QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT OUR ASSEMBLY:
WHO ARE THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST?
Churches of Christ date back to a time in America known as the “Great Awakening.” Early leaders emphasized a return to the simpler practices of Christianity as described in the New Testament. The idea was to emphasize Bible truths over the traditions of men as a means of having unity among all believers. One of the groups that emerged from this “Restoration Movement” were the Churches of Christ. Each congregation among Churches of Christ are autonomous (self-governing) and may vary some in practice and belief. Ultimately, our goal at Jackson Street church of Christ is to please God in our worship and our lives. We believe that God has told us how to do that in his Word (Jude 3, 2 Peter 1:3).
WHAT BELIEFS MAKE US DIFFERENT?
We believe that Jesus was God’s Son. We believe the Bible is God’s authoritative, inspired word. All of it. Everything we do or believe comes from our belief in God’s Word. We practice weekly communion (Acts 20:7). We worship with congregational singing (Ephesians 5:19). We baptize confessing believers by totally immersing them in water for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38). We believe that at baptism, God gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us as a down payment of his eternal promise to us (Romans 8:9-11). We encourage Bible study, prayer, and living an authentic life in the Spirit (Romans 8:12-15). We often fall short in our Christian walk but trust God’s grace is sufficient to save us (1 John 1:7).
WHO ATTENDS YOUR CHURCH?
Our congregation truly spans the ages, from newborns to those blessed with many years of experience and service! You will find just about every type of person here – married, single, divorced, widowed – professionals, workers, retired – life-long residents of Willard and those who have just recently moved to the area. But even more important than the kind of people who go here is the kind of people who are welcome here – everyone!
DO YOU HAVE TO DRESS UP TO ATTEND YOUR WORSHIP SERVICE?
No. Dressing up is not a requirement to worship with us. Some wear their “Sunday best”, but that’s probably just the preacher (and not even him always)! You will see many folks in a casual shirt and slacks, jeans, or maybe even overalls from time to time! We believe the most important part about Sunday morning is being here, ready to worship God.
WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO YOU DO IN YOUR WORSHIP SERVICE?
We strive to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere at Jackson Street. We share announcements and church news; we share our joys and concerns and lift them to God in prayer; we have congregational acapella singing; we read Scripture; we listen to a sermon; we collect an offering from our members to further God’s work; and we take communion. The most important thing is that we come together to worship God. Our focus should always be on pleasing Him with our worship.
CAN A VISITOR TAKE COMMUNION?
Yes. We take communion each week as a physical reminder of God’s gracious gift to us in Jesus Christ. We practice open communion – that means anyone in attendance is welcome to partake communion, whether they are a Jackson Street member or not. But, we believe it is a serious occasion, and should be considered very carefully (1 Corinthians 11:28-29).