Rising Star Baptist Church stands on Avenue M at Miller Street in Fort Worth, Texas, and its Sunday morning gathering is known for blending gospel music with contemporary Christian songs and messages grounded in Scripture. Worship begins at 10 a.m. at 4216 Avenue M, and the church's life also includes Bible study classes, a children's ministry and a family life center.
Ten on Sunday Morning on Avenue M
Sunday worship is the center of the church's week. The congregation gathers at 10 a.m. for a worship experience described as full of energy and designed to help people encounter God. Music moves between gospel and contemporary Christian styles, and the messages are relevant, rooted in Scripture and paired with insight and practical application.
The welcome for first-time visitors is deliberately relaxed. At Rising Star you will find everything from trendy to traditional, from casual wear to business suits, and the church encourages people to wear whatever makes them comfortable. The church cares about the person experiencing God, not what they wear.
Those who cannot be in the room can worship online through the church's YouTube channel, and giving is also available online.
Your First Sunday
Sunday begins earlier than worship. A Transformation class for Bible study and community is offered at 9 a.m., with the worship service gathering at 10 a.m. The church is located at 4216 Avenue M, Fort Worth, TX 76105, and first-visit details are available online. Office hours are Monday by appointment and Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the office closed Friday and Saturday. The church can be reached at (817) 536-5461 or by email at Info@risingstarbc.org.
Rising Star Kids for Kindergarten Through Sixth Grade
Every Sunday, Rising Star Kids welcomes children in kindergarten through sixth grade. An usher can direct families to the kids area, where children have a fun experience with the chance to connect and learn about God.
Transformation Classes on Sunday and Wednesday
Rising Star says discipleship happens best in the context of community, noting that people do not grow in a row but in Godly circles. The Transformation classes are where that happens each week, offering a time of community and a deeper dive into the Scriptures. Sunday morning classes meet at 9 a.m., and Wednesday classes meet at 7 p.m. On Wednesdays, classes are offered both in person and in a hybrid format that includes Zoom.
There is room in these classes to get biblical questions answered, learn more about the walk with God and connect with people.
From the Greasy Spoon to Miller Street
Rising Star was organized on September 13, 1931, when Reverend Smith Cary and a small number of members gathered to organize the church. Under his leadership the congregation acquired a building known as "The Greasy Spoon" at 711 Irma Street. In 1949, a growing congregation moved to a second site at 1333 Evans Avenue, and under Pastor Cary the membership grew to approximately 3,000.
Reverend Smith Cary died on January 6, 1969. On April 23, 1969, Reverend T.H. Davis accepted the challenge of pastoring Rising Star. As the congregation continued to grow, the members purchased the facilities at 4216 Avenue M at Miller Street in July 1972. They held final services at 1333 Evans Avenue on October 15, 1972, and the first services in the present location followed on October 22, 1972.
On June 24, 1990, the membership granted Reverend Davis's request to retire because of illness, and on the same day the Assistant to the Pastor, Reverend Ralph W. Emerson Jr., was accepted as pastor. From July to November of that year, more than 30 members joined the church and approximately 15 were baptized.
Under Pastor Emerson, Rising Star added a family life center, with the groundbreaking for that expansion project on June 8, 2003, and a ribbon cutting for the new additions on May 15, 2005. In July 2023, Ralph W. Emerson retired after 33 years of service and passed the baton to his son, Ralph S. Emerson, on August 20, 2023.
A Family Life Center for the Whole Family
One of the most tangible additions to the church's story came under Pastor Ralph W. Emerson's leadership. The family life center created room for fitness, play, gathering and worship, and these spaces were added to the church:
- A weight room and aerobics area
- A game room and gym
- A jogging track
- A performance stage
- A family lounge and chapel
From Darkness to Light
The church's vision is direct: "We exist to see people move from darkness to the light by the transforming power and love of Jesus Christ." That aim is expressed through four parts of the mission:
- Salvation by God's grace - Know God
- Transformation by God's love - Experience Freedom
- Application of God's principles - Discover Purpose
- Relationships in Godly community - Make a Difference
A culture code gives those ideas a lived shape. Invitation and worship come first: the church says it will do anything short of sin to see people come to Christ, into connection and into community, and that worship is a lifestyle rather than a moment in service. Pace matters too. The church keeps pace but walks slow, refusing to outrun God and miss the moment, and it calls the Sabbath a gift. Family is named the first ministry, because all God ever wanted was a family. Serving follows from that conviction: everyone is uniquely made in the image of God and can use their gifts for the kingdom, so saved people serve people. Fun has its place as well, because the Bible is full not only of solemn assemblies but of passionate celebrations. Generosity and excellence, prayer and honor complete the code. Giving the best of what one has is treated as an attitude rather than a skill, and the church's leadership standard calls for prayer in which things happen and for honoring people in every direction.
Come, Connect, Contribute
Rising Star describes the life of the church in three movements. Come, because coming to church is a pleasure and Sunday is the most important day in the life of the church. Connect, because discipleship grows in community. Contribute, because generosity is a privilege and serving is a pleasure. The church serves both in the house and outside the house, and it sums up its posture plainly: saved people serve people. They are not a come and see people, they go and tell.
Leadership That Serves
Senior Pastor Ralph S. Emerson is a pastor, speaker and author who graduated from Florida A and M University with a BS in Business Administration and studies theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. His pastoral path has included service as youth and young adult pastor and as Executive Pastor of Next Generation Ministries, five years as Executive Pastor of CityGate Church in Burlington, North Carolina, and almost two years as Senior Pastor of Impact City Church in Odessa, Texas.
First Lady Chanesia Emerson serves alongside her husband in worship and support. A Texas Wesleyan University graduate with a degree in Business Administration, she is passionate about worship and about uplifting young women to pursue purpose. The couple has been married since August 2009, and their heart is to see people's faith move from heart to hands so that people can boldly and enthusiastically fulfill the kingdom purpose God has placed inside them and affect the world.
Kory Guy serves as Worship Pastor, and Ralph W. Emerson Jr. continues as Pastor Emeritus. The leadership team describes its habits with phrases that make service concrete: they go first, they are stewards rather than tenants, they are consistent rather than chameleons, and they keep vision over sight. Their F.A.I.T.H. standard stands for Faithful, Available, Influential, Teachable and Honest. They also commit to giving away their tithe, talent, time, treasure, temple, testimony and terrain.