North Garland Baptist Fellowship in Garland, Texas, is known for a family-oriented culture built around Bible study, discipleship, joyful worship, and active service. At 5840 N. Garland Ave., its mission statement is “A family of Christ followers, growing in God's word and making disciples,” and its vision is “Building God's Kingdom from Garland to the Globe.” Four core values - Faithful, Fruitful, Family Oriented, and Fun - shape the way the church worships, teaches, serves, and welcomes people of different ages.
Faithful, Fruitful, Family Oriented, and Fun
Each core value has a practical meaning. Faithful describes a culture of consistency in prayer, attention to truth, adherence to truth, and lives that express love for God through praise and worship. Fruitful calls the church to bear the fruit of the Spirit, multiply followers of Jesus, equip people in Scripture, and help everyone thrive comprehensively. Family Oriented describes a fellowship that mirrors the traits of a healthy family and works to maintain those traits through life's highs and lows. Fun calls for a joyous culture in which love, joy, and laughter are present in healthy families and relationships.
Sunday Gatherings at 8:00 and 11:00
Sunday worship is held at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., with Christian education at 9:45 a.m. between the services. Both Sunday services are livestreamed, and full services and earlier messages are available through NGBF's YouTube channel and Facebook channel. The three-part Sunday rhythm gives visitors a simple pattern for worship and Bible teaching.
Senior Pastor Jason Earls is known for engaging, high-energy messages focused on practical application of the Word. His emphasis on multigenerational discipleship is reflected in age-spanning Sunday classes, children's and youth work, adult ministries, and family-centered marriage ministry. The Encounter young adult fellowship also helps lead one Sunday each month with praise and worship, an ensemble choir, prayer, greeting, and other worship responsibilities.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The main phone number is 972-414-1494, and info@ngbf.global reaches the church. Church Center supports registrations and online giving, including one-time gifts and recurring monthly or weekly gifts. The church also offers a connect card, newsletter sign-up, and volunteer sign-up.
A Sunday School for Every Generation
Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m. and offers classes from babies through senior adults. Its purpose is to teach the Bible, deepen knowledge of God and His Word, and equip people to practice Christian teaching. Classes are departmentalized and led or staffed by trained, caring leaders who seek positive, inclusive classrooms, effective use of technology, and strong relationships with students and families.
The primary curriculum is Explore the Bible by LifeWay, a book-by-book approach designed for children, students, and adults. Kindergarten for K-4 and K-5 uses Scripture, songs, and crafts. Grades 1 and 2 build a foundation through Bible study, prayer, Scripture memory, and discipline, while grades 3 through 5 encourage prayer, Scripture memory, Bible study, and worship.
Students in grades 6 through 12 use teacher-led Bible study with videos, skits, role-playing, creative illustrations, and internet resources. Adult options include 1828 for ages 18 to 28, men's, women's, adult, Explorers, and Journey classes. The adult class builds a caring community through fun and fellowship; Explorers centers on discussion and mutual support; Journey examines challenging Christian questions through Old and New Testament teaching in relation to culture.
A four-week New Members class introduces what the church is, how to approach the Bible, what Christian life looks like, and the church's basic doctrine and philosophy. Our Treasures serves teens and adults with special needs who require assistance and supervision. Its lessons make Scripture understandable within a comfortable, safe environment.
Power Up Bible Study meets Wednesdays at noon, in person and through Zoom. It is open to all ages and was created for night workers, retirees, people in the community, and anyone who wants to study during a lunch break. Classes cover Old and New Testament subjects and relevant topics, with interactive teaching and a strong emphasis on fellowship.
Playtime Nursery and KIDS Church
The Playtime Nursery cares for children from newborn through age four, divided into infants from birth to two and toddlers from two to four. Christian themes, visual aids, music, and interactive educational tools help shape children's early understanding of God and nurture them spiritually. Nursery Director Maranda Davenport oversees caregivers who complete screening and personal interviews and remain closely observed while serving children.
Access to a child in nursery care is limited to nursery personnel. No one under 18 may pick up a child, including siblings, although a parent under 18 may pick up that parent's own child. These policies are part of the assurance the church gives families as children participate in worship and learning.
For kindergarten through fifth grade, the KIDS program centers on Kids Church. Children take part in prayer, offering, Scripture reading, and teaching designed to help them discover what following Christ means. Children's Director Terri Earls leads the ministry, whose stated focus is the spiritual growth of children and a positive beginning in their knowledge of God.
1828, Encounter, and the Next Generation
The 1828 ministry serves ages 18 to 28 and includes married people, singles, college students, parents, and adults without children. It meets for Christian education every Sunday and maintains a group chat for staying connected. The broad welcome is paired with a practical goal of helping young adults grow as Christ followers while building friendships and belonging.
Encounter reaches ages 18 through 45 and gathers for Sunday Christian education as well. Once each month, the ministry helps facilitate the service through praise and worship, ensemble choir, prayer, greeting, and other responsibilities. Its fellowship life includes outings and group activities, and its service focus includes outreach and missions.
Youth ministry includes Serious on Sundays for grades 6 through 12 and is supported by Youth Pastor Joshua Jules. The Brotherhood men's group also supports young people at football and basketball games. Jason Earls brings more than 20 years of experience as a youth teacher, pastor, and mentor to the church's emphasis on reaching the next generation.
Brotherhood, Women's Fellowship, and Strong Marriages
The Brotherhood men's ministry offers a core group where men can relate and talk, share testimony, bring talents and burdens, and build accountability around faith. Its rhythm includes prayer breakfast, Bible study, Christian education, youth game support, and retreats with activities such as skeet shooting and zip lining. It combines supportive fellowship with a Kingdom-building focus.
Women participate through a dedicated Women's Ministry, a Sunday women's Christian education class, and a prayer gathering every second and fourth Tuesday. The Brotherhood prayer breakfast takes place on the first Saturday of each month at 7:30 a.m. These groups give men and women distinct settings for fellowship, study, prayer, and service.
Marriage Ministry is guided by four aims. Faithful means nurturing devoted marriages rooted in God, with faithfulness to God as the cornerstone. Fruitful calls couples to spiritual growth and relational maturity. Family means building a supportive community that carries burdens together. Fun balances holiness with joy. The ministry offers a 31 Day Prayer Guide, and Michael and Angie Smith serve as its leaders.
A Prayer Rhythm Through the Week
Prayer is organized throughout the week. Sunday Evening Prayer is held by telephone conference at 5:00 p.m., and Wednesday Morning Prayer begins at 6:25 a.m. Drive Thru Prayer gathers for community prayer every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. and includes prayer for individuals as well as the community. Women's prayer meets every second and fourth Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. by telephone conference.
The prayer ministry presents Jesus's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 as an example of how to pray rather than a rigid ritual. Its teaching centers on asking God for daily bread, seeking forgiveness, and resisting temptation. The schedules make room for morning, afternoon, and evening gatherings and for prayer focused both on personal needs and the community.
Worship as More Than Music
The worship ministry defines worship as much more than music. It describes worship as a giving and receiving, a petition and blessing, a declaration and benediction, and a lifestyle of the heart. Rooted in Jesus's words about worshiping the Father in spirit and truth, the ministry begins with love for God and Christ and seeks a life that prizes God above everything else.
The worship team includes vocalists, band members, in-house and online audio support, visual, switcher, camera, and lighting technicians, plus social media and online hosting roles. Choir Director Jonathan Ford and Creative Arts Director Angel Bass lead parts of the church's musical and creative expression. Encounter's monthly ensemble service gives congregants another way to participate in leading praise.
Both Sunday services can be watched through the livestream, and the sermon collection preserves messages for later viewing. Complete services are shared through NGBF's YouTube and Facebook channels, allowing the congregation's worship, preaching, and music to travel beyond the room at 5840 N. Garland Ave.
Equipping U for Christian Maturity
Equip U is described as a passport to Christian maturity. As people complete suggested training, a leader initials and stamps the passport. Pre-membership and foundational membership each cover five rotating sessions: salvation, prayer, church discipline, stewardship, and missions. The training gives congregants a grounded understanding of what the church believes while preparing them to serve and grow.
The program extends to several stages of discipleship. I'm a Christian Now is an eight-week course for ages 6 to 12 about becoming a Christian, following Jesus, sharing testimony, and understanding faith. Other studies address spiritual gifts, biblical interpretation, teaching, evangelism, short-term missions, written testimony, and a 12-week course called Experiencing God. A Bible in One Year study encourages reading through the Bible, while approved book studies on manhood and womanhood can count toward Equip U.
Re:generation is a care and recovery program built around authentic community and 12 steps of biblical healing. Its 50-week path begins with 39 weeks of groundwork and is offered twice each year. NGBF presents it as a sustained process for moving through brokenness rather than a quick fix, with space for people affected by addiction, codependency, destructive habits, depression, fear, control, abuse, obsessive thoughts, and other struggles.
From Garland to the Globe
Missions and Outreach is among the church's most emphatic ministries. NGBF commits to the Great Commission and Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Its stated practice includes partnering with missionaries and organizations, praying internationally, going on mission trips, and helping people through water, food, friendship, and services.
The evangelism committee helps make the church intentionally evangelistic. Its work includes maintaining awareness of gospel-sharing opportunities, helping congregants recognize Spirit-led conversations, training people for personal witness, organizing special outreach events, and considering how digital media can support evangelism. The aim is for disciples to share Christ in the classroom, at work, and in the community, with a Christian life that undergirds their witness.
The emphasis on multiplication runs through the fellowship. Equip U prepares people for short-term mission trips and written testimony; evangelism training teaches tools for sharing faith; and Encounter gives young adults a place to increase their involvement in outreach and missions. These ministries extend NGBF's family-oriented life beyond Garland while keeping missions, prayer, discipleship, and service closely connected.
Jason Earls and a Multigenerational Leadership Team
Senior Pastor Jason Earls leads NGBF with an emphasis on healthy families, the next generation, outreach, and multigenerational evangelism and discipleship. He is known for creative program development, strategic planning, spiritual counseling, and connecting the arts with Kingdom building. His preaching is high energy and practical, and he has more than 20 years of experience in youth teaching, pastoral ministry, and mentoring across congregations with national and international reach. His background includes affiliation with several Southern Baptist state conventions and mission-focused organizations.
The ministry team includes Nursery Director Maranda Davenport, Children's Director Terri Earls, Youth Pastor Joshua Jules, Choir Director Jonathan Ford, and Creative Arts Director Angel Bass. Barry Calhoun, Chawn Cummings, Jim Larsen, George West, Stanton Canonge, and Percy Singleton serve as associate ministers. Deacons support the congregation's service and oversight, and Michael and Angie Smith lead marriage ministry. The pastoral vision combines creative strategy, family development, community engagement, and strong multigenerational connections.
The Faith NGBF Confesses
NGBF's teaching places the Holy Bible at the center of Christian life. Scripture is described as divinely inspired, truthful, trustworthy, and focused on Christ. The church affirms one living and true God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It teaches that humanity was created in God's image, giving every person dignity and worth, and that salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
A New Testament church is understood as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. NGBF observes baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as symbolic acts of obedience, treats the first day of the week as the Lord's Day, and holds that each congregation operates under the lordship of Christ through democratic processes. Pastors and deacons are identified as scriptural officers. The church affirms that both men and women are gifted for service while limiting the pastor's office to men as qualified by Scripture.
The doctrinal commitments also include evangelism and missions, Christian education, stewardship of time, talents, and possessions, cooperation among Christian denominations, and religious liberty, including separation of church and state. NGBF calls for opposition to racism, greed, selfishness, and sexual immorality, care for orphaned, needy, abused, aged, helpless, and sick people, advocacy for the unborn, and sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. The family is affirmed as the foundational institution of human society, and marriage is described as a covenant commitment between one man and one woman for life.
Together, these convictions and ministries define North Garland Baptist Fellowship as a family of Christ followers: rooted in God's word, active in worship and prayer, strengthening homes and relationships, training people for faithful service, and carrying the gospel from Garland toward the globe.