What to Expect When You Visit Us
A Friendly Welcome
When you visit us you will be greeted by friendly, kind and courteous Christians. Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31). This is the natural attitude of those who truly love God and mankind. We are sincerely interested in you and your spiritual well-being.
In addition to meeting with us in our assemblies, we offer other ways for you to learn more about our great God and His plan. At your request we will gladly study the Bible with you in the privacy of your home. You may also enroll in a free Bible correspondence course. If you prefer, we can loan you a series of video lessons entitled How to Understand the Bible. They explain how the Bible applies to people living today. If you would like to learn more about God and the salvation He offers all people, please call us at (714) 536-7212.
We thank you for taking the time to read this tract and for allowing us to introduce ourselves. We hope to hear from you soon.
Simple Worship
God now seeks true worshipers. Jesus noted in John 4:23-24 that true worship is “in spirit” (with the right attitude) and “in truth” (i.e. follows God’s Word which is truth—John 17:17). So we do our best to offer Him what He wants in a “decent” and “orderly” manner (1 Corinthians 14:40).
We Sing
The entire assembly joins in singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Since Christians were told to sing, (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), we do not use mechanical instruments of music.
We Pray
A man will lead the assembly in prayer, thanking God and praying for the needs of ourselves and others (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
A church of Christ
The sign on our meeting house identifies us as a “church of Christ.” Since the apostle Paul wrote about “churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), we know this accurately describes what we should be. New Testament churches were simply groups of Christians committed to following the teachings of Jesus and His apostles. We strive to do the same.
We Want To Be Members Of The church Jesus Builds
Jesus told His disciples that He came to build His church (Matthew 16:18). The plans would come to the apostles directly from God (Matthew 16:19; John 14:26). But before Jesus could build His church, God’s plan required Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection (Matthew 16:21).
After Jesus’ victory over death, His apostles preached about His death, burial and resurrection (Acts 2). The message touched the hearts of many and they asked what to do (Acts 2:37). Peter said, “repent and be baptized...for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2:38). Over 3,000 heeded his command and the Lord added these to His church (Acts 2:47). Today all who follow this same pattern will become members of the church Jesus builds.
A church Under Christ
Christ “is head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Since Christ saved us from our sins, we naturally want to honor Him as our head. We know He has “all authority” and He wants His people “to observe all things” He commands (Mathew 28:18-20).
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We Commune With The Lord
Like the Christians following the apostles’ instructions (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), we partake of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday (Acts 20:7).
We Give
Giving is a way for Christians to express their love to the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Our purpose is to honor God, not raise money. We will not ask you for money.
Jesus can change your life for the better
Jesus came to show a sin-sick world the way back to God (John 14:6). With Jesus at the center of your life, you can enjoy all the blessings of the abundant life Jesus promises His followers (John 10:10). Christ’s directions for His church can only be found in the Bible.
We Study God’s Word
We preach God’s word (2 Timothy 4:2), in the spirit of the prophet’s words, “...come let us reason together…” (Isaiah 1:18). The Bible logically and practically defines the only way to live for God.
The Bible Is Our Guide
We believe every word in the Bible came from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 2:11-13). We recognize the value of the Old Testament (Romans 15:4), but God’s instructions to His church are in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:14-15). Since God speaks only truth (Hebrews 6:18), we believe His word is both complete (2 Peter 1:3) and infallible. We look no where else for divine instruction and we take seriously the warnings against altering a single word of His will (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19).
Our Plea For Unity
We plead for unity among all who obediently respond to the instructions of the New Testament. Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers (John 17:20-21). When people in the Corinthian church started following men, Paul condemned their division (1 Corinthians 1:10-12). Division has always been caused by a departure from God’s pattern. We believe division can be healed by a return to the Bible. Since Jesus prayed for unity, we want to do what we can to encourage unity among His people.