cfm_welcome

Assembly

Raised Hands

Altar Call

Displayed are links that casually explain what you will see and experience at our regular services. If you'd like the scriptural basis, click the Bible in the top corner.

Welcome to church!

Giving

Instruments

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24)

Preaching

Welcome

Tongues

http://www.edkidwell.com

Why have preaching?

"It pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe." Therefore, preaching is the central and most important part of our services. Our church is also dedicated to the help and training of disciples to become new preachers.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ... For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 21)

"but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; " (Titus 1:3) "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2)

Why have instruments?

Both musical and percusive instruments were used during worship throughout the Bible. In the Bible, several song writers worshipped with various instruments, perhaps the most notable being David.The Bible says that instruments will also be used during worship in Heaven.

"Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!" (Psalms 150:3-5)

Why speak in tongues?

Tongues are evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Among others, the prophet Joel and Christ Himself spoke about them. Acts 2 tells that the first time people ever spoke in tongues was when assembled. Peter said, "these are not drunk, but they are fulfilling Joel's prophecy." Paul said, "I wish you all spoke in tongues."

"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;" (Mark 16:17) "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4)

"I wish you all spoke with tongues ... What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding." (1 Corinthians 14:5a, 15)

Why have altar calls?

Bringing people to a point of decision is a common principle in the Bible: Joshua, Elijah, and Christ Himself challenged people to an immediate choice of faith. And how else will people come to Christ in church if they're not invited to choose?

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)

"For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Why raise hands?

Raised hands are a sign of surrender to God. And it's also something done throughout scripture during worship. It's not calisthenics, it's worship … really.

"Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven." (Lamentations 3:41)

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name." (Psalm 63:3–4)

Why assemble for service?

Christ said He was going to die in order to build His "assembly" of believers. It's the Greek word eklessia. The rest of the explanation is really boring, but going to church is exciting. So suffice it to say that it was God's idea, and if you come you'll enjoy it!

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24‑25)

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

Why give tithes and offerings?

Tithing is God's financial plan for the church to support itself. It is both practical and supernatural. In a practical sense, our tithes and offerings pay the church's bills. In a supernatural sense, God receives our giving as unto Himself. That, in fact, is really cool!

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10) "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase." (Proverbs 3:9) "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper ..." (1 Corinthians 16:2)

"And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; ... Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he (Christ) receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives." (Hebrews 7:5,8)