CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

  • The first area that must be addressed in New Members Class is to ask the question why. Why are you joining a church? Not just why are you joining this particular church, but why are you joining a church at all?

    People have various reasons for doing so:

    1. I grew up in church and it was good for me so I want my kids to be grounded in church.

    2. I have been unsettled in my personal life and I need structure and church helps me to be more disciplined or well-grounded.

    3. I like the music / I like the preaching .....

    4. I want to find a wife ...... (Probably the best place to find a good one)

    5. I feel like I’m a better person for attending ....

    6. It makes me feel closer to God.

    7. I want to serve others.

    8. This church feels like home ... I feel welcomed.

    9. the people are nice....

    10. I love the diversity of the church.

    I could actually continue with other thoughts .... And none of these reasons, or any others that I add are of themselves wrong, but any of those reasons could inspire you to join a local church, yet miss the real point that people assemble together to worship.

    The initial reason should be that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You know Jesus as your Savior and as your Lord. And because of that relationship you wish to assemble with His followers and grow in Him to love Him, and to love others by serving Him with your talents, abilities & resources.

    Billy Graham once said that the largest mission field in America is the local church. What this means is that for whatever reason that you were moved to join this church, we

    (Pastors & Elders) cannot assume that you know Jesus as your Lord & Savior just because you wish to join the church.

    Even if you have been attending another church and have decided to change your membership, membership in a church does not mean that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Only faith in Jesus Christ can accomplish that work.

    Every person wishing to join this church is asked this question. Where will you be a thousand years from now? Many people respond with various reactions. Many laugh as if they really haven’t even considered life beyond their last breath, but you will be somewhere in eternity. Most folks reply that they will be or that they hope to be in heaven. I always respond with great, but how do you plan to get there? This next answer is the defining answer that clarifies your journey. If you reply, I hope I make it to heaven because I have been a good person, I have tried to live right, I have been faithful in attending church, I read the bible often, I pray a lot ....Etc..... all good things and great habits BUT none of those activities, as good as they may seem to be, will cause the gates of heaven to swing open and allow you to walk through them. There is only one way that heaven is accessed and that is through the blood of Jesus. So before we proceed with church history, church structure, church doctrine etc.... we need to

    begin with true church purpose ...... Salvation in Christ Jesus alone

  • The Roman Road

    John 3:16

    "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." We hear Jesus say, "God so loved the world." God's love has no limitations. He loves "so". More than we can imagine. He loves everyone - not just some ones. He desires that all be saved. Romans provides a pathway to heaven with scriptures that tells how we find, experience and receive the benefit of that unconditional love. Romans 5:8 "when we were in our sin Christ Jesus came to die for us." Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," There was a penalty ... a judgment against me and Jesus showed up to pay me fine -- my debt, so that I would not have to. This verse tells us that all people have sinned.

    We have fallen short of God's intended purpose for us. God made us to know Him.... to receive His love and to love Him in return. For love to be love... for God to be God... and for humans to be humans.... God gave us a choice. We can choose to love ourselves and turn to our selfish pursuits. That is sin. In our sin we cannot know God and His love. The result of sin is that we are lost... separated from God.

    Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "Wages are just payment... due reward... that penalty of sin required a debt to be paid. No matter what church activities you get involved in, or no matter what great things in life you set yourselves to do....without

    Jesus you still owe a debt that you are incapable of paying without Him. The just payment for our sin is death. Death means no life without God. You may physically be alive right now, breathing with breath and a pulse, but inside your heart is empty and missing the real joy, peace and comfort you really desire. This condition is what often prompts people to join a church, thinking in that move they will find what they’re looking for. But until the issue of Jesus Christ taking away your sin and coming into your heart is resolved, you will find emptiness even in church membership.

    Being spiritually dead means to be separated from God now and even for all of eternity if that debt is not paid before you leave this earth. The wages of sin is death, but God's free gift is eternal life. While your debt is required of you, God offers a free gift. God will give us eternal life ---life forever with Him -in the place of sin's payment of death. This payment of your debt was made possible when Jesus went to the cross and died for your sins.

    2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we may be made the righteousness of God through Him." Jesus arose from the grave to conquer sin and death for all who receive Him as God's free gift and He made it possible for you to receive this gift by simply asking for it. Romans 10:9-10 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

    A person receives God's free gift of love and life by placing faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is simply placed in Him by believing God at His word. With our heart (whole believing) we believe that Jesus is God's Son who died for our sin on the cross and arose from the grave to live in us as Savior and Lord.

    To believe in Jesus will result in confessing that faith with one's mouth. Do you acknowledge that you are a sinner? Do you believe by faith that Jesus, God's Son, died for your sins on the cross? Will you now confess Him as your Savior and Lord? Romans 10:13 "for Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." This verse says that any person who will call upon the name of Jesus, the Lord, shall be saved.

    To call means simply to ask in prayer. The verse does not require one to know more... do better...clean up one's life... or in any way to try to add to what Jesus has done for us. Will you now call upon Jesus to save you from your sin so that you can know God's love and forgiveness?

    Pray this: "Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sins. I need a Savior. I know I cannot save myself. I believe by faith that Jesus, your Son, died on the cross to be my Savior. I believe He arose from the grave to live as my Lord. I turn from my sin. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive my sin and come into my heart. I trust you as my Savior and receive you as my Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me."When anyone calls on the Lord in this manner, that one is saved according to God's Word. If you pray a prayer of repentance and faith, you are saved. You have God's word on it. If you have prayed this prayer to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, why not record your decision to follow Jesus as follows. Often times, a good place to write this would be inside the cover of your bible: Believing by faith that God loves me and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sin and rise from the grave to live in me, I, _______, do this day,________, repent of my sin and accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. According to the promise of God in Romans 10:13, I have called upon His name and have His word for the assurance of my salvation.

    After receiving Jesus there are two steps that follow .....

    1. Be Baptized

    2. Find a good church to grow & serve

  • 1 Cor. 12:12 (NASB)

    12. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. The church is a living organism composed of a diversity of people. We are diverse in so many ways aside from ethnicity. We celebrate our diversity in talents and gifts and abilities etc.

    1 Corinthians 12:14 - 20 (NASB)

    14. For the body is not one member, but many. 15. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [a] any the less a part of the body. 16. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [b] any the less a part of the body. 17. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18. But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19. If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20. But now there are many members, but one body.

    The church is a place where Jesus Christ is the head and we the people are members of the same body serving under the same head, Jesus Christ. Church membership is a conscious agreement or partnership with other believers where we agree to serve and fulfill God’s Kingdom purpose together. The bible would actually describe this relationship using the word, covenant.

    Again, the scripture refers to the church as Christ’s body of which we are its members. This picture means that some are the hands, some are the feet, and others function in different areas of the body of Christ but all serve together to share in the activities derived from the head. This “organic” group of believers has a mandate to love God, to love one another, and to express that same love to the world around us. We exist as a church to reproduce Christ - minded people. To build up the body of Christ and attain unity of faith. Our goal is to be “otherly” minded and to find where we belong within the body of Christ and to serve in those places.

    Just as all members of a body have a function or job, everyone within the body of Christ has a job. It is important for your spiritual growth not to just attend church services, but find your place to serve within the church. Scripture also describes marriage with the same kind of covenant relationship. Covenant means that you are in it for the long haul. When you are in a covenant relationship you are in it without a backup plan. Covenant is a binding pledge that is deeper than a contract. You don’t walk in relationship with people that you enter into contracts. Covenant is a binding agreement not to serve or be served but to KNOW one another through relationship. Covenants historically were made with signs attached to remind one another of the commitment to each other. The rainbow is a reminder of God’s covenant promise to Noah that He would never destroy the earth by flood. In marriage we exchange rings to symbolize the covenant relationship that was made with vows to only give your heart to that one person. Circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic Covenant in the Old Testament. Baptism is the covenant symbol of the Covenant of Grace. Other signs of Covenant Agreement included cutting animals in two and walking between the pieces (Gen. 15), placing a hand under a thigh (2 Sam. 24), removing and exchanging a sandal (Ruth 4) or instituting and enjoying a ceremonial dinner (Matt. 26:17-29).(We’ll settle for a lunch together)

  • The covenant of church membership also comes with a sign and commitments:

    That you love God and love one another. This is the first and 2nd commandment according to Jesus.

    The church is not comprised of perfect people, but redeemed people who love and serve a perfect God. Scripture says love covers a multitude of sins. Love is essential for church membership to simply love people where they’re at, while also striving to move forward in growth and discipleship in Christ. This would mean that you are a seeker and pursuer of God. Scripture says, if you seek me you will find me. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. In short, one sure sign of membership is that you are here to grow and to know God with all of your heart.

    That you be a Responder to the Faith

    Everything we do is based upon faith. Scripture says without faith it is impossible to please God. It would also be impossible to be a God - pleasing church if its members are not committed to hearing and responding to faith. --responding to repentance, to forgiveness, to the voice of God etc.... Scripture says to be a DOER of the WORD and not a HEARER only. A sure healthy sign of covenant relationship within the church is that the body has a heart to hear God and follow Him wherever He leads. To obey is better than sacrifice. There are countless blessings in hearing God speak and doing what He says.

    Baptism

    Typically we baptize on the first Sunday of each month, if we have candidates who have signed up. We often make announcements reminding the church that if you need to be baptized to sign up and plan to be baptized on that day. Often new members ask if they need to be baptized again if they are coming from another church. It is our practice to accept all who are a part of the body of Christ. We honor your testimony of receiving Christ followed by baptism regardless of the denominational affiliation. We are a non denominational church, but certainly not anti-denominational. We recognize the universal church that is built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ as set forth in our statement of faith and beliefs. If you however feel led to be baptized we would certainly honor that decision. We would encourage those who come from other denominations that practice sprinkling to pray about being baptized by submersion. That symbol of our covenant is a burial and a resurrection as we go below the water and are lifted out. The power is not in the TUB, but in the BLOOD but baptism still remains a very important symbolic gesture to your own heart, your family and your community that you are identifying yourself as a follower of Christ Jesus.

    Communion

    Communion is another symbol of our covenant agreement.

    Some churches go so far as to make the communion closed, meaning no one outside of membership is allowed to participate. This would mean that even though you confess Jesus Christ as Lord, you are not allowed because that particular church says that they don’t know you in covenant relationship so they decline your participation

    WE PRACTICE OPEN COMMUNION. Meaning we trust your confession in Christ and welcome your participation based upon that confession whether you a member of this local body or a member of the universal church. We encourage families to take communion together. We take communion very serious. We typically take communion once a month during our worship services.

    Tithing

    We include tithing as a symbol of our church covenant agreement because it is also essential to the health and the ongoing mission of the church. As you look in scripture, you see that “the church was added to daily and that they had all things in common.” The members of the first century church gave of their resources. We’ll address tithing on a more doctrinal position later but even though the word tithe is not mentioned in the New Testament, the New Testament is however filled with examples of giving that exceeded the tithe. The tithe is minimum .... it is a tenth of your income. The widow’s mite --- this poor widow gave all that she had which exceeded the giving of those who had much. Ananias and Sapphira chose to withhold monies from the sale of property. They lied about the amount and the outcome was a disaster. Withholding and choosing to have a backup plan rather than trusting God is not an act of faith. Remember ... without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. God says test me and see if I won’t open the windows of heaven for you. To resist participating in your giving will only restrict you, your family, the church, and even your Kingdom purpose from experiencing greater things that exceed what we might think or ask.

    Let’s close this session with Eph. 4. This passage is probably one of the best passages that describes what church conduct towards one another should look like.

    Ephesians 4:1-16 (NASB) Unity of the Spirit

    1. Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2. with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3. being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6. one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8. Therefore [a] it says,“WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH ,HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES,AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what [b]does it mean except that He also [c]had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10. He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11. And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12. for the equipping of the [d] saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13. until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [e]knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature [f] which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14. [g] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, bycraftiness [h] in deceitful scheming; 15. but [i]speaking the truth in love, [j] we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16. from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together [k] by what every joint supplies, according to the [l ]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

  • Loving God

    John 15:4 - “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither {can} you, unless you abide in Me. (NASB)

    Loving Others

    John 15:12 - “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (NASB)

    Living Intentionally

    John 15:16- “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appoin

    ted you, that you should go and bear fruit, and {that}

    your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. (NASB)

  • The Freedom Center Church is a Spirit-Filled, Bible believing church that has as its core mission to teach & transform lives by helping others to love God wholeheartedly, to love others as Jesus loves us, and to live intentionally in a world that desperately needs to see the demonstration of the power of God. We are determined to demonstrate that power through an anointed body of believers that preaches good news to the poor, proclaims freedom to the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and who announces loudly that “right now” is the time for God’s free favor and grace.

    Matthew 22:34-40. (NASB) 34. But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35. One of them, [a]a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37. And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART ,AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL ,AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND .’38. This is the great and [b]foremost commandment. 39. The second is like it, ‘ YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” The first point of our mission statement, to teach people to love God and to love others, comes directly from the teaching of Jesus. A lawyer in all of his craftiness attempted to trick Jesus by getting him to commit to one command over another, but Jesus in His all knowingness replied, “Love God with all of your heart”..... meaning with wholeness of heart, not a partial heart. To love God with all of your soul (your mind, your will and your emotions). To love God with your thoughts, decisions and actions.

    The second law was like it in that you are also to love others just as or even above yourself. Then Jesus gives this clarification that in these two commandments lies the ability to fulfill all the rest of the commandments. The result was that the lawyer had no reply. It’s a great day when you leave a lawyer speechless.

    This scripture directs us and helps us keep our focus on the main things. When I set my heart on loving God and loving others, I will find great safety from falling into traps that might cause me to focus on lesser things. Luke 4:16-21 (NASB) 16. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17. And the [a]book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the [b] book and found the place where it was written. 8. “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES ,AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND ,TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED ,19. TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”20. And He closed the [c] book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21. And He began to say to them,“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your [d]hearing.” The second point within our statement of faith pertains to the mission statement of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He came and set up His spiritual Kingdom and took the keys of hell and of death. Jesus said, “all authority has been given to me so GO”....... Go do the same things that I did. Scripture shows us that Jesus ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father God and from there He directs and commands His troops. We are the conquerors that He has commissioned with all of His power and authority to do the same works that He did. Jesus ascended so that the Holy Spirit could come. Holy Spirit is our helper in all things in order to make it possible to actually be successful loving God, others and helping others. These two verses outline what we call our CORE VALUES. To love God / love others/ and live intentionally

  • Statement of Faith:

    Because of our desire to uphold sound doctrine and because of the religious pluralism existing in our society with its many churches, cults, doctrines and interpretations, we have determined as the elders of The Freedom Center Church to issue a Statement of Faith and Practices.

    This statement serves as a framework for our leadership of this body. We feel this statement is important because:

    1. We desire to clearly identify The Freedom Center Church as a local congregation of Christ’s Body by affirming the apostolic, historic Christian faith (we believe in the gifts, fivefold ministry, Baptism of the Holy Spirit).

    2. We wish to be able to give an answer to all who may inquire about the basic beliefs and practices of this church.

    3. We want to establish the basic foundational truths on which our teaching and preaching ministries are built. We strongly affirm the Bible as the inspired and infallible Word of God and the only divine standard of faith and practice. There are, we believe, some biblical truths that are of greater importance and should have greater consideration in our teaching and practice. Therefore, in the Statement of Faith, we are seeking to focus on central biblical truths that we consider to be primary to the faith and practice of biblical Christianity. In short there are certain biblical truths that all persons claiming to be a Christian must be in agreement or they are not Christian regardless of their confession (who Jesus is, what Jesus did).

    There are other truths that we would consider non-essential (eschatology, selection & predestination.....) that are not “deal breakers.” This means there are some biblical truths that we can agree to disagree upon and still walk in fellowship with because they are not essential truths pertaining to salvation. Some truths are still a mystery to us and we are still searching while other truths are already fulfilled such as Jesus coming to the earth and dying for the sins of man, being buried and being resurrected on the third day. Those truths are essential and non-negotiable.

    We would have it known that our faith has its center in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is our Savior and Lord. The fellowship of this body is extended to all who by faith receive Jesus as Savior and Lord trusting him alone for their salvation. Membership at The Freedom Center Church shall also include water baptism by immersion, in obedience to Christ, as well as compatibility with this Statement of Faith and Practices

  • 1.We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired and infallible Word of God. We believe the Bible to be the complete revelation of His will for human salvation, and the final, authoritative divine rule for all Christian faith and practice

    Ref: Mark 12:26, Luke 24:27, John 5:39, Acts 1:16, II Timothy 3:11, and others

    2.We believe in one God, who is Creator of all. He is infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    Ref: Matthew 23:18-19, Mark 12:29, Hebrews 1:1-3, and others

    3.We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose in bodily form from the dead and ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father where He is now our High Priest and Advocate; and we await His imminent return.

    Ref: Luke 1:30-35,John 1:1-2, John 1:11, Philippians 3:20-21, and Ephesians 1:22-23

    4.We believe that according to the divine promise, the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, and by His baptism He unites all to Christ in one body. We believe that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service. We believe that the work of the Holy Spirit is still active and alive as it was in the New Testament Church and it is the duty of every Christian to understand and stir up the gifts that are within them. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential in our lives and within His church for restraining evil in the world to the measure of God’s divine will, for the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness and judgment, the regeneration of all believers, the indwelling and anointing of all who are saved, thereby sealing them until the day of redemption, the baptizing into the one Body of Christ of all who are saved, and we seek the continued filling of His Spirit for power, teaching and service of those among the saved who are yielded to Him, and who are subject to His will.

    Ref: John 3:6, 16:7-11, I Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 4:30, II Thessalonians 2:7, I John 2:20-27, and others

    5. We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost. And because of universal death through sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they become born again. No degree or reformation, attainment of morality, culture, baptism or any other ordinance can help the sinner to take one step toward heaven, but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to salvation. Only those who are born again are saved children of God. We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ, and that repentance is a vital part of believing and is in no way itself a separate and independent condition of salvation nor, are any other acts.

    Ref: John 1:12, 3:16, Acts 13:39, Romans 1:16-17, 3:22, 4:5, and Galatians 3:22

    6. We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises faith in Christ, which is illustrated and described in the New Testament, he passes immediately out of spiritual death into spiritual life. That person changes from an old creation into a new one. We believe that person becomes free from the judgment of all sin. And he becomes fully accepted before the Father just as Christ is accepted. He becomes fully loved as Christ is loved, having his portion and place with the Father and one with Christ receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit.

    We believe that the believer is set apart unto God, and that this is a progressive sanctification, wherein the Christian is to grow in grace and to be changed by the unhindered power of the Spirit; but that we will only be fully sanctified when we see our Lord upon his return and we become like Him.

    Ref: John 5:24, Acts 13:39, Romans 5:1, I Corinthians 3:21-23, John 17:17 Ephesians 4:24, Hebrews 10:10,and others

    7.It is the privilege of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ to be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior. This assurance is not founded upon any discovery of their own worthiness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written Word, calling forth within His children love, gratitude and obedience.

    Ref: Luke 10:20, II Corinthians 5:1, 6-8, II Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 10:22, I John 5:13

    8.We believe that the true church is composed of all such persons, who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and have been baptized by that same Spirit into the one Body; that is Christ’s body of which He is the Head. United together by his Spirit we have become members one to another and are under obligation to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We must rise above sectarian differences and love one another under the Lordship and Headship of Christ. With this said, each local church has the right to decide and govern its own affairs.

    Ref: Matthew 16:16-18, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 12:5, I Corinthians 12:12-27,Ephesians 4:3-10, and others

    9.We believe that water baptism by immersion is a scriptural testimony of the believer’s new life in Christ and his identification with the Body of Christ. We also believe it is evidence of his commitment to Jesus. Thus, it is fitting for every member of that Body in response to Christ’s command, though we do not understand this or any other act to be precondition or requirement for salvation. We also believe the Lord’s Supper to be a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. It is a renewal of our covenant walk with God, and a looking forward to the second coming of our Lord, when we shall partake of that feast with Him in His kingdom. Therefore, it is also fitting for every believer to keep in response to Christ’s command.

    Ref: Matthew 23:19, Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 10:47-48, and I Corinthians 11:26

    10.We believe in the personal and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that this Blessed Hope of His return has a vital bearing on our personal lives and our earthly service. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; that the believer is physically resurrected to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and consequently the unbeliever experiences judgment and everlasting conscious punishment without Jesus.

    Ref: John 14:1-3, John 6:54, John 10:28, Rom. 6:23, 1 Thess. 4:16, 1 John 5:13

  • 1.We will recognize as brothers and sisters in Christ those who confess Jesus as Savior and Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Water baptism by immersion is practiced as an act of obedience to Christ, and we feel it should be a part of every person's commitment to Jesus Christ. Therefore, we will practice and teach this without condemning those who disagree.

    2.The Lord's Supper is observed on a regular basis, and faithful participation by all believers is encouraged.

    3.The dedication of infants to the Lord in a public service is a practice of this church, and available to all believers. This is not infant baptism nor does it address in any way the salvation of those children. It is a dedication of intent on the part of parents to raise the child in the Lord.

    4.Jesus Christ is the only Head and Lord of this church. He has established government and ministry in His church, and He Himself gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph 4:11). We believe the scriptural norm is a plurality of elders and pastors, deacons and deaconesses. The elders and pastors provide spiritual oversight of the body and pastoral care for all members and their families, and serve as trustees in accordance with the by-laws of the church. Deacons and deaconesses are to serve the body in matters of administration, benevolence and service.

    5.We believe it is the will of God that every believer should walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Holy Spirit gives gifts or abilities greater than our own in order to accomplish God's will and for the common good of the church. Spiritual gifts may be exercised in our assembly, by either men or women, according to the Biblical guidelines.

    Ref: I Corinthians chapter 12 & 14, Romans 12:6-8,Ephesians 4:11, and I Peter 4:10 & 11

    6.We believe that corporate praise and worship is an integral part of our assemblies. Our praise and worship may include the raising of hands, clapping, special music and dancing according to biblical guidelines.

    Ref: I Peter 2:9

    7.We believe that God has made provisions for physical healing in response to prayer in accordance with His Word and will. We practice prayer for healing and anointing with oil when requested, as taught in the Scriptures. (Once a month Healing service–Sunday Ministry Teams)

    Ref: James 5:13-16

    8.We believe that those who accept Christ as Lord should commit themselves fully to His will for their lives. We believe this includes placing oneself in a local congregation of believers and placing oneself under the pastoral care provided in the congregation. In addition, one's committing himself to a local congregation also places him in relationship with everyone else in the congregation. On a daily basis this means learning to love one another, forgive one another, serve one another and correct one another, when necessary, in a brotherly loving fashion.

    9.We believe and practice the priesthood of all believers through Christ, whereby each Christian is responsible for coming to the Father in confidence and faith as a priest unto Him. As priests you are to worship sacrificially to the Lord both in word and service.

    10.The Freedom Center Church has a strong commitment to marriage and the family. We readily acknowledge that some are called to celibacy and some of necessity are single, but we believe the Scriptural husband-wife-child relationship to be a sacred institution intended to reveal the love, nature and ways of God. It is our intent that marriage be held in honor by all. We oppose any and all things which threaten the family including: adultery, premarital and extramarital sex, the practice of homosexuality, abortion on-demand, and divorce without scriptural basis.

    11.We believe that the Christian family in the United States is under severe attack by Satan today. To counter the attack, we believe it is important for the church to give significant emphasis to the encouragement and strengthening of the Christian family unit. Accordingly, the husbands and fathers are encouraged to exercise their responsibility as spiritual pastors and priests in the home, and wives and mothers are encouraged to exercise their responsibility to provide love and training. Parents are expected to take the primary responsibility of training the children in the knowledge of the Lord, with the Sunday School and other classes viewed as supplementary, instead of the primary source of training. We encourage each family to spend quality time together on a regular basis.

    12.We make a diligent effort to provide for the shepherding and equipping of this body through various services, classes, and groups. Therefore, we feel members should be faithful in their attendance and support of the Sunday Services, Bible classes and especially small group fellowships, upon which we place a great emphasis in terms of growth and discipleship. We believe every committed member of the Freedom Center Church should be an active member of a small group fellowship.

    13.Regarding Christian stewardship, we believe that all we have belongs to the Lord and should be used to His glory. We believe our financial contribution to the local church should be presented to the Lord as we have prospered and purposed in our heart, and should be given with cheerfulness. We do encourage our members to follow the scriptural example of tithing as a fitting guide for their contributions to the local church.

    14.We are committed in ministry to the neighborhoods in which we live, the neighborhood in which our body assembles, to our city and all the world. We want people, regardless of their circumstances, to know and experience Christ's love in our midst in the context of a caring community.

    15. Members whose conduct or belief has become a reproach to the church and the name of Christ shall be dealt with according to the Word of God in Matthew 18:15-18. Openly unrepentant sinners shall have fellowship and membership withdrawn by this church. Persons who have thus forfeited their membership shall, on evidence of sincere repentance, be heartily forgiven and restored to the fellowship and membership of the body. The only object of discipline is correction in godliness in keeping with the Word of God.

    Ref: Matthew 18:15-18

    16.The practical manifestation of membership in the church universal is membership in a local church--that is a local body of believers. We believe that membership should reflect common belief in basic doctrine and active and responsive participation in the life of this body.

    NOTE: Those desiring membership at The Freedom Center Church shall share with one or more of the elders, or publicly, their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, indicating their compatibility with the Statement of Faith and Practices, and be baptized in water by immersion in response to the Lord's command, if they have not already done so.

OUR HISTORY

  • Quail Valley Church which is now known as the Freedom Center Church began in October 1975 in the Quail Valley Elementary School. The initial congregation was 10 families from the Westbury Church of Christ with attendance of about 50. Because of increased needs for a church facility and needing additional space the church began seeking a permanent home. A former real estate office, antique and art gallery known as "THE BARN" became available. It also had a large boat storage facility on the property. After a year, it appeared as though another move was in order when the owners sold the property. But God had His hand on the property and the deal fell through. QVC was able to buy the property (14 acres) for $350,000. The boat storage facility was used to pay off the land. After 5 years, elders were appointed. The Church continued with no pastor for 8 years.

    During this season various members of the Body took turns sharing the Word of God. The Church followed most of the Church of Christ denominational practices: No Instrumental Music, Communion Every Week, Strict Adherence To The Letter Of The Law and Heavy Emphasis On Water Baptism. The Church shared a fellowship meal every Sunday night. It was a "potluck" meal and was shared with many visitors. QVC hosted many contemporary Christian entertainers in the late 70's and early 80's. Among them were Amy Grant, Second Chapter of Acts, Barry McGuire, Chuck Girard, and Steve and Annie Chapman.

    In 1983, QVC called its first Pastor. Jim Bevis began to lead QVC away from its Church of Christ roots and into a more charismatic form of worship. He taught about praise and worship, and musical instruments began showing up. In the early eighties, Juan Carlos Ortiz (an Argentine pastor) introduced Growth Groups to QVC. In 1984, the Barn was expanded to about double its original size and the Congregation was about 250. There were several "building programs" started about this time, but all were stopped for some reason or the other.

    In 1986, FM 1092 was widened. In the process the church had a large "Quail Valley Church of Christ" sign out front near the highway that was bulldozed to the ground. Being that the church had drifted in some measure from some of the doctrinal practices of the Church of Christ denomination (particularly in the area of music) The sign did not return, instead the leadership took advantage of the opportunity to change the name and structure of the church in line with the direction that the Lord had already been taking the church.

    Quail Valley Church was officially a non-denominational church. 1985 – 1986 Jim Bevis left the church as pastor. The congregation again changed leadership and used the Old Testament "lot system" for selecting five new Elders. At about this same time, the congregation made a monumental decision that God is still honoring to this very day. Quail Valley Church would be totally debt-free.

    A new pastor was not called for some time. The leadership waited until Holy Spirit brought the right man to lead and shepherd the flock. In the fall of 1987, Curry Juneau was invited to speak at QVC and as a result, was called by Quail to be the new lead pastor of Quail Valley Church

    In the fall of 1989, the men of QVC began meeting on Friday mornings at 6:00 a.m. for prayer. The first group of men numbered 12; the number now has exceeded 100 at times. This men’s ministry has proven to be one of the strengths of the Freedom Center Church that helps forge strong male leadership and covenant relationships where men share what God is speaking in their lives and agree in prayer concerning life’s issues whether for healing, wisdom in leading their families or making business decisions; men’s’ prayer is a safe place where men sharpen men as iron sharpens iron.

    In 1991 it became necessary to expand our physical facility. In the summer of 1992 the first new building was completed. Before construction of the new building our membership had increased to approximately 350. Upon completion of the new building we immediately grew to 500 active members. This new sanctuary was the completion of the first phase of a three building expansion. This building became our “new barn” and temporary worship center. Right away plans began to initiate the second phase to convert the first building to a nursery and education facility and construct a new worship center. On March 19, 1995, we worshiped for the first time in our new “gymatorium” and it has and will serve as our worship center until the next building is completed. After these two phases were completed we acquired 6 acres of adjoining property. We are currently completing a 52,316 sf Sanctuary which will seat 2500 and house our nursery facilities. Upon completion of this facility we will have ample parking and recreational areas for soccer, baseball and other recreational sports. Malcolm Smith held his first meeting here in 1992. Jack Taylor has come to Quail frequently over the past 10 years.

    Other great speakers such as RT Kendell and John Paul Jackson have ministered at our worship center. We have also been blessed by Shekinah Glory, Dennis Jernigan, Guy Chevereau, Johnathan Settel, Don Crossland, Phil Driscoll, Dallas Holm, Wayne Watson, Russ Taff, Carman and many others. Quail Valley Church Family is an on-going journey in following God and our final chapter has not been written......! In 2011, it was decided by the Eldership to change the name of our church to “The Freedom Center”.

    This name change echoes the vision of our church-“Salvation-Deliverance-Healing” to serve the needs of the body and community and to carry out mission and vision statement.

    In 2011 Pastor Curry Juneau announced his intentions to step down as Senior Pastor at The Freedom Center Church desiring to move into a new phase of his life. Curry had pastored this church faithfully from 1987 to Aug 5th of 2012.

    In Feb. 2012 Pastor Curry along with the elders prayerfully began a careful transition and extended the lead pastoral role to Greg Crawford who had served as Worship Pastor at the Freedom Center from Aug. 6th 2001 to the present. On Aug. 6th 2012, to the very day, Greg Crawford completed 11 years as the Worship Pastor at the Freedom Center Church and began his new role as Senior Pastor.

    Since 2012 Pastor Greg has continued in the vision set forth by the spiritual fathers of this church and has implemented new ministries that fulfill the faith statement and vision of this church to encourage and facilitate people to love God, love others and live intentionally. In 2013 the church began the Bridge Project that helped expand temporary education space on our campus until the new sanctuary is completed. This project also has helped facilitate our new “Bible Connection Classes” on Sundays and has aided in community outreach such as Freedom Friends where we have adopted the elementary school next door to assist and help our neighbors by making ourselves available to serve.

    In 2014 we began a two service format with an early service from 8-9 am and Bible connection classes taking place from 9:15–10:15 and a second service following from 10:30 to 12:15

  • "The Freedom Center Church is an independent, non-denominational church that is governed by the Pastor and Board of Elders. It has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas as a “non-profit” organization. It has tax-exempt status under Code Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

    The Elders also serve as Trustees for the church.

    Jesus is the Head of the body. We believe that the Pastor is called by the Holy Spirit and anointed to serve as both our leader and shepherd. We believe that the Pastor, primarily, and the Elders, as under shepherds or pastors, are charged to “watch over your souls” (Heb 13:17) and must “give account.” The obligation of the Body is to “Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” (Heb 13:17) The Body looks to the Pastor for overall direction and vision. The Pastor also serves on the Board of Elders.

    Elders are added to the Board as they are raised up and recognized as “doing the work of an Elder.” Based on Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5, we believe that Elders are appointed rather than elected. Paul in Titus 1:5 commanded Titus “to set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city...” When the need for additional Elders arises, the existing Elders, through prayer and consultation with one another, select elder candidates. Those selected must meet the qualifications set out in 1 Timothy 3. They are then presented to the Body. The Body then has one week to confirm or present reasons why the candidates should not be ordained as an Elder."

    "Deacons are appointed in similar fashion. The office of Deacon is one of service to the Body. Each deacon has a specific function to perform (i.e. Benevolence or Buildings and Grounds). In some cases, the Deacon has the entire responsibility of carrying out the function, such as Benevolence. In other functions, the Deacon serves as an organizer (such as Building and Grounds or outreach events). All Deacons must meet the Biblical standards set out in 1 Timothy 3:8.

    Small Group Leaders and Home Group Leaders are a vital part of the leadership. Each individual selected to lead a group is viewed as a pastor to their group. The qualifications are therefore very similar to the Pastor. They must be able to teach, counsel, and exercise spiritual authority over their group. Small Groups are any small group gathering either on campus or off site but not hosted in homes while Home Groups are obviously small gathering in homes throughout the community.

    Bible Connections in similar fashion to H.O.M.E. groups are a vital part of the leadership as well. Each individual selected to lead a bible connection also function in a similar pastoral role to their group. They must be able to teach, counsel, and exercise spiritual authority over their group. All of these smaller groups help foster fellowship and “a small church” feeling where everyone feels connected and loved."

    "Our Church Leadership (continued)

    SENIOR PASTORS:

    Greg Crawford Lenda Crawford

    ASSOCIATE PASTORS: Ruben & Leonila Zambrano

    (Spanish Church Pastor)

    ELDERS:

    Greg Crawford (Pastor)

    Ruben Zambrano

    Clarence Lee

    Al Haislup

    Chris Herndon

    Ted Johnston

    Joshua Chen

    Grady Williams

    STAFF:

    Ruben Zambrano / Associate Pastor

    Aaron Holton / Youth Pastor / Student Ministry

    Rangel Moreo / Music Department Director

    Andrew Svatek / Worship Leader

    Terry Parker / Nursery Coordinator (Infants thru 3 yrs Old) & 4 & 5 Year Olds

    Linda Hoppe / Admin. Asst. / Church Secretary / Women’s Ministry Admin.

    Shane Jacob / Media / Technology Director

    Charles Dugger / Sound / Creative Director

    Kara Chen/ Children’s Education (1st thru 5th Grades)

  • "Worship Services - The Freedom Center Church holds worship services every Sunday morning with an early service from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. & a more extended service from 10:30 – 12:00. There is a mid-week meeting on Wednesday at the church that consists of bible study / worship service with nursery provided and adjoining youth services going on at the Youth Trailer #4. There are Special Services periodically throughout the year such as “quarterly” Friday Night Worship Celebration and an occasional concert or conference.

    Children’s Ministry - During the Sunday morning worship service, our children from K through 5th grade meet for their own special time of praise, worship and Bible study. We call the 1st grade thru 5th grade event FREEJAM KIDS. There is also a Sunday school class for the 4-5 year olds called Freedom Fighters, and a nursery for infants through 3 years old.

    Men’s Ministry – Friday Morning Prayer - the men meet for prayer, praise, & worship, every Friday morning at 6:00 am. Coffee and donuts are served. Along with this ministry ANOTHER men’s ministry has developed Door Keepers which is a monthly night of worship and teaching dealing with men topics and issues."

    "Ladies’ Ministry - The ladies of the church meet on the last Tuesday of the month during the school year and as announced through the summer at 6:00 pm for food and fellowship and Bible study taught by Lenda Crawford. This event is called Girl’s Night Out. The service begins at 7:00 pm. Child care from infant through 5th grade is provided from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The study usually concludes around 8:30 pm. In addition to Girl’s Night Out, Pastor Lenda also holds a weekly ladies bible study that meets during the school year as well each Tuesday morning at the church at 10:00am.

    Youth Groups – We now have youth service on Sunday morning during the Sermon Time of the 10:30 service. These services are held at the Youth Trailer each Sunday and Wednesday night. Sunday morning services the kids are shuttled back to the sanctuary via the church van. The Sunday morning service targets the kids with high energy worship and challenging apologetic based bible studies to equip our youth who are growing up in an ever growing God denying society; both Sunday morning and Wednesday evening youth services include both Junior and Senior High Groups. In addition, the youth attend camps, concerts, and special ministry trips (missions, local outreach, etc.). These groups are led by our Youth Pastor Aaron Holton.

    College & Career – This young adult ministry targets college age young adults. This group also meets on mid- week and special events are planned to provide opportunity for relationships and fellowships to grow. This group is led by Daniel & Kara Chen.

    Praise Team - The Praise Team practices on Tuesday nights at 6:30 pm (Vocals) and 7:00pm (Band with Vocals). Anyone who wants to be a part of the praise and worship team must make an appointment with Rangel Morao to sing and share your musical abilities. Both singers and musicians make up the team and with any great music department we desire excellence but above excellence and skill we desire a heart that knows how to press in to worship. This ministry is led by Rangel Morao, our Worship & Arts Director.

    Benevolence - We believe that as a family we should help one another. One way in which we help each other is through our “Benevolence” fund. It is administered by the Deacon of Benevolence. The fund is primarily intended and limited to take care of the church family who are members and have a giving record.

    These are many of the ministries that are active at The Freedom Center. Our ministry is ever expanding as we work to fulfill the ministry statement and vision to Love God, love others and live intentionally. See “Our Core Values” section for a more detailed list of ministries that are active at this time. Ministry of Helps / Women’s Ministry / Men’s Ministry / Outreach Ministries / Nursing Home Ministry Pray and seek the Lord as to where you will serve @ the Freedom Center Church?"

  • "Any gathering during the week outside of the 9:15 – 10:15 Bible Connection time is considered Small Groups. These groups vary in schedule and content. Most of these groups gather during the week in homes for prayer, praise, bible study, fellowship, and evangelistic outreach. Other groups meet to do things together whether that is a sewing class, exercise group or a group that regularly gathers at the firing range to enjoy a common hobby. All of these groups still facilitate the same purpose of bringing the body together in fellowship with the intent of

    building relationships. All church members are strongly encouraged to attend one of these groups “somewhat" close to their home. However one may attend any cell group they choose. Information on location of groups, and what they are involved in, may be obtained at the Information Table in the back table of the Worship Center near the sound booth area..

    BENEFITS OF SMALL GROUPS

    Encouragement - Small Group members offer support and care to their fellow believers. The Small Groups provide a friendly and non-threatening atmosphere where believers are free to grow.

    Relationships - It is very important that believers surround themselves with the kind of people who will help form Christ in them. God’s Word tells us, “He who walks with the wise grows wise.” (Prov. 13:20). Small Groups provide an environment in which believers can learn how to live a life that is pleasing to God and walk in a right relationship with others.

    Accountability - God commands us to “consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy,” (Lev 11:44). Through positive, Godly relationships, we allow our lives to be an open book. As a believer, you still deal with sinful temptations that could cause you to stumble and hinder your relationship with the Lord. In these times, it is important to have people in your life to whom you can confess weakness; so together, with God’s grace, you can work toward strengthening this area.

    Small Group Ministry is overseen by our Associate Pastor Ruben Zambrano"

  • "As with Small Groups and Families on the Go (our mid-week meeting at the church on Wednesday evenings during the school year), Bible Connections are offered on Sunday Mornings from 9:15 – 10:15. This hour of bible and fellowship time is critical to help establish and build new relationships.

    The classes rotate on a semester schedule with some classes cycling and others on-going. The classes range from helps type classes like marriage enrichment to managing your finances with biblical principles to expository studies on the books of the bible with awesome teachers. We also have a prophetic class that focuses on the gifts and the need to stir those gifts within one another.

    In addition to these bible connection classes, the Youth have their own bible connection class led by Aaron Holton located in the Nursery (Until further notice). Talk to Pastor Aaron for more info

    College and Career also has an awesome class that meets on Fridays Contact Daniel & Kara Chen for more info

    EXAMPLE - BIBLE CONNECT GROUPS - SUNDAY FROM 9:15 TO 10:15 AM

    TO BE ANNOUNCED as Bible Connection Classes reopen in the Fall.

    MINISTRIES AND CLASSES MEETING DURING THE WEEK

    MONDAY:

    HEALTHY AND FIT EXERCISE CLASS 5:30-7:30 PM NURSERY BUILDING UPSTAIRS

    TUESDAY:

    LADIES BIBLE STUDY 10:00-12:00 AM

    SANCTUARY (NO SUMMER)

    WEDNESDAY:

    Mid-Week Meeting 6:30-8:30 PM SANCTUARY (Please see events page for summer schedule)

    YOUTH (12-18) 6:30-8:30 PM

    Freejam 6:30-8:30 PM NURSERY BUILDING UPSTAIRS

    FRIDAY:

    LADIES SEWING CLASS 6:30-9:00 PM

    LADIES BIBLE STUDY 7:00-9:00 PM

    There will not be children’s ministry during the early service, but we will provide children’s ministry beginning at 9:15 during the bible connection time and during the 2nd service. Classes will change per semester. We will follow a fall / spring / summer semester posting classes each semester."

  • "The Freedom Center Church operates on the principal of theocracy. The Elders make the financial decisions pertaining to the church. Anyone in the church family can give input into the decision making process, but in the end, it is the Elders who make final decisions.

    The Senior Pastor and Associate Pastors serve as “managers” for the body and carry out the day to day managerial duties. The Associate Pastor is a full time church administrator and manager who oversees the flow of church ministry duties allowing the Senior Pastor to spend his time studying and pastoring the flock.

    AS THE CONGREGATES LEARN AND PARTICIPATE IN TITHING, THE CHURCH PRACTICES THE SAME PRINCIPLE. 10% OR GREATER OF ALL THE REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE USED TO BENEFIT MINISTRIES OUTSIDE THE LOCAL BODY.

    Financial statements are prepared on a monthly basis. Anyone wishing to see the full financial statement should call the church office."

  • "1. Loving God – Ministry that’s more service or event driven for preaching of God’s Word

    • Sunday services

    • Children’s Ministry

    o Little Hearts For Jesus – 0 – 3 years Old

    o Freedom Fighters – 4 – 5 years Old

    o Kids FreeJam - 1st Grade through 5th Grade

    o Summer Camp - Camp His Way

    o Awanas on Wednesday Nights during the school year.

    • Youth Ministry

    o New Generation – Sunday Morning Bible Connection

    o New Generation (Middle & High School) – Wednesday Nights

    o CFNI Summer Youth Camp

    o Youth Missions & Outreach

    • Singles Ministry

    o Thrive (College & Career)

    o College & Career Bible Connection Class every Sunday morning.

    • Girls Night Out – Once a Month Meeting

    • Men’s Night Out – “The Door Keepers” – Once a Qtr. Meeting

    • Marriage Enrichment Meetings

    o “Strengthen Our Marriages”

    o Marriage & Family Topics covered at FOTG and from Pulpit in Month of February

    • Intercessory Prayer Groups"

    "o Elder Ted Johnston – Leads a weekly group and prayer chain

    o Elders Clarence Lee & Ted Johnston – Monthly open church gathering for intercessory prayer

    • Guest Speakers / Conferences

    • Annual Missions Conference

    • Ministry Team Development

    2. Loving People – Ministry that will still involve teaching of God’s word, but fosters

    relationships as well through smaller groups"

    "• Leadership Meetings

    • Mid-week Small Groups

    • Wednesday Night Gathering

    o Many Small Groups Meet on Wed. Evenings

    o MidWeek Message – Midweek meeting at the church – with Youth Bible Study & Awanas

    for the children.

    • Bible Connections – Sunday Morning Bible Studies led by rotating teachers & teams

    David Carnahan, Clarence Lee, Larry Posten, etc….

    • Men’s Friday Morning Prayer – Friday Morning from 6am – 7am

    • Tuesday Morning Ladies Bible Study – led by Lenda Crawford

    • Once a Qtr. Friday Night Worship Gathering

    • Annual Church Picnic / Family Day - Late Spring

    • Healthy & Fit – Women’s Fitness Group led by Elizabeth Pitcher - meets weekly

    • Young At Heart – Ministry headed by Barbara Kirshy for 55+ DONE

    • Mentoring Friends – pairing of mentors and mentored within the church body

    • Greeters – Parking Lot / Doors / Floor

    • Ushers

    • Volunteer Banquet – In Dec.

    3. Living Intentional – Over flow of relational living with God & Others

    … should result in Ministry.

    A. Community Outreach Programs

    1. Acts of Kindness – Cards from staff and church to community groups and organizations in our community. (Elementary School Next Door etc..)

    2. Pastoral Involvement in Crisis Intervention and Chaplaincy at Missouri City Police Department

    3. PACA Program – Allows Ordained Ministers within our body to support HPD with Crisis Intervention and ride-a-longs

    4. Arts & Performance – The artisan series, arts camps, music classes, musicals, dance class, Songwriting Guild, Oil Painting etc..

    5. Basketball Nights / Softball Leagues / Soccer and Volleyball tournaments

    6. Food Pantry – we have supported 2nd mile ministry in the pass and plan to start a pantry.

    7. Job / Employment Blog – Those hiring and those in need of employment can post.

    8. Freedom Friends – adopting the elementary school next door, assisting with helpers and"

    "supplying with food for the teachers and prayer partners.

    9. Nursing Home Outreach – We reach out to the surrounding Nursing homes and care facilities. Call the office for more details. Willie Johnson, Clarence Lee and Jerry Ramsey"

    "10. Prison Ministry

    o We are partner with The Heart of Texas Foundation

    o We are participate in Malachi Dad’s in conjunction with Sugar Creek.

    o We support and supply volunteers for “One Day With Dad” event

    11. Prolife

    o We participate with the Life Chain Demonstration

    o We Support and provide volunteers to the Women’s Pregnancy Center

    12. Seasonal Clothes Closet – In the past we have supported Second Mile Ministries who maintains a food bank, a clothing bank and various services to our homeless. We are planning doing this in house.

    13. Tip of The Spear – Monthly we supply this organization with personal items for care packages for our Soldiers

    14. Trolley Car Outreach – Pastor Clarence Lee

    B. Missions – Both Local and Foreign

    1. God's Army Min. (Steve Coleman)

    2. Nat's Christian Found. (Leo Lawson)

    3. Israel Benevolence Fund (Rabbi Ron Aaronson)

    4. Houston Women's Pregnancy Center

    5. Clayton Holton – Missionaries to the Philippines

    6. Norman Rideout – Missionary to Thailand.

    7. Souls for India (Tom Kurian)

    8. Setting The Captives Free - Local

    9. Bridges International (Nate Pennings)

    10. Harvest Mission to the Unreached - Foreign

    11. Pitcher Ministries (Doug and Elizabeth Pitcher)

    12. Love People not Pixels

    13. Steve Meeks - Freshwaters Ministries

    14. The Heart of Texas – Grove Norwood – State Wide

    15. The Abiding Place Ministry - Bob Nix – State Wide"