A Bilingual Congregation on McCart Avenue
Great Commission Baptist Church sits at 7700 McCart Avenue on the southwest side of Fort Worth, Texas, a single campus that has anchored the surrounding neighborhood since the late 1990s. What began in 1985 as a small gathering of about thirty people has grown into a congregation that the church now describes as numbering in the thousands, with two simultaneous Sunday services held in English and Spanish and a weekly calendar that fills most days of the week. The phrase One Church, Two Services is how leaders describe the arrangement, and it captures the bilingual identity that defines GCBC today.
First-time guests are greeted at the main entrance and welcomed into Cafe 2:42, a coffee and snack bar named after the Acts 2:42 picture of the early church, where they can settle in before Sunday Life Groups begin at 8:30 a.m. Morning worship in both languages follows at 10:00 a.m. The church describes its atmosphere as spirit-filled, with music, prayer, preaching, and an open invitation at the close of every service.
From a Jewish Center to a 2,300-Seat Sanctuary
The story of Great Commission Baptist Church is a long one, and the congregation tells it as a sequence of moves that finally led to its permanent home. It started in 1985 when a small group of about twenty-five to thirty people began meeting in what was then a Jewish Center, with Pastor Armstrong at the helm. In February 1988, the congregation relocated to the chapel of Park Ridge Baptist Church, cleaning and mowing the grounds as a way of thanking the host congregation for the use of the space and making a $1,000 donation before they moved on.
Park Ridge gave them a worship home but no room for Sunday School. They eventually found a storefront at 6809 McCart Avenue, where Sunday School, worship, and midweek Bible study could all take place under Pastor Jesse Rutledge. After about three years, Rutledge resigned and a pastor search committee began looking for the next leader. The committee believed God was pointing them toward Douglas E. Brown.
Brown became pastor on March 28, 1993. The church had fifty-three members on the day he was installed. Within months, the congregation had doubled. In December 1993, just months after Brown's arrival, the church acquired 7.1 acres at 7700 McCart Avenue and was formally incorporated, paying off the land in January 1995. The inaugural worship service in the new permanent home was held on November 2, 1997, with more than 800 members, friends, and guests attending. Within a short time the building was already too small, chairs were being set out in the aisles, and a second Sunday service was added.
By June 13, 2004, the church had outgrown the original sanctuary. Pastor Brown led a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 2,300-seat worship center, a Family Life and Education Center, and an administration wing. The first worship service in the new sanctuary was held on March 12, 2006. In July 2021, the church added a Spanish-language worship service under Pastor Ruben Garcia, fulfilling Pastor Brown's vision of One Church, Two Services.
Sunday at GCBC: Life Groups and a Bilingual Worship Hour
Sunday is the rhythm of the week. Life Groups, the church's Sunday School equivalent, meet at 8:30 a.m. in classes grouped by age. There are classes for children from preschool through twelfth grade, as well as a number of adult classes from which first-time guests can choose. The curriculum for these classes is published online as downloadable PDFs for both English and Spanish classes, with current quarter studies drawing from II Kings in the Spanish adult material.
Morning worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in two locations at the same time: the English service in the main sanctuary and the Español service in the chapel. The church describes the services as featuring inspiring music, choir selections, special music from various singing groups and soloists, altar prayer, preaching, an invitation, and an offering. The order of service has a set shape, beginning with praise and worship, moving to a guided altar prayer led by ministers, continuing through special music and the sermon, then opening the invitation.
The invitation, as the church describes it, has three parts. A person may be making a decision to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior, may already have that relationship and be looking to join the Great Commission family, or may simply want someone to pray with them. Visitors are welcome to participate in any of the three. The offering that follows is described as an opportunity to give tithes and offerings; visitors are told that the church is not asking for their money but hopes they will find a warm family spirit, truth from God's Word, and a home in which to grow in God's grace.
Services typically run about an hour and forty-five minutes. Some members come dressed in traditional Sunday best, others come casual; the church has no dress code and asks only that guests feel comfortable. There is a nursery available for infants from eight weeks to four years old, and children from age four through high school may be checked into youth services that run alongside the worship hour if their parents prefer.
Wednesday Nights: Family Night, Bible Study, and Prayer
Wednesday is the second pillar of the week at GCBC. The evening opens at 6:00 p.m. with the GCBC Prayer Ministry, which meets in person on the second Wednesday of each month and on Zoom on the third, fourth, and fifth Wednesdays. Zoom details are available at the Welcome Center and at the rear of the building.
Bible study follows at 7:00 p.m. and runs on a careful rhythm. The first Wednesday of each month is Family Night. The second Wednesday's English Bible study meets in person. The third, fourth, and fifth Wednesdays are streamed online only. The Spanish Bible study, Estudio Bíblico en Español, is held in person on the second, third, fourth, and fifth Wednesdays of each month. The result is that English-speakers can attend in person twice a month and online three times, while Spanish-speakers gather in person four Wednesdays a month.
Those who serve in the Media Volunteers ministry meet every third Sunday after the morning service. Members of the church can sign up online to be part of the audio, video, and lighting teams that support the services each week.
Pastor Douglas E. Brown and His Family
Dr. Douglas E. Brown is the modest, powerfully anointed Pastor-Teacher of Great Commission Baptist Church. He began his preaching ministry in April 1990 at Greater Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth under his father in the ministry, the late Rev. E. L. Bowman, before accepting the call to Great Commission in early 1993. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Saint Thomas Christian College, awarded on August 29, 2010, and has studied at Tyndale Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to deepen his preaching and teaching.
Pastor Brown's vision statement for GCBC reads: Building a ministry through the power, principles and promises of God's Word; to reach the sinner, teach the saint and strengthen the family. The two scripture anchors for this vision are Ephesians 5:22 through 6:4 and Matthew 28:19-20. Under his leadership the church grew from 53 members at his installation to more than 5,000 members today. The church has established more than fifty ministries during his tenure.
Brown is a retired Tarrant County Sheriff's Deputy, a current Reserve Deputy Constable, and a proud United States Army veteran. Among his recognitions, the Southwest Fort Worth chapter of the National Women of Achievement honored him as a Trail Blazer for Outstanding Dedication and Service, and the Fort Worth Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. honored him as a Man of Vision Daring to Venture. He is an honored member of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and serves as an Advisory Member of Black Church Studies for Brite Divinity School. He has preached the Dallas Cowboys chapel service and provided invocation for the Texas State Senate. He is the son of the late Rev. Ulysses Brown, Sr. and Mrs. Elizabeth Brown.
His wife, Dr. LaKedra Brown, is the First Lady of the church. The Browns have three children: Phairen Renee' Yaites (and her husband Courtney), Kaitlyn Elizabeth (known as Katie-Liz), and Tre'Jon Devon (known as Tre). They are also the grandparents of Nyla and Cobi.
One Church, Two Languages: The Español Ministry
In July 2021, Great Commission expanded to include a Spanish-language worship service. The Español congregation is pastored by Ruben Garcia, who has been married to his wife Velia for forty-two years and has three children and six grandchildren. Pastor Garcia's role is to give leadership to the Sunday services by bringing the Word of the Lord and to equip Spanish-speaking members to become all they can be in Christ Jesus.
The Español service meets in the chapel at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, the same hour as the English service in the sanctuary, and runs alongside the Life Groups schedule at 8:30 a.m. Bible study meets in the chapel at 7:00 p.m. on the second, third, fourth, and fifth Wednesdays of each month. Visitors who would prefer to read the church's information in Spanish can switch the language by selecting the Spanish flag at the top right of the church's pages.
Children, Students, and Young Adults
Children's ministry at GCBC is organized into three age-based programs. Commission Tots serves newborns through Pre-K, with age-appropriate games, worship, Bible lessons, and prayer. Commission Kids serves kindergarten through sixth grade with general youth worship, Bible lessons, memory verses, games, and a fun and safe environment. Commission Teens gathers students in grades 6 through 12 for powerful times of worship, encouraging messages, and strong community.
The youth ministry is led by Chase Crosby, the Minister of Youth. Middle and high school students who want to be checked in during the Sunday worship hour rather than sit in the auditorium are routed into these youth services.
Young adults have their own pastor, Jamell Grandberry, the Minister of Young Adults, who has launched the Home Away From Home ministry to encourage and support young adults who are away from home because of college, military service, mission work, or a temporary job assignment. Family and friends are invited to partner with the ministry by providing contact information so the church can stay in touch with these members on their life's journey.
For adults, midweek connection comes through the Wednesday Bible study schedule and through Life Groups on Sunday mornings. The Life Group curriculum is published online each quarter, with downloadable English and Spanish materials.
Beliefs and the Plan of Salvation
Great Commission teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God and that it is the only infallible guide for daily thought and practice. The church believes in one God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent. The Son, Jesus Christ, is fully God and fully man, was crucified and resurrected, and will return for His church before the Tribulation and again with His saints at His Second Coming to establish the millennial kingdom. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the moment of salvation and is the source of power, worship, service, and spiritual gifts; the church teaches that foundational gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and knowledge have ceased.
Salvation is by grace through faith, a gift from the Father, accomplished by faith alone, and the church explicitly rejects salvation by works. Believers are eternally secure in Christ, sealed until the day of redemption, and not required to seek a second blessing or second work of grace.
For those who want to explore what it means to follow Christ, the Plan of Salvation walks through Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, and John 3:16. Anyone who has made a decision is invited to call the church at 817-346-1869, extension 1008 or 1009, to talk it through with a minister.
GriefShare and Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at GCBC takes a structured form through GriefShare, a thirteen-week, Scripture-based program for people who are navigating grief. Under the spiritual leadership of Pastor Brown, GriefShare offers a safe, compassionate environment where participants learn practical ways to cope, heal, and find encouragement. The program runs in two parallel tracks. A Monday hybrid class meets in person and on Zoom from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m., and a Thursday Zoom class meets from 6:45 to 8:00 p.m. Registration is available online through the GriefShare finder.
The church's prayer ministry is another expression of pastoral care. In addition to the Wednesday evening Prayer Ministry, anyone can submit a prayer request online through the Prayer Wall. The church's framing of prayer is gentle: there are times when life is overwhelming, and all we have are questions. In those moments, hope can feel far away. The great thing about prayer is that it shifts our perspective toward the One who stands ready to listen.
Worship Arts and Hospitality
Music and the arts are a significant part of GCBC worship. The Music Director, Excell Amos, oversees the music ministry, while La'Kea Stokes leads the Praise and Worship team. Special music at the Sunday services includes the choir, various singing groups, and soloists. Beyond music, the church has sign language interpreters for members and guests with hearing impairments, a mime ministry for those who express worship through movement, and a Hospitality Ministry that staffs greeters, ushers, and hosts at services and special events.
Cafe 2:42, named after Acts 2:42, sits inside the church and serves coffee, hot cocoa, donuts, and other snacks. It is also a place where offerings can be dropped off and where members and guests connect before and after services. Annette Brown manages the cafe and runs the bookstore associated with it.
Giving, the App, and Staying Connected
The church makes giving available in five ways: through the ShelbyNext online giving platform, by texting a fund name and amount to 817-381-7702, in person during the Sunday service, through the GCBC mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, and by mail to the church office. The ShelbyNext giving portal also allows members to download and print year-end contribution statements.
Livestreamed services are available on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person. A mobile app brings together sermons, the church calendar, online giving, the prayer wall, and a directory. The church's sermon archive is published online, and a YouTube channel carries recordings and live streams.
The physical office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed every fourth Thursday of the month. The mailing address for contributions and correspondence is Great Commission Baptist Church, 7700 McCart Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76133, Attn: Finance Dept.
What Visitors Can Expect
Anyone driving up to 7700 McCart Avenue on a Sunday morning will be greeted at the main entrance, welcomed into Cafe 2:42 for a snack, and pointed toward either the sanctuary for English worship or the chapel for the Spanish service. Life Groups begin at 8:30 a.m. and Sunday worship follows at 10:00 a.m. in both languages, running about an hour and forty-five minutes. Children from eight weeks through high school have age-appropriate programs running alongside the services. There is no dress code. The building is wheelchair-friendly throughout. The only thing the church asks of a first-time guest is to come as they are.