "A Critique of Evidence For Neo-Darwinism", Dr. J. T. Bridges

Saturday Schedule
   Nooksack Valley Christ Community Church, 109 West 3rd Street, Everson

   Plenary Session: 10:00a - 11:00a
      "An Introduction To Apologetics", Dr. Howe

Richard G. Howe is a writer as well as a public speaker and debater in churches, conferences, and university campuses on issues concerning Christian apologetics and philosophy. He is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina where he still teaches part-time. Dr. Howe is the Vice President of the International Society of Christian Apologetics.  Dr. Howe has a BA in Bible from Mississippi College, an MA in Philosophy from the University of Mississippi, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Arkansas.  Both his master's thesis and doctoral dissertation focused on the issue of the existence of God. His master’s theses is titled “An Analysis of William Lane Craig’s Kalam Cosmological Argument” in which Dr. Howe defended the argument against objections that had come out against the argument subsequent to the publishing of Dr. Craig’s important book on the subject. Dr. Howe’s doctoral dissertation is titled “A Defense of Thomas Aquinas’s Second Way” in which he defended Aquinas’s effecient causality argument for the existence of God against criticisms of theistic arguments in general, against criticisms of causal theistic arguments more narrowly, and against specific criticisms to Aquinas’s version of the efficient causality argument for God’s existence—the second of Aquinas’s famous “Five Ways.”  Dr. Howe is a contributor to several books including The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, Reasons for Faith, To Everyone an Answer, The Jesus Quest: The Danger from Within, and a forthcoming festschrift in honor of Norman L. Geisler. He has had articles published in the Christian Apologetics Journal, the Areopgaus Journal, the Midwest Christian Outreach Journal, and the Christian Research Journal. He has spoken and/or debated in churches and universities in the US and Canada as well as Europe and Africa on issues relating to the defense of the Christian faith. In their free time, Richard and his wife Rebekah enjoy international travel.

 

Dr, Bridges is the Director of the Ph.D. Program and Professor of Philosophy at Southern Evangelical Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina. (B.S., 2000; M.Div., 2002; M.A., 2005; Ph.D., 2012) He has contributed several articles to the Christian Apologetics Journal including "Intelligent Design: Its Nature, Limitations, and Future." J.T. is married to Serena, and has three children: Alæthia, Zoë, and Trinity.

You can access the handouts from recent adult Sunday school classes by clicking on the articles below:

• How to Avoid Becoming a Heretic - Pastor Bill Cummins, summer quarter 2012