A Calmont Avenue Congregation in Fort Worth

Ridglea Baptist Church meets at 6037 Calmont Avenue on the west side of Fort Worth, in the long-established Ridglea neighborhood. The church's motto, "Holding forth the Word of Life," signals the steady focus on Scripture and the gospel that runs through everything from Sunday morning worship to Wednesday night Bible drills for children.

The congregation is led by Senior Pastor Scott Cox, who has served Ridglea Baptist for over two decades. He is joined by a full ministry staff that includes Charlie Dyer (Education and Administration), John Moehring (Music), Wesley Poston (Youth), Sara Schiflett (Children), Jason Smith (Outreach), and James Ndungu (African Missions and Discipleship).

A Sunday Built Around Bible Fellowship and Worship

A typical Sunday unfolds in two parts. At 9:30 AM, Bible Fellowship classes meet across the East and West Buildings for an hour of Bible study, conversation, and connection. These classes are open to anyone, and first-time guests are warmly welcomed regardless of background or prior Bible knowledge. At 11:00 AM the whole church gathers for worship in the sanctuary, with the service recorded and streamed live so members at home can follow along. A smaller evening worship service follows at 5:00 PM in the West Building.

The morning service centers on expository preaching by Pastor Scott and a balanced blend of music led by the choir and praise team. The church describes its approach as worshiping "as one church" through a varied selection that includes "complex and simple, ancient and modern, familiar and new."

Bible Fellowship Classes for Every Stage

Seven Bible Fellowship classes meet during the 9:30 Sunday school hour, each tailored to a particular life stage and style of study. Most use Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum, walking through Scripture passage by passage with room for discussion and application.

• Narrowgate - A passage-by-passage expository class with a strong application focus, taught by Jason Smith. Open life stage. Room 205, West Building.
• Koinonia - Singles and married couples, roughly 25 to 50, who want to study God's will for their lives. Taught by Dennis Griffiths. Room 100, East Building.
• Seekers - Couples in their 50s and 60s studying Scripture and prayer together. Led by Larry Mullens. Room 208, West Building.
• Mixed Nuts - Topical, discussion-oriented format, open to anyone who enjoys a smaller-group setting. Led by Bob Augustine. Room 102, East Building, next to the library.
• Truth Finders - A blend of interactive discussion and lecture, oriented toward men's growth in God's Word. Led by Steve Bell. Room 205, West Building.
• Joy Class (Women) - A women's class with strong prayer and visitation ministries. Led by Lee Watson. Women 70+, Room 102D, East Building.
• Additional classes for students and children round out the Sunday morning hour.

Children in the Worship Hour

Children from kindergarten through 5th grade begin the morning in the education building for Bible study using the Gospel Project curriculum, then join their parents in the sanctuary for the music portion of worship. After the singing they are dismissed to an age-appropriate Bible lesson with crafts and games in the education building. Children are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary with their family if that is preferred.

Wednesday Nights: Discipleship and Growth

Wednesday evenings are built around discipleship for the whole church.

At 6:30 PM the children's ministry launches DiscipleKid - a structured program organized by age. Children from age 3 through kindergarten hear Bible stories and make crafts in an interactive setting. Children in 1st through 6th grade move through "Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills," a curriculum that emphasizes Scripture memory, the Books of the Bible, and learning to navigate the Bible on their own. Memorization is a deliberate focus of the Wednesday night program.

At the same time, middle and high school students gather for Youth Worship at 6:30 PM under the direction of Minister of Youth Wesley Poston. Adults split between Growth Groups (some start at 6:30 PM, others at 7:00 PM) and a Prayer Meeting at 6:30 PM. The Sanctuary Choir rehearses in the sanctuary at 6:30 PM, preparing for the next Sunday morning of worship.

Children's Ministry from Birth Through 6th Grade

Minister of Children Sara Schiflett oversees a children's ministry designed to walk with families from the nursery years through upper elementary. Babies and toddlers through age three use a Lifeway curriculum that emphasizes God as Creator and loving Father. Children ages four through 6th grade learn through the Gospel Project, a three-year chronological curriculum that points each lesson back to Jesus and His role as Savior and Lord.

During the 11:00 AM service, after the music portion, children in kindergarten through 5th grade are dismissed to a children's worship hour with a Bible lesson, crafts, and games, while babies and toddlers continue in nursery care. The children's area centers on a check-in desk on the first floor of the education (west) building, with the older children's classroom on the second floor (Room 200). Volunteers staff each room, and check-in is required for all ages.

Youth Ministry and a Studio for Tough Questions

Wesley Poston has served as Minister of Youth at Ridglea Baptist since 2003. A graduate of Texas A&M with a journalism degree, Wesley later earned a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and spent two years with the International Mission Board in East Asia before returning to Texas ministry. He and his wife Shari have two children.

The youth ministry meets for Youth Worship on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM, with the Sunday school hour at 9:30 AM also reserved for youth classes. The program has produced a podcast series in which students and Wesley sit down to discuss the questions teens bring to faith: identity, doubt, Scripture, suffering, the claims of other religions, and what the Bible says about hard topics. Sessions are released with the regular rhythm of the ministry and feature students doing much of the talking.

A Music Ministry Built Around the Word

"Music in the church exists not for its own sake or for the sake of art, but for the sake of worship & ministry," the music ministry states, and the program is structured around that conviction. Psalm 95:1-3 frames the work: "Come let us sing for joy to the Lord."

Minister of Music John Moehring, a Ridglea member since 1986 and a deacon in the church, accepted the call to lead the music ministry in fall 2023. John has served across many capacities at Ridglea over the years, including as a Bible Fellowship teacher, Bible Fellowship Director, and deacon. He says he strives to "offer music that will prepare the hearts and minds of our church to worship, to hear and internalize the Word of God through the Pastor's sermon each week."

Three ensembles carry the musical life of the congregation:

• RBC Sanctuary Choir leads Sunday morning worship and presents two to three special worship services throughout the year. Wednesday rehearsals at 6:30 PM in the sanctuary are open to any prospective member.
• RBC Praise Team brings vocalists and instrumentalists into the Sunday morning rotation, also serving as the worship band for many church events. Rehearsals take place Sundays at 9:00 AM.
• Audio/Video Tech Teams facilitate the audio and video needs of services and events on a weekly rotation. Both audio and video tracks are open for training.

A children's choir rounds out the music ministry, and newcomers interested in singing are invited to connect with the Minister of Music.

Prayer Across the Week

Prayer is woven into the rhythm of the church. A long-standing in-person prayer meeting gathers on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM. On Thursdays the church meets for prayer at 7:30 PM via Zoom, opening the prayer time to anyone who wants to join from anywhere. The Thursday prayer hour focuses on the church, the local community, and the nation, with the conviction that God can use Ridglea to make a difference in the world. The Zoom meeting ID is 691 095 1289, with the passcode RBCPrayer.

Each Bible Fellowship class also incorporates its own prayer life and - in some cases - visitation ministry, so prayer remains a regular part of the Sunday school hour as well.

Outreach at Home and a Global Partnership with Africa

Outreach is one of the stated core identities of Ridglea Baptist Church. "We are called to make disciples of the nations," the outreach ministry states, "and because of that, outreach is an important part of who we are." Minister of Outreach Jason Smith coordinates the church's local mission efforts and welcomes involvement throughout the year.

Jason moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area after 28 years in East Tennessee, where he spent almost 20 years serving as Director of Talent for a Chick-fil-A location. He now works remotely for the University of Tennessee while pursuing a Master of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. His faith journey includes decades of evangelism, gospel-tract design, teaching, and lay leadership. Jason and his wife Brandy live in the Benbrook community, just southwest of the church.

Beyond Fort Worth, the church maintains a meaningful partnership in Africa through James Ndungu, Minister to African Missions and Discipleship. James, together with his wife Mary (who holds a PhD), has served the Lord for more than 35 years, pastoring churches in three African cities, training and mentoring African pastors, and equipping global mission leaders. They continue to equip African pastors virtually from the United States and lead annual mission trips to Africa. Their hope is to see communities transformed by raising up Christ-centered spiritual multipliers.

What Ridglea Baptist Believes

Ridglea Baptist's statement of faith centers on the Trinity, the authority of Scripture, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the work of the church.

• God. One infinite, eternal God who is perfect in all His attributes - one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the Creator of all that exists.
• Humanity. Human beings, created in God's image, are now fallen and abide under the wrath of God because of rebellion in nature and action.
• Revelation. God reveals Himself in many ways, chiefly through His Son Jesus Christ, and the record of that revelation is the Bible - "God's Holy infallible Word."
• The Gospel. The good news is that God demonstrated His love by providing atonement for sin through the shed blood of Jesus, who died in the place of sinners and rose again on the third day. He now reigns as King of Kings and intercedes for believers as High Priest. Those who repent and by faith believe the gospel receive eternal life as a gift of grace.
• The Church. The true church is made up of all believers indwelt by the Spirit through faith in Christ. This union is made public through believer's baptism. The church exists for worship of Christ, loving service to one another, and making disciples of all nations. The rule of church life, family life, and personal life is laid out in the unchanging Word of God.
• The Consummation. The church looks for the bodily return of Christ for His church, the bodily return of Christ to reign on the earth, the glorious resurrection of believers, the resurrection for judgment of unbelievers, eternal life for the believer, eternal damnation for the unbeliever, the destruction of the present world, and the arrival of a new heaven and a new earth.

Reading the Bible Together

Each year the church organizes a Read-Thru-the-Bible program where members and friends can follow along either through the YouVersion Bible app or a printed reading plan. Two tracks are offered: a chronological Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs plan, and a daily devotional plan with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel. Participants join the same reading schedule at the same pace, and the printed plan can be downloaded for those who prefer paper.

What to Expect on a First Visit

Ridglea Baptist Church keeps a welcoming posture for guests. A guest registration card and a prayer request form are available online for anyone who would like the staff to know they visited or to be prayed for.

• Sunday morning. Arriving between 9:00 and 9:30 AM gives time to find a Bible Fellowship class - staff at the information desk on the main hallway of the education building can point families in the right direction. Worship begins at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary.
• Children. The first stop for families is the check-in desk in the center of the main hall of the education (west) building. Children from babies through 6th grade have a place; younger children meet on the first floor and older elementary students (grades 1 through 6) upstairs in Room 200.
• Wednesday night. Discipleship groups, youth worship, children's discipleship, choir rehearsal, and prayer meeting all start at 6:30 PM.
• Online. The 11:00 AM Sunday worship service is livestreamed. Bulletins, devotionals, the church newsletter "The Link," and giving are all available online.

Whether someone comes for the first time or has been part of the congregation for years, the weekly rhythm of Ridglea Baptist Church comes back to the same conviction the motto captures: holding forth the Word of life.