GBFC - Leadership

There are two offices in Christ's church that men may hold: elder (overseer, pastor) and deacon (servant). For a full treatise on these offices, we would recommend Alexander Strauch's excellent books, Biblical Eldership and The New Testament Deacon.

For a detailed view of what GBFC believes about elders and deacons, please click the Doctrinal Positions button at the left. To summarize, though, GBFC is neither a congregational-rule church, nor a one-man-rule church. The biblical pattern is for a local church to be led by group of elders. Each man will have different giftings and different callings. Some may earn their living from the gospel, while others may hold secular employment. Each one, though, is to serve faithfully as an under-shepherd of the flock, accountable to the Chief Shepherd.

Currently, GBFC has two elders, Lyndon Shook (L) and Dave Dunbar (R):

Please continue reading below for a brief message from each.

A message from Lyndon:

Welcome to the GBFC website! Our aim as a church is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do. The only way this is possible is if we as a church and as individuals within our church are willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in the reality of His presence. As fallen humans we desperately need Him to accomplish His good pleasures within us and direct us in all things.

If you are interested in walking with Christ, then our commitment is to help you. We offer various ministries that instruct the believer in practical living of the Christian life within our culture. Within these ministries there is the added emphasis of a personal relationship with God.

We believe in the importance of families. Children are a gift from the Lord. We encourage families to worship together in our services. We also treat our youth as young men and women who are capable of learning the great truths from the Word of God.

If you have any questions about GBFC feel free to contact Dave or me and we would be delighted for you to visit with us during our services!

Standing for Christ,

Lyndon

A message from Dave:

Greetings in Christ! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and see our web site. If you are in the Collin County area, I hope you decide to visit GBFC some Sunday morning.

We live in the "me" generation. People in our culture go to great lengths to improve their status in life. Self-esteem and "my needs" have become the center of our focus, and the ideas of self-sacrifice and esteeming others as more important than ourselves are thought of as laughable, if they are thought of at all.

These types of unbiblical ideas have crept into churches as well. Instead of a worship service that is focused on the greatness and majesty of God, many churches focus on how to please man. Instead of honoring and trembling at the Word of God, man-centered entertainment takes precedence. Rather than the systematic preaching of the Word, emotion-laden stories are told to inspire the masses.

Self-centeredness has infiltrated families as well. Men and women resist their God-ordained roles, and children are thought of as nuisances instead of as blessings from the Most High. Having rebellious children is considered normal and unavoidable. Here at GBFC, we believe that children, and yes, even teenagers, can and should be taught the Word of God, should be pointed toward Christ, can learn to obey their parents in the Lord, and can live lives of purity that are pleasing to the Lord. They can indeed walk in holiness and serve Christ effectively, even in their younger years.

It is our desire at GBFC to be God-centered, Christ-centered, Word-centered. We strive to have both sound doctrine and holy living. We want to reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We earnestly desire to have families that are pleasing to the Lord. Too often we fail -- we sin. Thanks be to God, though, for forgiveness is found in Christ. By confession and repentance, we can be made right with Christ, and put on the path to living in a manner that honors the Lord.

Do you seek such a journey with God? Or do you wonder about your own salvation? Please don't hesitate to visit, or drop one of us an email. May the Lord bless you.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Dave Dunbar