Here are some answers to questions people ask about our meetings. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us.
How do you dress for meetings?
Dress is generally casual. Blue jeans, tee-shirts, and sandals are fine. Of course, you can dress up more if you like.
How do you handle the children in your meetings?
The children stay with the parents in our Sunday meetings. We normally have a children’s lesson as a part of these meetings, but children are expected to sit quietly during the adult teaching time. Some parents allow their children to draw, color, or do other quiet activities during this time.
Our fellowship has a lot of children, and yes, this can be challenging! But if your kids do get loud, or if you’re a nursing mom, there is a side room where you can go for privacy.
How is your leadership structured?
We are elder-led, in keeping with the New Testament pattern. We do not have a designated pastor, but we have multiple elders. We recognize that the role of an elder is to teach, to lead the fellowship by example, and correct false teaching when it arises (1 Tim 3:2-3, 2 Timothy 2:24-25). We also recognize that the only healthy way for this to happen is when the elders are walking in humility with Christ. As Jesus taught the apostles: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” Luke 22:25
Who teaches?
The elders and other men of the fellowship teach from week to week. Occasionally we also have guest teachers, missionaries, etc. Sometimes we have open sharing meetings, where no teaching is prepared but everyone is encouraged to bring a testimony of what God is doing in their lives.
What do you believe about the gifts of the Spirit?
We have attempted to find balance between the extremes of cessationism (the teaching that miraculous gifts have ceased and are no long available to God’s people) and the excesses of other communities that teach (for example) that there is something lacking in a Christian that does not speak in tongues (whereas the Bible clearly teaches that not all will speak in tongues 1 Cor. 12:30). We allow for the practice of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible. But we focus on the Giver, not the gifts.
Do you have questions that weren’t addressed here? Feel free to post them on this page or contact us!