A Richardson Congregation Rooted in the Word
Community Bible Chapel sits on the southwest corner of East Main Street and Dorothy Drive in Richardson, Texas. The church's life centers on gathering each Sunday to remember Christ in the Lord's Supper and then to hear Scripture taught passage by passage, verse by verse. That twin rhythm of corporate worship and consecutive exposition shapes everything else at CBC, from its library of Puritan writers and contemporary Christian works to its cross-generational Bible study groups spread across the Richardson area.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
The Sunday meeting begins at 9:45 AM and follows an "open worship" pattern drawn from Acts 2:42. The congregation starts with corporate singing. A man from the body gives a brief welcome and introduction to focus the gathering. From there, the service unfolds as various men rise to lead - sharing from Scripture, suggesting a song for the congregation to sing together, or leading in prayer. Except for the opener, these men are not selected ahead of time but lead publicly as they sense the Spirit prompting. There may be pauses and periods of silence, and those quiet stretches are treated as opportunities for personal reflection and meditation on the Lord.
At a designated moment the bread is brought forward, prayer of thanksgiving is offered, and the loaf is broken and passed. The custom at CBC is for everyone to hold the bread and eat together as a body, showing the unity of believers in Christ. The cup is passed next, and anyone who trusts in Christ's finished work on the cross is welcome to share. Following the cup, offering plates are collected, and the men lead the congregation in prayer that includes praise and personal petitions. Visitors and guests are introduced at the close of this segment.
After a short fellowship break - adults gathering in the Parlor for refreshments while K-12 children move to their classes - the Congregational Teaching hour begins at 11:15 AM. Adults re-gather in the Auditorium for expository teaching while children through 5th grade meet in their grade-specific Sunday school classes. Sixth through twelfth graders generally go to Sunday school but occasionally join the adults for teaching; details are printed in the bulletin.
Teaching the Whole Counsel of Scripture
CBC is, plainly, a teaching church. Its sermon archive runs back more than fifteen years, and the preaching plan moves steadily through book after book of the Bible, exposing the congregation to narrative, prophecy, epistle, and apocalyptic literature in turn. A long series on the Gospel of John began in October 2016 and concluded in September 2019 with fifty-seven messages. That was followed by Ephesians, then a thirty-eight-message run through Acts that began in April 2023, then 2 Corinthians across 2022, Philippians in fall 2023, 1 Thessalonians in early 2024, and a fourteen-message series through Daniel across summer and fall 2024.
Most recently the church has been working through the Gospel of Matthew, a series titled MATTHEW: The Perfectly Righteous King and Kingdom of God that began in February 2025 and continued into September 2026, alongside a focused eight-message study of Nehemiah in early 2026. Shorter topical and doctrinal series have run in parallel at various points, including Jude, The Heart of Joyful Giving: Gratitude, Agency and Eternity, The Doctrine of the Trinity, The Doctrine of Scripture, Hermeneutics, World Views, Apologetics Talks, and a series titled What's in a Calvinist? A TULIP!. The teaching bench over the years has included Tom Wright, the current teaching elder; Bob Deffinbaugh, the previous teaching elder with 191 archived messages; David Dean; Phillip Borrett; and a long list of guest teachers from across the broader evangelical world, including Ramesh Richard, Sam Allberry, Hampton Keathley IV, Jim Ellis, and others.
Sunday messages are posted on the Community Bible Chapel YouTube channel, distributed as audio on the sermon archive, and released as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so the congregation - and friends far away - can keep up.
Ministry Groups: The Small-Group Heart
Small groups at CBC are called Ministry Groups, and the church describes them as essential to its ministry. Every member is encouraged to join one. Each group gathers for fellowship, Bible study, prayer, and mutual care, with each setting its own focus: Agape centers on snacks, Bible study, and prayer; Berean starts with dinner and includes singing; 1 Peter 4:10 opens with dinner and follows a pattern of Bible study and prayer; Koinonia meets on Saturdays with dinner and study. Most meet on first and third Sundays at 6:00 PM, with 1 Peter 4:10 on second and fourth Sundays at 5:30 PM, and Koinonia on first and third Saturdays at 6:00 PM. Schedules are also printed in the weekly bulletin, and the church office can provide exact meeting times and locations.
Children: A Full Sunday Morning by Grade
Children are woven into the Sunday morning schedule rather than separated from it. Childcare is offered for infants through about 18 months from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM. Toddlers (around 18 months to 2 years) and Lambs (2 to 3 years) attend a Bible lesson, singing, craft time, and play from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM, using the Gospel Project curriculum.
Children in Pre-K through 5th grade begin in corporate worship with the full congregation at 9:45 AM, then head to the east wing classrooms at 10:50 AM for a short time of singing, snacks, and fellowship. Grade-specific Sunday school classes run from 11:15 AM to 12:00 PM. During the summer months the elementary grades meet together for missionary stories instead of dividing by grade. Parents are asked to pick up children promptly at the close of the teaching hour.
Youth Ministry: Discipleship and Camp
The youth ministry at CBC is led by Phillip Borrett, the CYE (Children/Youth/Education) Director, with the stated goal of coming alongside parents to disciple their kids in Jesus Christ through teaching the Word, praying together, and providing community. During the school year the Youth Group meets every Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 PM.
The youth program is split between junior high (6th to 8th grade), led by Jen Borrett, Lenny and Sarah Correll, and Sarah Pesano, and high school (9th to 12th grade), led by Nathan and Keertana Dula, Beth Druga, and Michael Novakovich. Each summer the youth attend camp together, and a highlight reel from the most recent trip is available online.
Young Adults: A Small Group with a Wide Reach
CBC's Young Adults ministry gathers men and women ages 18 and older who want to grow together in Christ through fellowship, prayer, service, study, and worship. The group of about fifteen meets every other Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM in the Parlor, alternating between Bible study and fellowship. There is also a weekly Bible study on Thursday evenings, led by Tom Wright.
The group ministers to international students in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas, supports the youth ministry, and takes on service projects across the community. During the summer, when college students are home, activities often include classes, retreats, and gatherings like softball and paintball. The group anchors its identity in Ephesians 4:15-16, focusing their efforts on building up the body in love rather than on entertainment.
Women's Ministries: Bible Studies and a Network of Helps
Women's ministry at CBC is organized around Bible studies and a wide range of helps. Each fall and spring semester, women gather on Wednesday mornings for prayer, study, and fellowship in two locations: an upstairs group (Room 250) led by Becky M., Gayle E., and Sarah P., and a downstairs group in the Parlor led by Mindy C. and Suzi C. Babysitting is available, with Emily J. coordinating that.
A Women's Ministries Team made up of Sarah C., Debbie D., Rebecca N., Heather R., and Debbie W. serves as an information hub for the women's ministries. Their stated goal is to encourage ministry among the women of the church and to convey to the elders any needs that might be difficult for them to observe.
Helps ministries cover a remarkable range of practical needs. There is a prayer chain led by Sarah P., Mary B., and Cheryl Ba. Older women mentor younger women (Sharon G.). Cards, calls, visits, and errands are organized for widows and older single women (Sarah C.). Young mothers receive encouragement, babysitting, and laundry folding support (Shelby N.). Special event helpers assist with food for missionary luncheons and funerals (Sandy W.). The Clothes Closet, called Grandma's Attic for years and located in the balcony on the east side, provides recycled clothing to the CBC family and others in need (Dee H. and Karen S.). The Food Pantry, formerly Grandma's Pantry, offers an emergency, short-term supply of food on the first floor across from the west side of the Auditorium (Sandy W.).
Women also lead outreach to international students, including preparing meals for gatherings of about fifty hosted at CBC or in a host family's home in Plano. The group further supports the Thrive Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Recurring events include a Women's Retreat each spring, a Winter Brunch on the last Saturday of every January, and quarterly fellowship dinners where women sign up to attend or to host at home.
Men's Ministries: Wednesday Mornings and Annual Retreats
Men's ministry at CBC begins early. An interactive Men's Bible study and prayer meeting convenes in the Parlor on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. Oatmeal, coffee, bread, and orange juice are provided, and men are encouraged to bring their own breakfast. Wednesdays focus on Bible study; Thursdays are prayer meetings on an evangelistic topic - friends, family, co-workers, a current event, supported missionaries, or outreach ministry. Men can drop in on either or both.
A spring Men's Retreat is held each year. At the most recent retreat speakers Robert Warner and Joe Baird addressed the theme "God's Call: A Life of Peace." The men's ministry also maintains a reading list on topics like peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, drawing on authors such as Lysa TerKeurst, Corrie ten Boom, Chris Brauns, John MacArthur, Ken Sande, Alex Strauch, Gavin Ortlund, Henry Cloud, Erwin Lutzer, Dave Harvey, and Tim Cooper.
Elders, Visitation, Counseling, and Benevolence
CBC is governed by a board of elders, men raised up from within the body who serve as undershepherds directly accountable to Christ for the local flock. Elders are available for visitation, generally in the evenings, on weekends, and during the Sunday fellowship break. Appointments can be made directly with an elder or through the CBC office; their names and phone numbers are listed on the back of the Sunday bulletin.
The church offers biblical counseling to its members and runs a Benevolence Committee to assist people in need. Those considering baptism are asked to call the church office; baptism is by immersion, administered only to those who profess faith in Christ, and performed at the earliest opportunity after conversion. Communion is observed every Sunday and is open to all believers who may be present, regardless of church membership.
The Church Library
The CBC Library is led by Ron and Kay Maness with Debbie W. as a recent addition. The shelves hold Bible reference works and commentaries, Christian fiction, biographies of figures from church history and missions, an extensive collection of Puritan writing, secular history, and a children's reading center. Patrons can sit at the tables on a Sunday morning, browse new acquisitions, or use the searchable online catalog. The library is open during church hours on Sundays and during weekday office hours.
The Shape of Belief
CBC's Statement of Faith keeps its language brief but Reformed and conservative. The church holds that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the revealed, infallible, inerrant Word of God, given by the Spirit and preserved as the final authority for faith and life. There is one true God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, identical in nature and perfections. God created all things and sovereignly directs them to their appointed ends.
The statement affirms that humanity was created in God's image, that Adam's fall brought the ruin under which all are born, and that God has chosen from all eternity to save a people through the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ took on human flesh, was born of a virgin, bore the penalty for sin on the cross, rose from the dead for our justification, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and continually intercedes for his people. The Holy Spirit applies redemption through regeneration and the gift of faith and continues to renew believers in holiness.
The church practices two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism follows personal faith, is by immersion, and is reserved for those able to give evidence of understanding the gospel. The Lord's Supper is observed every Sunday. Marriage, in the church's teaching, is the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and the statement addresses other unions as contrary to God's design while leaving room for divorce and remarriage under certain limited biblical circumstances.
An addendum to the statement sets out the church's current positions: elder rule, the open worship service led by men of the body, women's distinct role in the meeting, weekly communion, believer's baptism, church discipline following Matthew 18, and a sober, Scripture-bound view of spiritual gifts in which tongues and the more extraordinary gifts are not treated as essential for the normal function of the body.
Visiting Community Bible Chapel
Worship and teaching take place at 418 East Main Street, Richardson, Texas 75081, on the southwest corner of East Main Street and Dorothy Drive. The Sunday meeting starts at 9:45 AM with the Lord's Supper, followed by teaching at 11:15 AM. The church office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (excluding holidays), and can be reached at (972) 671-3428 or info@communitybible.org. Visitors who want to learn more or get involved can connect with the Newcomer's Ministry through the office.
Online, sermons are posted on the Community Bible Chapel YouTube channel, distributed as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and archived as audio on the church's teaching library. Giving can be made online through Pushpay, and a congregational directory is hosted online for members.