Welcome to Grace Baptist Church

Welcome to Grace Baptist Church on-line. After a century of standing for Christ and preaching the gospel in downtown Durham, our foundations remain the same; to glorify God through preaching the gospel and seeing men and women come to salvation, and then spiritual maturity in Christ. Grace Baptist Church upholds the Bible as the living word of God, and we believe that its message about Jesus Christ is as true and relevant today as it has always been in the past. We are reaching out to people and families through expository Bible teaching, sacred worship, discipleship, biblical counseling, and warm fellowship. We invite you to come and worship the Living One (Revelation 1:18) with us, and learn from the Bible the joy of walking in obedience to the will of God (1 John 5:3). We look forward to meeting you!

Grace Abounding (Our Blog)

Liberty!

Vic Carpenter — 7/2009

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:23-25

I would like to reflect some on liberty as we approach Independence Day. Liberty was a word used often by the founding generation of our country, and rightly so. It was a hope that many were willing to risk everything in order to achieve, for without liberty life was not worth living. Patrick Henry summarized the resolve of our forefathers by declaring, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” This was not just rhetoric, for many died to achieve the independence of our country, and many more have died to maintain it.
But, I ask you, “What is liberty?” We cannot preserve and cherish a concept that we do not understand. Liberty is first the opposite of oppression. Liberty is an individual voluntarily pursuing a good and happy life for himself, and in that doing good also to his family and neighbors. Oppression is the forced abuse of many for the ease and pleasure of a few. Political liberty opens the door of opportunity to those willing to work hard and honestly. Oppression hordes all wealth and prosperity for a ruling elite.
But those who think liberty is the casting off of law are wrong. Liberty is not anarchy. Anarchy is everyone doing whatever they chose, which leads to chaos, and destroys the hope of prosperity and peace for everyone. Liberty is the freedom to pursue a prosperous, peaceful, and happy life within the boundaries of right moral laws. Good laws are like guardrails on a dangerous road, or rules that define games which we all enjoy. No one would enjoy watching basketball or football if all the rules were thrown out, because all would be chaos. Likewise, few enjoy watching a game that is constantly stopped by oppressive officials. Let the players play!
Many of the laws and ideas of liberty upon which our founding documents were based come from the Bible. The Bible often speaks of liberty. James 1:25 urges all people to examine God’s “perfect law” (as opposed the laws of men that are always flawed in some way). James declares that those who live according to God’s laws will be blessed—not oppressed. James, in fact, interestingly describes God’s law as a “law of liberty.” (NIV, “law that gives freedom.”) James understands first that God is good and all-wise. Therefore, we can trust that His laws are also good and perfectly conceived. God is also our creator, and His laws lead us to live according to His design in the world. God’s laws are rules for living a blessed life, similar to rules that govern an enjoyable game. God’s laws create boundaries that lead to life, peace, prosperity, and community.
This independence day let’s bring these two ideas of liberty, civil and religious, together and renew our understanding of liberty. As Christians we should rejoice that in Christ we have been given power to live according to God’s laws (Romans 6:12-14). As citizens of the United States of America we must go forth into our community and live exemplary moral lives characterized by hard work, goodwill, honesty, kindness, and every other virtue. My God strengthen us each one by His grace. May God bring conviction upon us where we have gone astray. May liberty endure. May God bless America.

Vic Carpenter — 6/2009

(1) Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

(11) Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
In this Psalm David rejoices over the grace of forgiveness from God. David openly recognizes the perfection of the LORD and his personal need of forgiveness before such a holy God. David does not rejoice in the excellence of his own performance before God, but in the fact that (by grace) God has chosen not to count the guilt of his sins against him. David received forgiveness from God!
Verse 5 is very important. How did this forgiveness come to David? God’s forgiveness is not a grace that comes to all people, and is not to be confused with simple regret. In verse 5 David states that he chose to not attempt to hide his sin. Instead, he acknowledged his sins. No excuses. No blame shifting. No self-pity. David confessed his sins to God and sought forgiveness for them. It is very important to understand that forgiveness cannot, and will not, be granted until there is confession—an acceptance of responsibility and guilt. A person cannot be pardoned for a wrong they claim they have never committed. There is no need to grant forgiveness to the righteous. However, before God we are ALL in need of forgiveness. Whether we choose to recognize it or not, we all stand condemned. Those who acknowledge no guilt before God—who do not ask for God’s forgiveness and pardon—will remain under His condemnation for their stubbornness, pride, and self-righteous stance. The Bible is clear that no good end will come to those who attempt to cover their guilt before God, either in this life or the one to come (Psalm 32:3-4; Prov. 28:13).
However, the joyful message of the Gospel is that in Christ we may be granted forgiveness and have peace with God! By Christ’s death upon the cross, as a substitution, our guilt was laid upon Him that we may be pardoned and counted as righteous. It is with such rejoicing that David concludes the Psalm. In verse 11, David counts himself with “the righteous” and rejoices because his sins have been forgiven and God’s wrath has passed over.
May you rejoice today in the saving work of Christ. Do not cover your sins. When you cover your sins you are making the statement with your life that the work of Christ was not necessary for you—since you do not need His forgiveness. No! Instead keep short accounts with God, and rejoice that you are forgiven by the grace of God.

Vic Carpenter — 5/2009

Psalm 127:3-5
Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Maria and I are rejoicing over the birth of our fourth son, Luke Edward Carpenter! We give thanks to the Lord for a safe birth and a wonderfully healthy baby. Both mother and child are doing very well. We thank each of you for your prayers, encouragement, and meals which have helped us greatly.
Over the years we have certainly found God’s word to be true once again—that indeed children are a reward from the Lord. I am blessed daily by the love and joy of my children, and am thankful to have a house filled with their energy and excitement for life. We pray daily for our children that God will turn their hearts toward Himself, grow their talents, and protect them from evil. We pray that God will use our flawed, yet sincere, efforts at parenting to nurture and grow them each to be the godly and honorable men we know they can be.
I encourage you to be one who encourages young married couples to have and nurture children. There are many forces aligned against children in our age, and many dangers along the way to adulthood, but children will always be a blessing from the Lord. Encourage married couples to place the blessing of family above the achievement of material prosperity or position. And as you are able, support young families with small children, or single-parent mothers, to help them spread out the burdens that also come with raising children. Finally, pray! Pray constantly for the children within your sphere of influence. Pray for their hearts to love the Lord. Pray that they will grow in all aspects of character and spirit. Pray that they will be protected from temptation and those who would do them harm.
A family that loves, nurtures, and cherishes children will be a strong family. A church that loves, nurtures, and cherishes children will be a strong church. A community that loves, nurtures, and cherishes children will be a strong community. A nation that loves, nurtures, and cherishes children will be a strong nation!

Vic Carpenter — 4/2009

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:28-29

The apostle Paul constantly and boldly proclaimed Christ, urging and teaching all people, so that some might believe and be forgiven of their sins. However, Paul was not a “one-weekend” evangelist, coming to town on Friday and leaving on Monday with as many decision cards as he could muster. Paul didn’t do this because he understood that the next step after justification is spiritual growth toward maturity. Some people call this spiritual formation, Paul called it “becoming perfect in Christ.” In order to see radical and lasting spiritual transformation take root in peoples lives, Paul usually stayed for many months, even years, to make sure that roots sank deep enough to continue providing spiritual life after he moved on.
Spiritual maturity involves transferring truth you read in the Bible, into your own, deep seated, belief. Spiritual maturity is hearing the words of Jesus and acting upon them in a consistent way. Spiritual maturity means that you love the things God loves and you hate the things God hates. Spiritual maturity means that you are a person of prayer. It also means that you understand God and His commands well enough that you can help someone else also understand them (that’s discipleship). Spiritual maturity means that you care about the deep things of God, and you want to understand those deep things, but you are also not afraid of God’s mystery.
Maturity is always associated with strength and leadership. A young person who remains immature, untrustworthy, and does not understand or care about the serious realities of life is never deemed “mature.” That person may be full grown and physically healthy, but maturity always has an emotional and intellectual side. A mature adult will begin to take their place in society, a place involving responsibility, wisdom, and leadership. This is similar in the realm of spiritual maturity. Just because a person has been in a church setting for many years, does not automatically mean that person has reached a level of spiritual maturity. If a Christian has been in the church community for many years, but has only a basic understanding of the Bible, does not display consistent Christ-like character (love, patience, peace, joy), and cannot lead others in the ways of Christ—there is no maturity.
Anytime observers attempt to gauge the general development and health of a person, they establish milestones of progress. With babies, there is a very specific progression of what an infant should be able to do by a certain age, and if a baby falls behind the curve of expected growth the doctor gets worried. In the same way, there is an expected progression of spiritual growth that a pastor looks for in the lives of those he shepherds. The first is salvation, or a true confession of sin and a joyful expression of faith in Jesus as Savior from sin. Second, is a heartfelt desire to worship Christ from a heart overflowing with gratefulness. Third, is a desire to grow in understanding of who God is, by regularly studying the Bible. These basic elements then overflow into other basic expressions of the Christian life: service to others, prayer, sharing the love of Christ with the lost, generosity, holiness, kindness, etc…
My prayer is that you will each one press on to maturity in Christ!

Vic Carpenter — 3/2009

What’s your reaction to Jesus?

The early chapters of the Gospel of Mark record a wide range of reactions to Jesus’ powerful ministry. There were throngs of people seeking Jesus to be healed or delivered from evil (Mark 1:32-33). There were people that didn’t want Jesus to leave (Mark 1:36). There were people that wanted Jesus to leave immediately and didn’t want Him anywhere near their town (Mark 5:17). There were people that followed Jesus everywhere He went (Mark 2:14), and those who held Him in contempt—scrutinizing His every action (Mark 2:6-7; 3:2). Some of the people Jesus had spent His childhood with thought He had lost His mind (Mark 3:21), while others simply laughed in His face (Mark 5:40). However, everywhere Jesus went, everywhere He preached, everywhere He healed and delivered from sin and death there were always some that believed (Mark 5:18, 22-23, 28)!

What’s your reaction to Jesus? I encourage you to re-examine the life of Jesus, or perhaps consider Him for the first time, so that you also may believe.

Vic Carpenter — 2/2009

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”Romans 8:28

We will begin a new small group Bible study on Sunday evenings beginning February 1. We will study Ravi Zacharias’ latest book entitled, The Grand Weaver. This book explores the sovereign wonder of God purposefully intertwining, or weaving, together the lives of all people to bring about his foreordained purposes. This is a divine task which is ultimately incomprehensible to us. Yet, the Bible states clearly that God is working together all things for His purposes.
“All things” is a lot of activity! God is at work in your life. He is at work in the lives of families in Durham. He is at work in communities all across our country. God is at work in China, amidst billions of people who live and move while we are sound asleep on the other side of the world. God is at work in times of plenty and in times of crisis. He is at work in business, the arts, the sciences, law, and medicine. He is at work in countries known for Christian faith, and He is at work in countries that have rejected His authority and word. God is at work everywhere. There is no place or person who has escaped the sovereign authority of almighty God.
In all this, God is not playing catch-up concerning world events. He is not simply aware of things as they occur (knowledge of past events), but God is causing events to work out to achieve His purposes. Very few people consider or accept this concept of God’s power, but this is how the Bible presents God. Many illustrating examples are present in the Bible. Joseph, the exodus, and Jesus’ crucifixion are a few. In all of these accounts the plans of God were different from the plans of society, and through human actions (some good, some evil—see Gen 50:20), superintended by God’s leading hand, God’s purposes came to pass perfectly! God is in control of today, and tomorrow.
But Romans 8:28 also makes an important distinction in the workings of God—that God is working good for those who love Him. God is caring for, growing, and protecting His children. Those who reject the Lord and rebel against His will, do not share in the hope of this promise. Those who love the Lord will gladly obey His will (1 John 5:3), and will find their striving carried along and furthered in a good direction by the upholding grace of God. However, those who live in rebellion against the Lord hold a false hope, “That everything will turn out well in the end.” There are many paths that seem right, but lead to death instead of life (Prov. 14:12).
Regardless of which group you may be in, God is still working. Sometimes he is working blessing for those who love Him. Sometimes He will bring about discipline in the lives of those who love Him, but for a time have strayed into sin. God is even now working in the hearts of countless unbelievers to cause them to be born again (1 Peter 1:3), increasing the size and strength of His church. Sometimes God is working against unbelievers. But at all times God is working to glorify Himself! If we love the Lord and are daily seeking to do His will, we can have full confidence that the days of our lives will be beautifully woven by Him into the immense tapestry of life. I encourage you, commend yourself to the “Grand Weaver” and rejoice in the good plans He has for your days!

Vic Carpenter — 1/2009

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

I believe that the beginning of a new year is an excellent time to take stock of your life, and to consider making resolutions for the new year. People make resolutions of all sorts at the beginning of each year, but most have little to do with spiritual things. It is certainly healthy to exercise regularly, eat well, and keep a proper balance between work and family, but too often making spiritual progress is overlooked when resolving to live a better year. There is a reason why so few people make real progress toward breaking bad habits and starting healthy ones. Those who resolve to make themselves better by their own strength fail, because in the flesh we are all weak. However, those who resolve to make progress toward godliness and call upon the Lord for His strength, will find themselves making progress that was impossible before!
As your pastor, I urge you to place spiritual growth and renewal at the top of your resolution list this year. If your soul is weak in its commitment to Christ and your service to God half-hearted, strengthen those things which count for eternity before physical things which are of less importance. 1 Timothy 4:8 states, “Bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Will you discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness, purity, and service? God has called you to offer your life to Him as a living sacrifice, such that your life is lived in continual worship unto the Lord. I urge you to not be conformed to the pressures of this world, which will lead you far from the paths of the Lord. Instead, be transformed. May old things pass away and all things become new. As Romans 12:2 states, this transformation will begin in the mind. As you think differently you inevitably act differently.
To achieve this end I would ask you to consider a few things, and resolve as God may lead you. First, I urge you to ask God to stir up greater devotion in your heart. May your heart long after God more this year than any year you can remember. Second, I urge you to read and study your Bible more this year. Perhaps it has been a long time since you read through Paul’s letters or the history of God working amidst the people of Israel. I urge you to put aside devotional works if you are reading them instead of lengthy passages from the Bible. Third, I urge you to commit more time to prayer asking God to draw near to you in a personal way. Fourth, I urge you to search your heart for any aspect of your life that may be impure or sinful. Repent and commit to strive against that sin this year, asking God to purify your heart. If you increase in these things you will surely not regret the time and effort spent, and you will find yourself more easily speaking with others about Christ as His joy and purity abound in your life. Happy new year!

Vic Carpenter - 12/2008

And Gabriel said to Mary…
“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Luke 1:31-33

I wish you all a very merry Christmas this year. Let us always keep in mind that since Christ has come and born the penalty of our sins in His own body, we can now have perfect peace with God. The Messiah has come and has accomplished the purpose for which He came, doing all of the Father’s will. It is upon these spiritual realities that we stand, and even as we struggle through the hardship of this life, we look forward to the perfect kingdom of God which will have no end. Herein lies the hope and rejoicing of Christmas! Let us also remember that the first Christmas was a simple Christmas and that its joy was again based on spiritual realities. In an effort to truly celebrate the coming of the Messiah I would urge you to rejoice in the unshakable reality of salvation in Christ, and not allow the shifting sands of our troubled days drain your joy this year.
Let me also briefly encourage you to join in the activities of this month at GBC. First, please take part in the Yates Associational Christmas Toy Store. It is more blessed to give than to receive, and every year this toy store serves as an important source of hope for many who are unable to provide Christmas gifts to their small children. This is also an important time to pray with and encourage people who are in need. Please participate in this worthy ministry effort either by donation, by helping give out toys, or by serving as a counselor. May our community truly see the love of Christ through our association of churches.

Second, please mark your calendar and bring a friend or family member to our choral Christmas music – “The Word Became Flesh.” This service of Christmas worship is on December 13 at 7:00pm. Our choir loft will be overflowing with members of our own choir and that of First Baptist Church. This joint service will be a joyful time of worship like no other this year. A reception will follow which all are welcome to attend.

Third, please consider giving toward the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. 100% of the Lottie Moon Christmas offering goes to support Southern Baptist missionaries who are serving on the foreign mission field. This is a very important offering that constitutes the bulk of the budget for the International Mission Board each year. This year at GBC we have focused mainly on local mission outreach, and with God’s help we have together accomplished much good and lasting work. I have asked you to support many worthy causes this year, and you have supported them all. You are a generous people, and for that I thank you. I ask you once more to consider giving, as God leads, to supporting our missionaries abroad.