Ivy Creek Baptist Church sits along Ivy Creek Road on the east side of Buford, Georgia, in Gwinnett County, where it has grown into one of the larger Southern Baptist congregations in the area. Members describe themselves as a "you-all, Gospel-first, servant-hearted family of believers" who want their lives to count for the glory of God. Two identical Sunday morning services, a Wednesday night rhythm that fills the campus with the sound of choirs and the smell of supper, and a steady stream of mission trips and food pantry days give the church a busy, multigenerational feel.
Sunday Mornings at Ivy Creek
Worship gathers in the main sanctuary at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. The two services are identical in content, each running about 70 minutes, and include congregational singing, a full adult choir, an orchestra, and expository preaching. The Lord's Supper is celebrated quarterly, and baptisms are scheduled by request. Services are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
Visitors are greeted at a welcome desk just inside the entrances. A friendly team member will help direct first-time guests to the right building and answer questions. The church's motto for newcomers is simple: "We aren't a perfect church, but we serve a perfect God."
Adult Sunday School meets at three separate hours on Sunday morning - 8:20 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM - so anyone can pair a study hour with one of the two worship services. The majority of adult classes meet on the third floor of the Education Building or the first floor of the Fellowship Building. Classes are open and ongoing, and newcomers can join at any time.
Sunday School Classes for Every Stage of Life
The Sunday School ministry catalogs the work of building relationships and studying God's Word together. With more than fifteen active classes, the church offers a place for nearly every age and life stage.
- 8:20 AM Early Morning Believers - adults of all ages, especially those 60 to 90, using The Gospel Project curriculum.
- 8:20 AM Women Only - a women's class led by Claudia Gage using Bible Studies for Life.
- 8:20 AM Bible Believers - all ages, verse-by-verse exposition, led by Jeff Bowie.
- 9:30 AM Women of the Word - women using Explore the Bible.
- 9:30 AM Young Married - couples in their 20s and 30s, with some singles, led by Tim and Mary Oliver.
- 9:30 AM Parents of Younger Children - led by Bill Babb and Robin Gower.
- 9:30 AM Parents of College and Beyond - ages 40s to 60s.
- 9:30 AM Single Women Under 55 - young women ages 25 to 49.
- 9:30 AM College and Career - young adults.
- 9:30 AM Parents of Students - parents of teens, led by Kyle Varner.
- 9:30 AM Emmaus Road - all ages, verse-by-verse exposition.
- 9:30 AM Intergenerational - adults 20s to 80s, led by Todd Bevill.
- 9:30 AM Older Adults - ages 40+.
- 11:00 AM The Upper Room - ages 45+ empty nesters.
- 11:00 AM J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, You) Class - co-ed ages 55+.
- 11:00 AM The Tree of Life Class - all ages, exposition of the Scriptures.
- 11:00 AM Victory Sisters - women's class led by Ruby Richardson.
- 6:30 PM College and Career - off campus, led by David and Leanne Jones, meeting every other Sunday evening.
Creek Kids
Creek Kids is the children's ministry of Ivy Creek, serving children from newborn through 5th grade. The ministry exists to come alongside families as they disciple and train their children and to minister to children and families in the community.
On Sunday mornings, Nursery and Pre-K classes meet on the first floor of the Education Building at both 9:30 and 11:00 AM. K through 2nd grade Creek Kids meet on the second floor with Sunday School at 9:30 and Kids' Worship at 11:00 AM. 3rd through 5th grade classes meet on the third floor. The whole Creek Kids check-in area is just off the Education Building lobby, and the first visit begins there: a volunteer gathers the child's information, prints a nametag for the child and a matching pickup tag for the parent, and walks the family to their classroom.
Safety is a high priority. All Creek Kids leaders and volunteers complete a background check and participate in training events. During each visit the child and parent receive nametags with matching unique codes that must match at pickup. If a parent needs to be reached while their child is in care, they receive a direct text message.
Wednesday nights are filled with energy for children. AWANA runs from 6:30 to 8:00 PM during the school year for children ages 2 through 5th grade. Kids are divided by age into Puggles (2-year-olds), Cubbies (3-4), Sparks (K-2nd), and T&T (3rd-5th). Each group gathers for large-group Bible teaching and game time, then breaks into smaller groups for Scripture memory and relationship building. Mission projects run throughout the year.
Kids Choir meets Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:20 PM in three groups: Wee Praise for 3- and 4-year-olds, Music Makers for K-2nd grade, and Young Musicians for 3rd-5th grade. The choirs lead worship several times a year, including Christmas at Ivy Creek. Vacation Bible School is held each summer; recent VBS has run in mid-June for Pre-K through 8th grade.
Children with special needs are welcomed. The church asks parents to complete a special needs form so that volunteers can tailor the experience to each child. A special needs ministry is part of the Creek Kids program.
Creek Kids Director Caroline Dale has served in children's ministry alongside her husband, Senior Pastor Craig Dale, since the summer of 2013, having previously served in worship and women's ministry.
Ivy Creek Students
Ivy Creek Students is the ministry for middle and high school students. The student ministry exists to Invite, Lead, and Develop - to invite people to church and to a deeper knowledge of Jesus, to lead by the example of a mature believer, and to develop disciples through the teaching of God's Word.
Students meet in the Student Building at the back of the campus (the original sanctuary building). On Sunday mornings, middle and high schoolers gather for Sunday School at 9:30 AM using The Gospel Project curriculum, then join them in the sanctuary for worship at 11:00 AM. Wednesday nights bring Student Bible Study from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, with separate groups for middle and high school boys and girls.
Special events fill out the year. DNOW is a local weekend retreat for students held each fall. Strength to Stand is a winter conference in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. FUGE Camp each summer at North Greenville University in South Carolina offers worship, Bible study, and a week of Christ-centered community.
The Student Building also hosts a Student Choir, which rehearses on Wednesdays and sings in Sunday worship services. Students stay connected between meetings through the ministry's Instagram account.
Student Pastor Rev. Jonathan Lodge joined the staff in early 2023. He has served in student ministry since 2006 and is a graduate of Shorter College in Rome, Georgia.
Wednesday Nights: Supper, Discipleship, and Music
Wednesday nights are a weekly gathering point for the whole church during the school year. Wednesday Night Supper is served from 5:00 to 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Building. Families can register in Realm by Monday at noon. Meals are $6 per adult and $3 per child 12 and under, with a maximum of $25 per family.
After supper, the night opens into several tracks. AWANA fills the Education Building with kids. Adult Discipleship Groups meet from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in classrooms in the Fellowship Building or on the third floor of the Education Building. Short-term studies cover topics such as evangelism, marriage, parenting, and finances. Recent offerings include "From Beginning to End," a dispensational study from Genesis to Revelation, and a marriage class using the Family Life Couples Studies series "The Gospel and Your Marriage." Childcare is available, with nursery for infants, AWANA for children 2 years old through 5th grade, and Wednesday night students for middle and high school.
Wednesday night is also when the music happens. Kids Choir meets at 5:45 PM in the Education Building. The Orchestra rehearses from 5:45 to 6:45 PM, and the Adult Choir rehearses from 6:45 to 7:45 PM. A Student Choir also rehearses weekly.
Summer brings a pause for Wednesday Night Supper, which resumes each fall with an updated meal calendar.
Worship Arts Ministry
The Worship Arts Ministry exists to equip every believer to respond to God with heartfelt, Spirit-empowered singing, accompanied by skillfully played instruments. Music is woven into almost everything the church does.
The Ivy Creek Choir is open to anyone aged 12 to 112 with no audition required, though members are expected to attend Wednesday rehearsals and sing each Sunday. The Ivy Creek Orchestra plays in Sunday morning services and requires two years of experience. Four rotating Praise Teams draw from active choir members through auditions; each member serves about once a month. Legacy 55+ Singers meet at 10:00 AM on the third Thursday of each month in the sanctuary choir loft, leading worship in services and at community events.
The Media & Production Ministry runs the technical backbone of every service. Computer operators, sound support, camera operators, video switchers, and light board operators support and record worship services and special events, with on-the-job training available. Three to four volunteers serve every Sunday, with more needed for special events.
Christmas at Ivy Creek is the largest production of the year. Over 120 choir and orchestra members, along with many other volunteers, present the story of Jesus' birth, life, and resurrection through music and drama each December. The event is held the first weekend of December and is open to the community; families are advised to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before each performance.
Worship Arts Pastor Rev. Jonathan Green grew up in East Tennessee and has served churches in Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance and church music from Samford University.
Women's Ministry
The Women's Ministry supports women in their relationship with God through spiritual friendship, mentoring, teaching one another, and church and community outreach. Women of all ages and stages gather for fellowship.
Weekly Bible studies for women meet at the church throughout the school year and are open to all women. Monthly gatherings are held on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year; events include hands-on activities, informational sessions, and times of fellowship. Discipleship groups of six to seven women are formed once a year and meet at various times and locations.
The ministry takes several trips throughout the year with opportunities to serve both locally and abroad. Women's ministry leaders are Becky Bowie and Lori Knuteson.
Ministry to Men
The Men's Ministry is described as a "vigorous, Christ-Centered, Life-Changing, God-Honoring Ministry to Men into a Kingdom-Focused Brotherhood." The ministry focuses on discipleship, Christ-centered relationships, serving others, and living out the Great Commission.
Brotherhood Small Groups meet weekly for Bible study and fellowship, with both morning and evening opportunities available. Quarterly events feature guest speakers, worship, and engaging activities. Men's Ministry Leader is Steve Stall.
Legacy 55+
Legacy 55+ is the active senior adult ministry at Ivy Creek. Members are 55 and older and describe themselves as mentors, servers, wisdom-sharers, and trailblazers for the next generation. The name is an acronym: Leading the way, Encouraging all ages, Giving of ourselves and time to reach All people for Christ, Showing them You matter to God and to Ivy Creek.
Senior adults meet in Sunday School at any of the three morning hours and worship at the 9:30 or 11:00 AM service. They also gather for monthly luncheons on the church campus, "Lunch Out" meetings at local restaurants three times a year, and bus trips throughout the year - recent destinations have included Blue Ridge and the North Georgia apple orchards in the fall. Legacy 55+ Singers rehearse on the third Thursday of each month and sing in worship services and at community outreach events.
Senior Adult Pastor Rev. Rick Milner has been in ministry for more than 38 years, serving churches in Texas and Georgia, and is passionate about both Senior Adult and Pastoral Care ministry.
Missions: Local, National, and International
Ivy Creek supports individuals and organizations whose passion is to share the Gospel by loving, serving, teaching, and developing disciples locally and globally. A Missions Committee publishes a comprehensive newsletter every other month.
The church partners with a wide network of ministries and missionaries:
- Families 4 Families - adoption ministry
- Calvary Children's Home - residential care for children in Metro Atlanta
- Obria Medical Clinics - women's healthcare
- GuideStone Mission Dignity - retirement support for Southern Baptist ministers and widows
- Operation Renewed Hope - free medical clinics in Third World nations
- Mision Bautista Elim - two pastors in Guatemala City supported monthly with mission team visits
- Good News Club - Child Evangelism Fellowship
- Truth's Place - ministry center for families
- Mission Georgia - gospel-centered care across the state
- Good News At Noon - services to homeless neighbors
- Annie Armstrong Easter Offering - North American missions
- IMB Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - international missions
- Wachara School Kenya - orphanage schools at Ahero and Wachara
- M28 Church - church plant near Georgia Tech and Georgia State
- Georgia Baptist Children's Homes
- Campus Outreach Birmingham
- 4G3 - discipleship programs in the Middle East
- Moyo Missions - Great Commission mobilization
- Operation Christmas Child - shoebox gifts through Samaritan's Purse
The church sends mission teams to Guatemala (a family-friendly VBS trip and a fall construction/women's ministry trip) and Kenya each year. Family & Discipleship Pastor Rev. Dave Wiley leads the Missions Ministry.
Feeding Hearts Food Ministry
Feeding Hearts is the church's outreach food pantry, serving the area around Ivy Creek and providing both spiritual and physical nourishment. Guests are greeted warmly, asked to share contact information, and invited to meet with a Guide to learn more about the love of Jesus before receiving a box of non-perishable food items.
The pantry is open on the second and fourth Mondays of each month from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and on the first Saturday of each month from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Guests may visit once every 30 days and should bring a photo ID. Ministry Leader is Grier Todd.
Hemmed in Prayer Quilting
The Hemmed in Prayer Quilting Group was formed in 2018 to provide quilted items that support other mission groups at Ivy Creek. The group donates around 50 baby quilts annually to Obria Medical Clinics, about 45 lap quilts to NGHS Infusion Centers, and quilts to Calvary Children's Home. The group also crafts pillowcases, backpacks, fidget quilts for memory care centers, and Christmas quilts for church staff.
Quilters gather on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Kits are cut and ready to sew; volunteers need only bring a sewing machine and basic supplies. Kits can also be taken home to complete.
What Ivy Creek Believes
Ivy Creek Baptist Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and follows a confession of faith called The Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
The core identity of the church is captured in five values:
- You-All - Everyone who comes to campus is greeted with open arms and a genuine smile. ("Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God." - Romans 15:7)
- Gospel First - The Bible is the inspired Word of God, and preaching is rooted in Biblical truth through expository sermons. ("Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." - Mark 16:15)
- Servant-Hearted - Members serve through outreach programs and missions, both local and abroad. ("The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." - Mark 10:45)
- Family of Believers - A close-knit community united by love for the Lord and for one another. (Romans 12:4-5)
- God's Glory - The church seeks to honor God through worship, fellowship, discipleship, and mission. (Colossians 3:23)
On baptism, Ivy Creek teaches that baptism is an act of obedience for every person who has placed faith in Christ as Savior. Baptism is by immersion, modeled by Jesus in Matthew 3:13-17, and symbolizes sharing in His death, burial, and resurrection. The baptism process begins with a meeting with a pastor, followed by scheduling a date during a Sunday morning service. Several times a year the church offers a parent/child class for new believers.
Pastors and Staff
Senior Pastor Dr. Craig Dale has served Ivy Creek since June 2010. He has been in church ministry since 1995, previously serving in youth, music, and missions. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, and a Bachelor of Arts in Bible from Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee. Born and raised in Gainesville, Georgia, he has been married to Caroline since 1998. They have four children.
Associate Pastor Rev. Ted Williams has served Ivy Creek since October 2011 after 13+ years at another local church. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from North Georgia College, and is also employed by a local community bank.
Senior Adult Pastor Rev. Rick Milner has been in ministry for more than 38 years and is passionate about Senior Adult and Pastoral Care ministry. Family & Discipleship Pastor Rev. Dave Wiley joined the staff after serving as a Student Pastor in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Worship Arts Pastor Rev. Jonathan Green holds bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance and church music from Samford University. Student Pastor Rev. Jonathan Lodge has served in student ministry since 2006 and joined Ivy Creek at the beginning of 2023. Creek Kids Director Caroline Dale has served in children's ministry since the summer of 2013.
Next Steps at Ivy Creek
Visitors and new believers are invited into a clear pathway. The What's the Gospel? page outlines what it means to become a Christian. Those ready to take the next step of believer's baptism can meet with a pastor and schedule a baptism during a Sunday morning service. The Stepping Into the Waters luncheon is the membership class, led by the pastor and staff, designed to give new members a foundation in the church's mission, beliefs, and values, and to help them find a place to serve.
Plan a Visit
The church campus sits at 2500 Ivy Creek Road in Buford. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The mailing address is PO Box 2344, Buford, GA 30515. The office phone number is (770) 932-8453.
Sunday mornings begin with Adult Sunday School at 8:20 AM, followed by worship at 9:30 and 11:00 AM. Creek Kids, AWANA, choirs, orchestra, the Adult Choir, the Student Building, and the Wednesday Night Supper make Wednesdays one of the liveliest days of the week during the school year. Giving is available online through Realm, and the sermon archive is updated weekly at YouTube and online sermon notes.