What to Expect

You will be welcome!

Sunday Morning

Sunday School 9:15-10:05

Our church family gathers for Sunday School and Bible Study in various classes for all ages. These classes consist of smaller groups spread throughout our buildings. We read and study God’s Word—learning its meaning and how to apply it to the choices of life. 

Worship Service 10:30-12:20

Following Sunday school, we move from our classes into our church auditorium. In the few moments leading up to the service, the atmosphere is reverent and thoughtful. Our musicians usually play an instrumental number or two to help prepare us to offer ourselves in worship and service to God. Our purpose is to give glory to God for who He is and what He’s done, in keeping with the direction of 1 Corinthians 10:31, Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. In our services, each element is designed to this end.   

Music

During the service, our congregational hymns usually follow a Bible theme. When we sing, we have the privilege of singing before God, and we sing to encourage each other in the truths we believe. All of the elements of our service are intended to focus our attention on meeting with God through His Word. Music makes use of two elements for giving God glory—texts and tunes. Our musical texts focus on God’s amazing perfections and testify to what He’s graciously done for us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. To complement the uniqueness of these truths, the tunes to which we sing them are carefully composed to sound distinctively different from popular secular music.

Scripture Reading

Since the Bible is God’s speech in print, we’re actually listening to Him when we read the Bible together. We give attention to the public reading of Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13), listening attentively for Him to speak individually to us.

Prayer

God urges that our worship include entreaties, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings (1 Timothy 2:1).  Our services give a significant place to these elements of prayer. As we pray together, we encourage our people to speak to God directly, voicing our requests, acknowledging our need to hear from Him through His Word, and purposing to obey whatever we learn from Him.

Giving

Giving financially to the Lord is a delightful act of worship by which Christians express to God their recognition that all they have materially has come from Him. 

Preaching and Teaching

The sermon usually occupies at least half of our service time. Most of our sermons are based on verse-by-verse preaching through a particular book in the Bible. 

The most important part of preaching is its explanation of what God’s words mean. Their meaning is the message directly from Him that we come to hear. It takes time to read carefully, accurately explain, helpfully illustrate, and practically apply God’s message. Listening to preaching requires sustained concentration on the Bible to discover the meaning of a passage and discern what we are supposed to do with it.

We desire to receive the preached message not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Sunday Evening

5:30-7:20

Our church family gathers together in the evening for more singing and Bible study. Most of the sermons are expositional and are focused on a systematic study of the Word of God.  

Wednesday Evening

7:15-8:45

After beginning with a hymn and prayer, we engage in Bible study for about 35-40 minutes. Following the study, we take the remaining time to pray for each other’s requests and for the needs of our missionaries. Our Wednesday services also provide a regular opportunity for us to hear from one of our missionary families.