Do you have youth and children's ministries?
Sure, it just looks a lot different than "modern" youth and children's ministry. We love kids of all ages! Do we have an official youth/children's minister? No. We have loving parents who seek to train their children in the truths of scripture.
What is Family Integration?
Even though the term "Family Integrated Church" seems rather new to most people these days, it's actually the way most Christian churches operated for the first 1,930 years of Christianity. It means integrating all ages into the worship services. There are multiple places in scripture, both Old and New Testaments, which deal with children and adults worshiping/hearing the word of God together. What you won't find in scripture are the modern concepts of nursery, kid's church, youth ministry/worship services, or contemporary and traditional services. Each of these divides the body of Christ. For a more robust explanation of why we believe age integration is crucial, we would urge you to contact Pastor Cody Burris.
What do kids do during the worship service?
We encourage our families to stay together for the whole service. We know that having children in worship does create more noise and liveliness, but it is definitely worth the effort. Every parent in our community has opportunities to "parent in the pew" and we value those times because we believe it can produce life-long benefits. Scott Brown, President of the Church & Family Life, states,
There is great value for a very young child experiencing the deep and authentic worship of the church. Something is being transferred as they watch their fathers [and mothers] give of the family resources during the offering. As they grow up, their understanding will increase. Something is being transferred as they watch the adults 'worship in spirit and in truth' (John 4:23). They don't get everything, but they can get something from observing the fervency and genuineness of the church's expression of love for God, dependence upon Him, and joy in Him. This is the value of having children in church. Children progressively understand what a parent and the wider church members love and appreciate. Year after year, their understanding builds. Year after year, the well is filling up. The cumulative effect of deep and significant thinking and activities is what we are looking for.
We know very well that it is more challenging to keep the kids with you, but our community is very understanding because we believe in the great benefits it affords. We have suggestions to help assist your children to worship as well as sermon activities designed for young listeners to actively participate in the service.
Will I be asked to sign or give anything?
We do not pass an offering plate during the service and we do not ask visitors to give anything. We want you to feel welcomed and hope that you enjoy getting to know the people of our church. In fact, all guests are also invited to join our potluck fellowship meal after the service so we can get to know you better and answer any questions you may have.
Do you have a dress code?
Yes, we do! Not because we think we should, but because God has commanded it. Our "dress code" isn't a list of what you can and cannot wear, but rather, a principle of modesty found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10. Dress should be orderly, proper, and modest and be consistent with the idea that clothing is meant to conceal not reveal. This "code" applies not to only women but to men as well. We should not dress in a way to attract attention to ourselves but to bring honor to the God that we serve.
What is your worship style?
We have a mix of contemporary worship and traditional hymns. The lyrics for the music each Sunday are purposefully chosen to be God-centered, Biblically based, and reflective of spiritual truth. We do our best to conduct our worship services based on what we see in Scripture and therefore the styling is not as important as the words sung.
How do I become a member?
The first requirement for membership is salvation, for the church is the body of Christ. Those interested in being a member of our particular body of Christ would attend a pre-membership class and affirm our membership covenant. We are not a country club nor a cruise ship, but we are a local body of Christ. We believe that joining a local body of Christ takes commitment, accountability, humility, and agreement doctrinally. We also believe that membership is Biblical.
What type of governing structure does your church operate under?
We are led by a plurality of elders. There are currently five elders who form the decision-making body of the church. These men are held to the scriptural requirements for elders/overseers outlined in the New Testament. We also believe that qualified deacons can be chosen when the need arises for them to serve, though we do not have any at this moment.
What kind of programs can you offer my family?
We intentionally are not a program-driven church. Thus you will find few programs on the calendar each month. We do have many ministry opportunities for you to consider which are almost all lay-led. This means that a church member had a vision for a certain ministry and ran with their passion (nursing home ministry, father/son Bible study, marriage conference, etc).
Are you associated with any denomination?
We are a non-denominational Bible church.
Should visitors bring food for the pot-luck lunch after service each week?
Visitors are not expected to bring food for the lunch. Our members will take care of providing enough food for all to eat. If you ever do decide to bring food you might want to consider a crock-pot type meal that can be warming as food is normally served after noon.
Do I have access to the church budget and spending?
Members of CFBC, upon request, can certainly have access to financial information. In each of our Newsletters, we report on the financial status of our church for the previous quarter and once a year we hold a church business meeting.