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Covenant Reformed Baptist Church is a Baptist Church in Providence, North Carolina, in the Danville, Virginia area. It professes three distinctives: being "Reformed", "Inter-racial" and "Active".<ref>Covenant Reformed Baptist Church pamphlet </ref>

Covenant Reformed [[Baptist]] Church is a Baptist Church in Providence, [[North Carolina]], in the Danville, [[Virginia]] area. It professes three distinctives: being "Reformed", "Inter-racial" and "Active".<ref>Covenant Reformed Baptist Church pamphlet </ref>

==Origins==

==Origins==

The church was begun in March, 2008, first as "Covenant Fellowship", meeting in the Caswell County Parks and Recreation Gym, as an experiment seeking if their area needed a new church "committed to being Reformed, Inter-racial, and active." After a three month exploratory stage, the initial congregants decided to go forward, naming themselves Covenant Reformed Baptist Church (CRBC), seeking a founding membership willing to be committed to the church's covenant and statement of faith, being inter-racial and active in out-reach. That "formation stage" of the church ended in November 2008 when it members ratified a church constitution and called as pastor Dr. John Carpenter and as a lay-elder Joe Scruggs.<ref>"New Church Forms and Expands," ''The Caswell Messenger'', November 12, 2008, p. 11.</ref> In early 2009 the new church purchased the gymnasium originally built for the Piedmont Academy, a now defunct segregated school in Providence, North Carolina, which has since served as it's main facility.<ref>"Covenant opens new building in Providence," ''The Caswell Messenger'', March 2009.</ref>

The church was begun in March, 2008, first as "Covenant Fellowship", meeting in the Caswell County Parks and Recreation Gym, as an experiment seeking if their area needed a new church "committed to being Reformed, Inter-racial, and active." After a three month exploratory stage, the initial congregants decided to go forward, naming themselves Covenant Reformed Baptist Church (CRBC), seeking a founding membership willing to be committed to the church's covenant and statement of faith, being inter-racial and active in out-reach. That "formation stage" of the church ended in November 2008 when it members ratified a church constitution and called as pastor Dr. John Carpenter and as a lay-elder Joe Scruggs.<ref>"New Church Forms and Expands," ''The Caswell Messenger'', November 12, 2008, p. 11.</ref> In early 2009 the new [[church]] purchased the gymnasium originally built for the Piedmont Academy, a now defunct segregated school in Providence, North Carolina, which has since served as it's main facility.<ref>"Covenant opens new building in Providence," ''The Caswell Messenger'', March 2009.</ref>

==Reformed==

==Reformed==

==Inter-racial==

==Inter-racial==

From it's origins the church has sought to be "inter-racial". John Carpenter said, "We're not playing church, not cultural Christianity for just one kind of people but a loving flock for all of God's people."<ref>"Another Milestone for new church," ''The Caswell Messenger'', September 2008.</ref> In February 2009, the church took a group of youth from it's area to see the Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>''The Caswell Messenger'', March 2009.</ref> The church, led by Mary Yeo of Singapore, has reached out to and included the area Chinese community. Besides welcoming Chinese into membership, Yeo brought back a small library of Chinese language Christian books. John Carpenter said, From our beginnings in 2008, we've sought to be a truly inter-racial church, with black, white and now Chinese. We don't believe in segregated churches. . . . Here there has been a shameful racial segregation. We're working, with Jesus' love, to bridge those gaps and let Jesus build one church out of many believing people."<ref>"Covenant reaches out to Chinese community," ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 2011.</ref> Upon the death of an 13-year old African American boy, Demion Farmer, who attended the churches functions, Carpenter wrote, "We're also reminded of why we've been called to be a church for all kinds of people. Our building was originally built in the 1970's for a segregated school, to keep the races apart. But apparently King Jesus decided that He had a better use for that building: to welcome all kinds of children (and adults) in."<ref>Carpenter, John, "Loss of a Child," ''The Caswell Messenger''. February 22, 2012.</ref>

From it's origins the church has sought to be "inter-racial". John Carpenter said, "We're not playing church, not cultural Christianity for just one kind of people but a loving flock for all of God's people."<ref>"Another Milestone for new church," ''The Caswell Messenger'', September 2008.</ref> In February 2009, the church took a group of youth from it's area to see the Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>''The Caswell Messenger'', March 2009.</ref> The church, led by Mary Yeo of Singapore, has reached out to and included the area [[China|Chinese]] community. Besides welcoming Chinese into membership, Yeo brought back a small library of Chinese language [[Christianity|Christian]] books. John Carpenter said, From our beginnings in 2008, we've sought to be a truly inter-racial church, with black, white and now Chinese. We don't believe in segregated churches. . . . Here there has been a shameful racial segregation. We're working, with Jesus' love, to bridge those gaps and let Jesus build one church out of many believing people."<ref>"Covenant reaches out to Chinese community," ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 2011.</ref> Upon the [[death]] of an 13-year old [[African American]] boy, Demion Farmer, who attended the churches functions, Carpenter wrote, "We're also reminded of why we've been called to be a church for all kinds of people. Our building was originally built in the 1970's for a segregated school, to keep the races apart. But apparently King Jesus decided that He had a better use for that building: to welcome all kinds of children (and adults) in."<ref>Carpenter, John, "Loss of a Child," ''The Caswell Messenger''. February 22, 2012.</ref>

==Active==

==Active==

The church professes a commitment to evangelism and says that because of that commitment it purchased a gymnasium.<ref>"Church refurbishes Providence Gym, since purchase in 2009," ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 13, 2011, p. A9.</ref> The church runs two programs geared toward outsiders: Gym, Jr and Gym. Gym, Jr is for children ages six to twelve, led by Justin Scruggs, a certified Physical Education teacher. GYM is an acronym for "Godward Youth Ministry". The youth ministry, for those 13 and over, allows local youth to use the gym and the church provides snack and Biblical instruction.<ref>"Gym Jr celebrates Christmas for local children," ''The Caswell Messenger'', January 2, 2013, p. 9.</ref>

The church professes a commitment to evangelism and says that because of that commitment it purchased a gymnasium.<ref>"Church refurbishes Providence Gym, since purchase in 2009," ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 13, 2011, p. A9.</ref> The church runs two programs geared toward outsiders: Gym, Jr and Gym. Gym, Jr is for children ages six to twelve, led by Justin Scruggs, a certified Physical Education teacher. GYM is an acronym for "Godward Youth Ministry". The youth ministry, for those 13 and over, allows local youth to use the gym and the church provides snack and [[Bible|Biblical]] instruction.<ref>"Gym Jr celebrates Christmas for local children," ''The Caswell Messenger'', January 2, 2013, p. 9.</ref>

==Founding Pastor==

==Founding Pastor==

John Carpenter earned a Ph.D. in church history studying Puritanism (Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago). He also has a B.A. from Samford University; an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary; and a Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.<ref>"Church refurbishes Providence Gym, since purpose in 2009", ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 2011. Covenant Reformed Baptist Church pamphlet.</ref> Some of his sermons are available through youtube and at the church's web-site.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEWT0r86ch_R0bMwt1p4V2ZnheUiMBtCS. www.covenantcaswell.org.</ref> He is the author of "The Fourth Great Awakening Or Apostasy:  Is American Evangelicalism Cycling Upwards Or Spiraling Downwards?" and various other articles.<ref>''Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society'', 44/4 (December 2001) 647–70. http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/44/44-4/44-4-PP647-70_JETS.pdf</ref>

John Carpenter earned a Ph.D. in church history studying [[Puritan|Puritanism]] ([[Lutheran]] School of Theology at Chicago). He also has a B.A. from Samford University; an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary; and a Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.<ref>"Church refurbishes Providence Gym, since purpose in 2009", ''The Caswell Messenger'', July 2011. Covenant Reformed Baptist Church pamphlet.</ref> Some of his sermons are available through youtube and at the church's web-site.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEWT0r86ch_R0bMwt1p4V2ZnheUiMBtCS. www.covenantcaswell.org.</ref> He is the author of "The Fourth Great Awakening Or Apostasy:  Is American Evangelicalism Cycling Upwards Or Spiraling Downwards?" and various other articles.<ref>''Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society'', 44/4 (December 2001) 647–70. http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/44/44-4/44-4-PP647-70_JETS.pdf</ref>

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