RBC's history, present and future goals.

The History of Reidsville Baptist Church...

    Beyond Their Power... II Corinthians 8:3
            The story of Reidsville Baptist Church
               By Dean Lundy

Every great work of God starts with a man, dedicated and sold out to follow God, wherever the Lord may lead him. Such is the case of the ministry of Reidsville Baptist Church. In the spring of 1987, Jerry Carter knelt in a prayer room off to the side of the auditorium of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana during a “Pastor’s School”, led by Dr. Jack Hyles. He had been so burdened by this preacher that he begged God to use him. At that time, Dr. Carter was the Assistant Pastor of Tower Drive Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. God began to burden Dr. Carter’s heart to start a church in his hometown of Reidsville, NC. Little did anyone realize the impact this “one man prayer meeting” would have on Reidsville and North Carolina and America.

In February 1988, with God’s call to start a church burning in his heart, Dr. Carter resigned as Assistant Pastor. He secured a secular job in a sheet metal shop to support his family and started on the trail of soulwinning. After several months of soulwinning and hard work, the first service of Reidsville Baptist Church was scheduled for the second Sunday in May of 1988. The critics cried the same old cries. “There are too many churches in Reidsville already” and “He won’t last long” and “You can’t build a church in Reidsville anymore”. But, when God calls a man to a specific work, He equips that man with what he needs to do God’s work. The Apostle Paul said, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” (I Tim. 1:12) Pastor Carter’s God given ability led him to a building on Burton Street in Reidsville. “The old mill hill”, as it was called by many, was the place of the humble beginning of Reidsville Baptist Church. Most preachers would never start a church in this section of town, with its “less than desirable” neighborhood, but God raised up a Pastor and a group of believers to show the world what can be done beyond their power. That first service had 35 people present. From that day on, “growing” was the pattern of the church. The church grew with miraculous growth. Many were getting saved and they were bringing others to church and they were getting saved, and on and on. Reaching out to a neighborhood and people who needed God to change their life, God blessed the work with the starting of ministries that had one goal, and that goal was to reach people for Christ. The principle of using every resource available to spread the gospel was what characterized this early ministry and set the standard for the many opportunities to come. The rest home ministry, the Dial-A-Devotion ministry with the plan of salvation, the bus ministry, Sunday School, Junior Church and the Youth ministry are just a few of the avenues that allowed God to use this man of God and show this congregation that it was beyond their power. God supplied needs over and over again on Burton Street as Pastor Carter and the church kept reaching out to a lost city. There are many examples that could be told, but one of the best examples of God’s provision was when the bank note of five thousand dollars came due, and barely enough money to pay the light bill was on hand. However, in God’s own time, through prayer, a five thousand dollar check miraculously came in.

Two blue and yellow buses were the first two vehicles that started the bus ministry at Reidsville Baptist Church. As the church continued to grow, more space was needed. A Junior Church was started for the rapidly growing bus ministry. First, in a 10’ by 15’ room off to the side of the auditorium, then to a bus, then to a small building placed behind the auditorium. Young converts were in need of training, so a Bible Institute was started on Monday and Tuesday evenings. With the church full to capacity, a house next door to the church was purchased for Sunday School rooms and Bible Institute facilities. The back yard of the house was turned into a parking lot.
The diligence, dedication and prayers of Pastor Carter, his family and the church continued. And so, the church continued to experience the blessings of God beyond their power. The first two years on Burton Street were “birthing” years, but little did Pastor Carter and his members know, all the blessings that God had in store for this ministry in Reidsville. Another church building was for sale a short distance away on Forest Street. Pastor Carter looked at this building and began to pray for guidance. While they were praying, someone else purchased the building. With no other buildings available in the area, Pastor Carter got alone with God and started begging God for the building on Forest Street. “Lord, you know that other church will not use the building to reach people for Christ. We need that building for YOUR work that YOU started.” While he was praying, the phone rang. The realtor on the other end asked Pastor Carter if he was still interested in purchasing the building on Forest Street. “Yes, of course”, Dr. Carter said, and only then was God’s provision seen. The other group that purchased the building, paid the down payment, had two or three services in the building and then folded. God allowed the Reidsville Baptist Church folk to move into the Forest St. church simply by taking over the payments while someone else paid the down payment. Hallelujah!

They settled quickly into the Forest Street property and things kept growing and growing. Burton Street had tremendous growth, but the growth at Forest Street was phenomenal! The bus ministry kept growing and the church purchased several more buses in the next two years. The opening of Reidsville Baptist Daycare, the growth of the Bible Institute and many, many folks getting saved and joining the church, led to space and parking problems. So a building was purchased in the downtown area to house the bus kids Sunday School and Junior Church. After the buses dropped off riders at the main building, they would then shuttle the rest of the riders to the bus church. Parking problems were alleviated when the church bought and leveled an old adjoining house. Even though the church’s seating capacity was 220, Reidsville Baptist Church had a high day of 668 on "Beat The Devil” Sunday. Twenty three people walked the aisle for salvation that Sunday. This was one of many milestones in their journey. One Sunday evening, TEN families came to the front at the end of the service to join the church, all at the same time.

The many blessings that God bestowed on Reidsville Baptist Church were not without some costs. In the theatre of spiritual warfare that this dedicated band of believers was fighting, some of the most cruel and vicious attacks were waged against Pastor Carter, his family and those separated for the work. But tested faith is always the strongest faith. The plans that God had for Reidsville Baptist Church were not for “weak-in-the-faith” Christians. The growth of the ministry needs strong faith to uphold it. Battles came many times as the church grew, but God was always present to give strength through the battles. Answers and understandings of the battles often never came, but victory always came. The Man of God in Reidsville, NC and the members that loved and followed him as he followed Christ became victorious through means beyond their power. The buildings soon failed to hold the crowds coming in, and the crowds were being scattered across several buildings, so the church began to pray for larger facilities all under one roof. It would take something beyond their power.

Franklin Street Elementary School had been vacant for three years. With 35,000 square feet under one roof, this facility would well suit the many ministries of Reidsville Baptist Church. God miraculously preserved this facility for Reidsville Baptist Church by keeping others from buying it. The School board had shown the property to other organizations, including some rest homes and some local law enforcement agencies, but for reasons unknown, it was never sold. Pastor Carter and some members of the church gathered on the front steps of the closed school and prayed for guidance. The county school board was asking for $250,000 for the property. Pastor Carter made an offer of $125,000 for the facilities, and for reasons beyond the church’s understanding, the offer was accepted. The building design is one of the most convincing things of God’s provision. “Are you sure this building wasn’t built for a church?” or “I cannot believe this place was not originally built to house this ministry” are quotes that we regularly hear from visitors. “This Franklin Street facility “fits” this ministry”, many have said.

On Franklin Street, all the ministries are under one roof with room to grow on five acres near the middle of the downtown area. With larger facilities, the daycare was able to grow. Carolina Baptist Academy (Kindergarten thru 12th grade) was started in the fall of 1994. Two years later, the Bible Institute was moved to the daytime and became Carolina Baptist College. The bus ministry now has a covered walkway to drop off kids. A bus garage where mechanics keep the buses in good running condition was completed in 1998. The church now has its own permanent baptistry, so depending on other churches for the use of their baptistry or using a portable baptistry is no longer required. Literally thousands of people have been baptized in obedience to Christ’s command after they have trusted Christ for salvation.

In 1995, Pastor Carter’s burden for the rapidly growing Spanish speaking population, led him to hire a Spanish pastor. The Spanish Ministry prospered until literally hundreds were saved and baptized. The Spanish church eventually became self supporting, so Pastor Carter and the Spanish Pastor worked together to separate the Spanish Ministry from dependency on Reidsville Baptist Church. In May of 2002, the Spanish department became an independent, Spanish speaking, Baptist Church.
The overall provision of these new facilities and the continual provision by the hand of God as things continue to grow is evidence that Reidsville Baptist Church operates “beyond their power”. Knowing that, in the ministry, battles come, steadfastness is heralded from the Reidsville Baptist Church pulpit. So much that, when you ask the church members what is the most memorable message Preacher Carter ever preached, nine times out of ten they will say, “The one where he nailed his shoes to the floor”. The Bible teaches that the faithful man shall abound with blessings. The existence of Reidsville Baptist Church is evidence of faithfulness.

Reidsville Baptist Church is a place for every stage of life. The infant nursery for services, and through the week, the infant’s daycare (Reidsville Baptist Daycare), starts the youngest ones off in the right atmosphere and care. Through those early stages of life, in the forming years (one to four year olds), the structured daycare will assist the parents to teach and train their children. The Junior Churches, for children up to eleven years old, guide them in making decisions for Christ. The church’s Sunday School is divided up for all ages. When a child needs the right kind of education, not tainted by worldliness and godlessness, there is Carolina Baptist Academy, from kindergarten (K4) through the twelfth grade. As students leave high school, Carolina Baptist College is there to train them for a life of dedication and faith in God. Because the church (and college) are in a residential area with large houses close by, it is possible for Carolina Baptist College to have sufficient dormitory space for the “out of town” students attending Carolina Baptist College. Two houses are used for dormitory space, one house for the men and one for the ladies. Each dormitory has its own kitchen and laundry facilities, with all the appliances furnished. Reidsville Baptist Church is a family, so our dormitories are patterned after homes, to help “out-of-town” students settle in as family members.
Adult Couples Sunday School classes provide opportunities for the young adult and middle age to learn to serve God with their lives in many different ministries. Older adults can become involved in the “Golden Years Club”, as they learn to center their lives around God’s will in their senior years. From birth to death, God has made this ministry an avenue for all ages.

With high days in excess of two thousand on the church property, the “old mill hill” church still preached the same gospel out of the 1611 King James Bible, as it reaches out farther and farther. In the eyes of natural man, it may have been equivalent to “five barley loaves and two fishes”, but in the hand of God thousands of people are now filled. Dr. Lee Roberson, former pastor of Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee made this statement; “For a special reason, God has accelerated the ministry of Dr. Jerry Carter.” For such a time as this, this membership of believers continually advances the kingdom of God, through a means “beyond their power”. Words of amazement come from every visitor that visits Reidsville Baptist Church in the small Carolina town of Reidsville, North Carolina. Those that live and work here, see the hand of God work day by day in this ministry. One must say with the songwriter, “To God be the glory, great things he hath done.”

The Reidsville Baptist Church of today.

The Future of Reidsville Baptist Church...