FRIENDS IN CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We worship the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus is The Way, the Truth, and the
Life, and that no one comes to the Father but by Him (John 11:25). We believe that since the first sin of
Adam, we are all born sinful and destined to die eternally without a Savior. God sent this Savior in Jesus
Christ. We believe that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life, and died for
our sins on the cross. God raised Him from the dead on the third day as proof that His sacrificial death
paid the price of our sins, and now ascended into Heaven, Jesus sends us His Holy Spirit to work saving
faith in our hearts to believe in Him and be saved.
We believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, written by men under the inspiration of God’s
Holy Spirit. We believe that the Bible contains everything necessary for salvation. We believe that the
Holy Spirit works faith in the believer through the read, spoken, and preached Word of God.
We believe that the Holy Spirit forgives sins, and nourishes and strengthens our faith by what we call
His “means of grace:” that is the Word of God, and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s
Supper.
WHAT HAPPENS AT CHURCH
Visiting a church for the first time can be a little frightening and confusing. At Friends in Christ we try to make it a comfortable, and beneficial experience for you.
Dress/attire: Dress however you are most comfortable. You’ll see people wearing shorts and sandals, as well as business casual attire. We want you to feel at home!
Where to go: Enter our driveway off Highway 5. We are located at 4305 Highway 5 North in Bryant. Go all the way to the big building (sanctuary).When you arrive, feel free to park in one of our “Visitors” parking spaces, if you like. You will be warmly welcomed at the door by one of our Sunday greeters. They will hand you a service folder and answer all your questions.
Church service: Worship starts at 10:30 a.m. We begin with pre-service praise music, followed by prayer requests and announcements. Our worship service then lasts about an hour. We are a liturgical church, meaning that we follow a structured service, consisting of many places where the congregation participates in prayers, and responsive readings of scripture, in addition to the singing. You may follow
along in print in the service folder, or on the big overhead screens.
What you will experience: During our worship, you will hear that God loves you, and sent His Son, Jesus Christ to save you. You will hear that through songs, and lots of great Gospel! Children are invited to remain in church during our worship, although we do have a fully equipped and sound accessible nursery so you can sit with your child if necessary and not miss a thing! We NEVER ask anyone to take a child out of church. We have a children’s message for the kids during the service that often teaches a great lesson to adults as well. The Pastor will preach a 15 minute sermon based on the Scripture every week. We have Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper) on the first, third and fifth Sundays of each month. We ask that you speak to the pastor briefly before participating in this sacred act. ALL are invited to the Communion rail, and you will be given a blessing if you choose not to receive the Lord’s Supper.
What will NOT happen: You will not be singled out publicly (embarrassed) as a visitor. You will not be ignored by people. You will not be pressured to make a commitment to Christ (altar call) or to join the church. You will not be pressured into giving money. You will not see anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.