What does a church do?
As a church, our activities boil down to just three or four basic things.
- We worship God together.
- We pray and study the scriptures together.
- We work together to serve and share the good news of Jesus Christ with all kinds of people.
- We enjoy fellowship and care for one another.
Worship
We worship on Sundays as a way of remembering the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. His death on the cross -- the electric chair of ancient Rome -- reconciled us to God and whose resurrection destroyed the power of death and sin forever.
Our style of worship is pretty traditional (for baptists) and definitely focused on what God has done for us in Jesus. We pray together, sing together, read the Bible together, and celebrate the Lord's Supper -- always responding to God's Good News for us in Jesus Christ. We don't really do much with snappy slideshows and loud guitars. There are other churches that do that, but it's just not really our thing. Even so, we think the gospel is pretty exciting delivered straight up.
Our style of worship is pretty traditional (for baptists) and definitely focused on what God has done for us in Jesus. We pray together, sing together, read the Bible together, and celebrate the Lord's Supper -- always responding to God's Good News for us in Jesus Christ. We don't really do much with snappy slideshows and loud guitars. There are other churches that do that, but it's just not really our thing. Even so, we think the gospel is pretty exciting delivered straight up.
Prayer and Bible study
When we pray we make ourselves aware of the immediate presence of God. It is like taking time to drink from a well that is always with us -- a well full of water of life in God's Spirit in Jesus Christ. We pray because we need God's help. We pray because we need to stay connected to God and to each other. We pray because we need to acknowledge that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have comes from him.
Similarly, we also have several groups that meet regularly to read, study and discuss the scriptures. The Holy Bible is the authoritative and final rule of our faith and life in Jesus. It is the message from God that points us to the True Word, Jesus Christ, and therefore is worth reading and learning.
Similarly, we also have several groups that meet regularly to read, study and discuss the scriptures. The Holy Bible is the authoritative and final rule of our faith and life in Jesus. It is the message from God that points us to the True Word, Jesus Christ, and therefore is worth reading and learning.
Serving Others
Jesus said that there are two commandments that sum up all of scriptures: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Clearly, loving God and loving others go together.
Jesus set the example, not just in his teaching, but when he willingly died on the cross to reconcile us to God and to establish a world of justice and peace. Because he humbled himself for us, how can we do any less for those around us?
So we seek opportunities to serve others in our neighborhood and in the larger community of Concord in small ways and big ways. Some of it is quiet and under the radar (such as helping people who are going through difficult personal experiences) and sometimes it is public (such as when we take offerings for the poor or do service projects as a church). Loving others is just part of loving and obeying our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus set the example, not just in his teaching, but when he willingly died on the cross to reconcile us to God and to establish a world of justice and peace. Because he humbled himself for us, how can we do any less for those around us?
So we seek opportunities to serve others in our neighborhood and in the larger community of Concord in small ways and big ways. Some of it is quiet and under the radar (such as helping people who are going through difficult personal experiences) and sometimes it is public (such as when we take offerings for the poor or do service projects as a church). Loving others is just part of loving and obeying our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fellowship and Community Life
The Holy Spirit of God moves in and through all of us who trust in Jesus. He is our comforter and our teacher, and He binds us together with a unique bond through faith. This is true regardless of race, color, class, income, language or gender.
So we love to do things together. Of course we worship, pray and study the Bible together, but we also eat together, play together, and often work together. It is in the middle of these mundane activities that Christ speaks to us more clearly. And it is in these times where we catch glimpses of life in the New Heaven and New Earth that awaits us in the resurrection.
So we love to do things together. Of course we worship, pray and study the Bible together, but we also eat together, play together, and often work together. It is in the middle of these mundane activities that Christ speaks to us more clearly. And it is in these times where we catch glimpses of life in the New Heaven and New Earth that awaits us in the resurrection.