From the Wren High Auditorium to a Self-Built Home
In March 1992, John Barnett, then the youth and family pastor at Heritage Bible Church, began a church plant in the Wren area of South Carolina, one of the state's fastest growing communities at the time. The first CBC meetings were held in the Wren High School auditorium. The church grew so quickly that within roughly a year the young congregation needed its own home. Construction on the CBC building began in July 1993 and continued with volunteer labor until February 1994, when the structure was completed and paid in full. On Sunday, March 27, 1994, the church was dedicated to the glory of God. Three decades later, the congregation still meets on the corner of Highway 81 North and Lake Road, right across from Wren High School, in the same community it has served since the beginning.
Producing Genuine Followers of Jesus
Community Bible Church exists to produce genuine followers of Jesus Christ who join Him in loving God, loving people, and redeeming the world. The church calls this vision "Being Jesus," meaning joining in His mission, working as His body, and representing Him well in the world. The congregation holds a handful of core convictions: that life makes no sense without God, that Jesus is the answer to life's deepest questions, that people matter eternally, that only broken people can become Christ-followers, that grace and truth always go together, and that growth and change are lifelong pursuits. Rather than formal membership, CBC invites people to "ownership" through an introductory course. A Discovery Class for newcomers meets at intervals throughout the year.
Sunday Mornings in Wren
Sunday mornings at CBC follow a steady rhythm. LifeTruth classes meet from 8:45 to 9:45am in the spring and fall semesters, offering semester-long studies for adults, youth, and elementary-age children in the Kids Wing. The main worship service begins at 10:00am and typically runs just over an hour. Services include congregational singing, a sermon from one of the Teaching Pastors, occasional testimonies, announcements, and communion about once a month. Greeters are at the entrances, a Welcome Center sits in the lobby with fresh coffee and the Kids Wing check-in desk, and restrooms are easy to find. Dress is whatever is comfortable: many come in jeans, some dress business casual, and there is no dress code.
The worship team typically features singers, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and drums. The team draws from both older hymns and newer worship songs, choosing music that articulates praise to God and remains singable for the whole congregation. Volume is kept reasonable so everyone can hear one another singing.
For first-time families, children are welcome in the service, or they can be checked into Community Kids. The Kids Wing serves children from nursery through fifth grade and is staffed by background-checked volunteers and staff. Check in takes a moment at the Kids Wing desk before the service.
Community Groups: Life Together Beyond Sunday
CBC's small-group ministry is called Community Groups, and the church encourages everyone to get connected. Groups meet at different times, in different locations across the Easley, Powdersville, Williamston, Wren, and Clemson areas, with varying study plans and emphases. Active groups include couples groups on Sunday afternoons, Wednesday evenings, and twice-monthly gatherings, men's groups on Tuesday evenings in Easley, Wednesday and Thursday breakfasts, and a Thursday evening group at the church, women's prayer groups on Tuesday early morning at CBC and Tuesday evenings in Williamston, and a young adults group meeting twice a month in a Wren home. Joining a group is one of the most direct ways newcomers plug into the life of the church.
Learning Together: LifeTruth and the Bible Institute
In place of traditional Sunday School, CBC runs two parallel education tracks. LifeTruth classes meet on Sunday mornings from 8:45 to 9:45am each fall and spring semester. Past classes have included book-by-book Bible studies, parenting, and biblical approaches to common issues, with separate children's classes in the Kids Wing at the same hour.
For deeper study, the Bible Institute gathers on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30pm each fall and spring. Topics range from biblical theology and Church history to worldview and apologetics. Recent offerings have included "Foundational Worldview: The Questions Underneath Everything," covering epistemology, the human condition, and the gospel. Classes sometimes call for around ten dollars in materials, coordinated by the instructor. The Bible Institute was founded in 2005 by Paul Jordan and continues to serve as a core equipping ministry of the church.
Community Kids and Kids 4 Truth
Community Kids is CBC's children's ministry. During the morning service, classes serve children from nursery through fifth grade. All volunteers have passed background checks and have been trained in abuse-prevention protocols. A secure check-in process issues each family a unique pickup number, and the kids' hallway and classrooms are monitored by security cameras.
On Wednesday evenings during the school year, Kids 4 Truth runs from 6:30 to 8:00pm for children ages four through fifth grade. Each evening includes a Bible lesson, playground time, a practical life-skill activity, and small-group time connecting the lesson to everyday life.
The House: Middle and High School Students
The House is CBC's student ministry, helping young people discover who they are in Christ through one-on-one relationships, small groups, service projects, worship, Bible teaching and study, fellowship, and games. The main large-group meeting is on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the church, and all middle and high school students are welcome. The ministry is led by Joel Bauman as Student Ministry Director and Charis Bauman as Student Ministry Coordinator.
The Branch: Young Adults
For young adults who have branched out into new life paths, The Branch exists to encourage abiding dependence on Jesus and to cultivate connections in this stage. The group meets for fellowship and study and connects through its Instagram feed. The Branch's vision is rooted in John 15, staying connected to Christ as the vine, abiding in His love, bearing His fruit, and using gifts to advance His kingdom.
Connections: Women's Ministry
Connections is CBC's women's ministry, designed so that no one in the body has to feel disconnected. Throughout the year, Connections hosts Bible studies, socials, prayer times, and women's-only Community Groups. Women of every age and season are invited. CBC also partners with Easley MomCo, hosting their meetings at the church on the second and fourth Monday evenings of each month until late spring.
The Forge: Men's Ministry
The Forge is CBC's men's ministry. Drawing on the proverb that iron sharpens iron, the ministry is named for the place where metals are refined and shaped into serviceable tools. The Forge hosts gatherings throughout the year and encourages organic groups of men supporting one another. Men-only Community Groups meet across the Easley and Clemson areas on weekday mornings and evenings.
Compassion: Prayer, Presence, and Practical Care
The Compassion team coordinates the church's pastoral care work, including the prayer team on Sundays, home and hospital visits, meal trains, card and phone call outreach, drives to appointments, financial assistance, and bereavement care. The ministry describes compassion as feeling pain with someone deeply enough to be moved to act in kindness. Prayer requests submitted through the church go to the pastoral team, with options to share with the prayer team or the wider body.
Worship and Technology
The Worship and Tech ministry leads congregational singing, runs audio and visual production, manages photography and videography, records and livestreams services, and handles social media. The team sees these creative gifts as a way to honor God, serve the body, and preach the truth clearly.
From Easley to Puerto San José: A Long Partnership in Guatemala
Missions is a stated priority of CBC. The church participates in local outreach, coordinates short-term trips, and partners with a number of full-time missionaries and ministries around the globe. CBC's longest-standing international partnership is in Puerto San José, Guatemala, where the congregation has a deep relationship with Iglesia Príncipe de Paz and its camp Mahanaim. Volunteers have traveled there for construction projects and youth camps over many years, and CBC and Príncipe de Paz have co-hosted a pastors' conference at Mahanaim for regional pastors.
In 2023, Joel and Mireya, local pastors of Iglesia Cristiana Habitación, felt a calling to disciple the next generation through education. CBC has committed to raising $100,000 of the $250,000 total needed to build Liceo Cristiano Habitación, a Christian school that will provide a gospel-centered education to children in the community. The church has met its goal and continues to support the project. Designated giving to the school is available online through the church's giving page.
Leadership
John Barnett, the church's founding pastor, continues to serve as a Teaching Pastor alongside Paul Jordan, who joined CBC in 2003, founded the LifeTruth class and Bible Institute, and transitioned into a full-time Teaching Pastor role in 2018. Blix Rice joined the staff as Executive Pastor after a career in health care finance. Joe Fusco serves as Shepherding Pastor. Dan Eno leads the Worship and Technology ministry, Janet Austin directs Community Kids, and Joel and Charis Bauman lead student ministry. The church is governed by an Elder Team and supported by a Deacon Team of ten men who serve the congregation in practical ways.