A Family Pulpit on East Ledbetter Drive
Carver Heights Baptist Church sits on East Ledbetter Drive in southern Dallas, where it has shaped worship, youth mentoring, and community outreach for decades. The church is a Baptist congregation built around the family legacy of the late Pastor Tyler Carter, who founded and shepherded the body, and his son, Rev. Daryl R. Carter, who was installed as pastor on May 23, 2004. Members describe a long history of warm welcomes and a culture of not judging newcomers, with greeters ready to help first-time families find their way.
The Pastor's Own Story
Rev. Daryl R. Carter grew up in Dallas as the fourth child of Rev. Tyler Carter and Joy Carter, and graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 1977. After serving in the U.S. Army as a Radio Communication Repairman in West Germany, he studied electronics at Mountain View College, worked as an Electronic Technician at Crutcher Resources Corp. and Abbott Laboratories, and built a photography business that grew into Daryl Photography Studio in 1995 with a full-time staff. His path through Carver Heights began in 1996 when he was ordained a deacon at his home church. He taught Sunday School, visited the sick, led Bible studies, and oversaw building upkeep. In 1994 he organized The Ambassadors for Christ for the church's young men, and he later started the Big Brother's Program to walk alongside fatherless youth, hosting them at the Carter home on weekends, taking trips, and bringing in professionals for seminars. He delivered his first sermon on the third Sunday of March 1997, was named Assistant to the Pastor in 1999, became Co-Pastor in June 2002, and assumed full leadership of the congregation two years later. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, where he earlier earned a Bachelor's degree in Theology.
Sunday Mornings and Wednesdays
Sunday School begins at 8:30 a.m. and the Worship Hour follows at 9:30 a.m. Each service is broadcast on the church's YouTube channel, and recordings of past services and Bible study sessions are posted there for anyone who wants to follow along. Midweek, the Wednesday Night Bible Study draws a regular crowd, and the broadcasts typically run an hour to an hour and a half, similar in length to the Sunday morning services. Special Sundays such as Men's Days, First Sunday services, and the Pastor's Anniversary bring additional choirs and dance ministries into the rotation.
A Campus That Hosts the Community
The church building at 2510 E. Ledbetter Drive is more than a worship space. The CHBC Event Center is open for bookings - weddings, receptions, organizational meetings, and family celebrations are all welcome, with inquiries handled by Event Coordinator Antionette Carter-Johnson. A separate Senior Center on the campus is sponsored by Dallas County and serves as a gathering place for older adults in the congregation and surrounding neighborhood, with details available through the church office.
A Choir, a Chorus, and a Step Team
Music and the arts carry a great deal of weight at Carver Heights. Fine Arts Ministries include a Minister of Music, the Sanctuary Choir, a Praise and Worship team, a Male Chorus, a Women's Chorus, and a layered family of dance and performance groups: Women of Grace Praise Dance, V.I.P. Praise Dance, God's Angels of Praise Dance, the Tyler Carter Inspirational Praise Dancers (named for the founding pastor), the Little Angels of Praise Dance, a Chross Step Team, and a Mime Ministry. The breadth of choirs and dance ensembles means that children, youth, and adults each have a place to serve.
Youth, Women, and Men
Youth Ministries gather under a Youth Director with their own Youth Choir and Youth Ushers, giving young people a clear path from Sunday School into leadership. Women's Ministries operate through six circles, each with its own focus: Women of the Word (WOW) for Bible study, Visitation and Elderly Care, the Heavenly Patches quilting circle, Emergency and Compassion (Sister's Closet), Ladies in Faith Together for prayer, and Local Public School Ministry. Men's Ministry, called Believers Under Construction (BUC), centers on practical Bible study rooted in 2 Timothy 2:15 and meets regularly for fellowship and instruction.
Reaching Beyond the Walls
Evangelism Ministries send volunteers into the community through the Jail Ministry and Vacation Bible School. Special Enrichment Ministries cover the long list of work that keeps a congregation running and reaches outward: a Greeters team that welcomes visitors on Sunday morning, a Transportation Ministry for those who need a ride, a Culinary Ministry that feeds gatherings, a Food Pantry for neighbors in need, a Photography Ministry, a Nurses Guild, Church Counseling, a Marriage Ministry, a College Bound Ministry for students heading to university, a Veterans Ministry, a Cancer Survivor and Care Ministry, a Courtesy Committee, a Decoration Ministry, an Announcement Committee, an In Reach ministry, a Decision Making team, the Pastor's Aide, the Deaconess Board, the Senior Board, and the Inter-Circle Ushers. Together, these groups reflect the church's stated goal of every Christian ministering outside the walls of the building.
What the Church Says About Itself
The church's stated objective is to fulfill the mandate of Jesus Christ by taking the Good News to all the world and ministering to the total needs of people - spiritual, mental, and emotional - in an environment of Total Involvement. Members are encouraged to read the Bible daily. The mission is to prepare God's people to go out into the community to evangelize those in darkness, equipped to do what God has called them to do, while gathering for a life-changing experience summed up as: Love God, Love Each Other, and Love the People of the Community. The overarching goal is to glorify and magnify God through worship, praise, and the proclamation, living, and spreading of His word.
Visiting and Staying Connected
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., reachable by phone at 214-371-2024 or by email at carverheightsbc@gmail.com. Sunday morning greeters are ready to help newcomers find their way. Recordings of services and Bible study are available on YouTube, and giving is available online through Easy Tithe and a Click to Give option. Carver Heights Baptist Church also keeps an active presence on Facebook and Instagram for ongoing news and connection.