About Us

History of Community Bible Church of Gordonville: 

The Community Bible Church of Gordonville began when the Lord stirred the hearts of the neighborhood children at an after school Bible study in the home of a local resident. Through the zeal and excitement of these youngsters God prompted a group of parents and friends to begin an adult Bible study and prayer time in June of 1942. These meetings took place at the Gordonville Fire Hall and quickly expanded to include Sunday Worship services. In January of 1949 the worshipers were told that they could no longer hold their meetings in the fire hall and they moved into the home of Jonothan and Anna Weaver for ten months. This core group of believers clung to the desire that the Lord had put in their hearts to see a house of worship in their community. They had by now adopted the name Gordonville Community Church which would later be changed to the present name to clarify the Bible centered nature of this assembly's doctrine. The ground on which the church is built was donated for that purpose by Jacob C. Herr in the spring of 1949. The original church building was then erected by the small band of committed worshipers and some friends. The first official worship services were held on November 6th of 1949 with Henry J. Heydt the president of Lancaster School of the Bible speaking in the morning worship. John T. Smith was installed as the first pastor and peformed the first church's wedding in December of 1951 when he officiated the joining of Arlene Weaver to Earl Houck. 

The Primary School of Gordonville which set immediately adjacent to the church was aquired at a public sale a few years later and still serves as the CBCG fellowship hall. Two later building addition projects would combine the original structures into the current configuration. The church's third pastor Kurt Reeser ministered faithfully for thirty years before resigning due to failing health. Since that time a handful of men have ministered here with varying lengths of tenure, and at times the pulpit has been filled by supply preachers from the area.   There have been many mountains and valleys and an interesting cast of characters through the years but the Lord has always been faithful and He has sustained a small but commited remnant of believers here in Gordonville throughout CBCG's 68+ years of existense. CBCG is truly a "community" church and has been from its outset. Then and now a variety of people from different backgrounds: Mennonite, Baptist, Amish, Methodist, Bible and more have found common ground in Christ and on the fundamental truths of Bible Christianity. We are knit together in the love that only God can give, and we pray that we will continue to faithfully serve Him in this community until the return of His Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ.      

Our Philosophy of Ministry:

We believe in the fundamental doctrines of historic orthodox Christianity. For a full explanation of these beliefs, please see the Beliefs page.

We also believe that a local assembly is the God-ordained means of developing fully mature Christians for the work of the ministry. As such, it is primarily for believers. While our unbelieving friends and neighbors are certainly welcome among us, it is the Biblical pattern of going out to them that we both espouse and encourage.

God tells us in His word that the church is a living organism and the precious bride of His own beloved son.  As such, it is not to be lorded over by human leaders but rather humbly led by willing servants in obedience to Christ, who is the head over it.  We do not believe it is the human leadership's place to control or direct the lives of the people of the church, but to endeavor to equip the saints for works of service. Servant leadership is the model for all church leadership to follow. 

We delight in our relationship with Christ, which brings excitement and richness to our relationships with one another. We are not a "program" oriented church, but rather a "fellowship" oriented one and find the Holy Spirit can direct us to acts of service and other uses of His gifts in a very effective way. To learn more about the various Ministries and Fellowship opportunities we provide, click on the Ministries section of this website.

About Our Logo and Church Motto :

"God's light within us so others may see" is a short statement of a profound truth. In II Corinthians 4:6 we read "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." We believe the lighted window is an excellent symbolic representation of the church of Christ.  God's grace and love has shone through to us and now is to shine through us to a dark world.  Christ is the door, but we are a window to show others His light through the transparency of our changed lives.  The cross on the window represents the great dividing point between us and the darkness of the world outside.  The open Bible represents the living Word of God which is the source of the light within our hearts.  It guides and directs us as the Holy Spirit uses it to transform us into the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  May the light of God's Word continue to shine brightly through the Community Bible Church of Gordonville.