10
Mar '16
Welcome
10
Mar '16
Hello!
Here’s what you might expect at BCC
What’s the Church Service Like?
Four words that come to mind are: Casual, Reformed, Friendly, and possiblyNoisy.
Casual – People tend to dress casually, but because there’s a nice variety of ages, you’ll see a mix of dress. So feel free to wear what’s comfortable, though we do encourage modesty… and pj’s are probably pushing it.
Reformed – Though we’re casual in dress, and don’t take ourselves too seriously (we like to have fun), we have a high view of God and His sovereignty. So, in the sermons, Sunday School curriculum, and other teachings, you’ll probably hear a very God-centered emphasis. If you’re not familiar with reformed theology, you can check out our beliefs page. Probably the best 20th century voice to explain reformed theology would be R. C. Sproul.
Friendly – Keeping an eye out for visitors, and getting to know each other has been a continual emphasis at BCC. Because God has called us a body, it’s obvious that we need to function as those who are connected to one another, and so being nice, and enjoying each other’s company becomes more than a social expectation, but a spiritual practice. So, expect people to greet you and make an effort to get to know you. One intentional way we encourage this is through our monthly (3rd Sunday) meals, after the 2nd service.
Noisy – Maybe. Not necessarily every week, but it’s a possibility because BCC loves and welcomes families that are affected by disability. So, as a body that includes and appreciates children with autism (and other disabilities) there may be an occasional screech or noise people aren’t accustomed to. Sadly, the majority of these families find it hard to come to a church, and many churches aren’t prepared with a program or team specifically designed for people with disabilities. So it’s a good challenge to the church body, and a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God, when we make efforts to consider others more significant than ourselves, and where we learn to practice the heart of Jesus, who said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God”
How About Worship?
The musical style is contemporary, but we are very intentional in the selection of songs that are God-centered, and theologically rich. With this in mind, we love to mix in rich, modernized hymns with some meatier contemporary songs.
What About the Kids?
Not only do we have Sunday School for all ages, but we believe we have the very best curriculum available. It’s great to learn the stories of the Bible, but one thing most curriculums do is moralize the story – making the emphasis something like, “Be nice,” or “Share,” or “Be brave like David.” Though there are benefits to following the examples of biblical heroes, this often misses the main point of God being the ultimate hero to sinful people, like us. Here’s a description of theChildren Desiring God Curriculum:
Children Desiring God exists to equip the body of Christ to spread to the next generations a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. Our aim is to impart to children a vision of God, who He is, and who we are in relation to Him, and to establish them with a foundation of doctrine and truth. We want them biblically grounded, seeing God as the hero of every story, with a God-centered world view and a faith that will hold them when the days of testing come. We want them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and to delight in Him forever.
Teens?
We use the CDG curriculum up to the 6th grade, and for teens we focus on a variety of subjects that are designed to equip them to deal with questions typically faced in college, and in our growingly skeptical society. Also, instead of a typical youth group with lots of activities and games, it’s our belief that a classroom setting focused on foundational subjects will better prepare our teens to learn as adults, instead of craving after more entertainment.
When is Sunday school?
Classes for all ages (including adults) take place during the 2nd service. Ideally, we encourage families to come to the 1st service so they can be a part of both worship, and Sunday School.
Why 2 Services?
One reason is that we’re too big to meet in one service, but another reason is that we encourage families to expose their children to both the preaching of God’s Word, as well as Sunday School. Having 2 services gives more people the option of doing both, as well as enabling our teachers to worship in the 1st service, before teaching during the 2nd.
When Do You Serve Communion?
We serve communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, but we only serve it during the beginning of the 2nd service. Look at the answer to our service structure to find out why we only do this in the 2nd service.
What’s the Structure of the
2 services?
If you come to the 1st service, we’ll encourage you to stay and visit with people coming for the 2nd service. Then we’ll sing some more (not a repeat set of the 1st service), have communion together (on 1st and 3rd Sundays), and then dismiss 1st service people before the 2nd sermon so they can either go home, or stay for one of the classes that happen during the 2nd service.
Our hope is to encourage the entire body to be together, as well as create an opportunity for people to both worship and be in a class.
Also, every 3rd Sunday of the month, we have a meal after the 2nd service.
