Questions and Answers

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What does The Worship Center believe?

The short answer is, "we believe the Bible." Specifically, we believe in:

• The Holy Trinity
• The Deity of Christ
• The Virgin Birth
• The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit
• The Verbal Inspiration, Inerrancy and Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures
• The Genesis Account of Creation
• Justification by Faith
• The Blood Atonement
• The Necessity of Repentance and the New Birth
• The Free Will of Man
• The Necessity of Perseverance and a Holy Life
• The Great Commission
• The Second Coming of Christ
• The Resurrection of the Body
• The Eternal Bliss of the Saved in Heaven
• An Eternal Hell for the Unsaved

I bet you guys talk about Jesus and God and stuff like that!

Hello?!? No kidding, what did you think, this is a coffee house or something? We do like a good cup of coffee, but we believe that God is more important than the best Jamaican Blue Mountain brew. In fact we think that having God as the primary focus in our lives is the key to having a successful life. Not just for ourselves, but for our families and our careers as well. And we think coming to know what God wants for us is a life long journey. It's not magic or all that mystical, but based on what we see, it makes good sense to put God first.

Are you guys Born Again types?

We don't know if there IS a "born again type." If you mean are we negative, critical, judgmental and all that, the answer is a loud, NO!"

But, if you mean what Jesus mean by being "born again," in John 3:3, the answer is a loud, "YES!" He said we MUST be born again, if we expect to get to Heaven. In fact, He went on to say that, unless we are born again, we wouldn't be able to even see the Kingdom of Heaven.

It's like saying that a blind person can't enjoy a sunset. Without eyes, a person isn't even equipped to experience the beauty of a sunset. To experience Heaven in your life now and for eternity, you need the equipment: a born again spirit.

Comment by Pastor Steve: "I was  raised Methodist, joined the church when I was twelve. But I wasn't born again. I just took the classes and memorized the answers to the questions they ask. When I got into High School, I started getting in trouble and heading for more trouble, so my parents sent me to the local Roman catholic school. They told us there that the Roman Catholic church was the oldest church, the mother of all churches, and that all the other ones were pale imitations of the real thing - protestant churches didn't even exist until the 15th century. SO, we should stick with the original. Besides, if we quit the Catholic church to become "non-Catholics," it would be a "mortal sin,"  meaning we'd go to hell. I didn't get born again until I was about 17, and heard the plain Gospel in an Assemblies of God church."

For several years ,I played Christian music in a variety of churches across the country. I found that there were people who loved Jesus in all of them - as well as a few sorehead types in all of them! So, it wasn't the denomination or lack of it tat made the difference, it was the level of yieldedness to the Lord. That's what makes the difference.

So, actually, the "born-againers" were around before the Catholic church. Jesus talks about being born again as early as the third chapter of the Gospel of John. So, we stick with the real original, from the mouth of Jesus Himself. We're born again - and loving it!

You say "We're not just another church," what's your point?

First off, our congregation is made up of a diverse group of folks coming from a variety of backgrounds. Some were raised Catholic, some Pentecostal and Charismatic, others come from AME, COGIC, Baptist and some grew up Methodist, and a whole lot were raised with no religious background. Lots of us never went to church. Some of us weren't comfortable with the stiff judgmental church we grew up with as kids and we wanted something more spiritual, yet loving and active, for ourselves and our families. 

 If you want a traditional Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic or non-denominational whatever church, there's plenty of those around already. We are more concerned with building a community of loving and caring people, than a "church". We place an emphasis on getting our lives "right" and having the right priorities in life; not telling you "what's wrong" with your life. 

How come The Worship Center isn't an independent church? Isn't that the only way the Holy Spirit can really be free to move in a church?

No! Here's why. There are nearly THREE HUNDRED (count 'em, 300!!!) denominations in the United States! If out of all those groups of people confessing to love the Lord, we couldn't find even ONE group we agreed with, it would say that WE have a problem! If we can't find even ONE group that we could believe the Holy Spirit could speak to us through, it would mean we have a FAITH problem.

Many times, a church chooses to be "independent" not so much because the Holy Spirit told them to, but because, maybe the Pastor doesn't want  anyone to tell him (or her) what to do. When there is no higher authority in the church than the Pastor, it MIGHT be a sign that you'd better do what he says or else! (Somebody said, "When there is no higher authority in the church than the local pastor, grab your wallet and run!" See below!) We're not saying that, but it has been said.

We believe very strongly in being connected to other likeminded fellowships and to be under the guidance of Spirit led godly elders. We are a part of the Southern Methodist Church, which should not to be confused with the United Methodist Church. The Southern Methodist Church is an evangelical Gospel preaching, Bible believing, soul winning fellowship of Believers!

I want a church where I fit in, where my family and I feel at home. What's the chances of that at The Worship Center?

We won't tell you to "take your shoes off and sit a spell,"  but The Worship Center does have a unique "feel" that is hard to describe. People say they sense it from their first visit; almost like they've "come home". It is a warm and friendly atmosphere--o.k., I'll say it:  it's a feeling of "family". Many people that have moved out of the area tell us they just can't find another church with the same sense of family as The Worship Center.  If you give us a try you might just feel at home. Or, you might find that you're MORE accepted and cared for here than you are at home!

You'll also like our worship style. We don't sound like a night club or disco, but we also don't sound like a funeral service. And, the ministry of the Word here is awesome. While our pastors, are well trained and educated, they also are just a regular people like you and me. They know how tough it is "out there in the world"; the sort of stuff we put up with at work everyday. The messages and Bible studies are aimed toward how we can have the lives God meant for us to have, by using the principles of His word in our everyday lives. 

I don't really need church, but I think it's time I get my kids there

It probably is time for your kids to get to church and Sunday School. We have an excellent children's program with lots of little rug rats scurrying about. We also have a pretty intense Teens Group, who deal with the real issues in their class. Of course we have a nursery (for small kids, not plants), Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Children's Special Events.

That all sounds great, but I better watch my wallet -- all churches really want is my money, right?

No. We don't want your money, we want YOU. Actually, what we are interested in is your relationship with God and God's people. But you aren't alone if you don't like to talk about God and money in the same breath.  Why?  In many "ministries" especially the ones you see on TV, it seems like ALL they talk about is M-O-N-E-Y.

And while a lot of people think "money is a private matter" or "that's between me and God", too often we think these things to ourselves primarily to avoid the greater issue:  The truth of the matter is that God and the Bible have a whole lot to say about money--and we don't often like what it has to say!  One scholar pointed out that Jesus spoke as much about money as he did about love.  Why? Because you can tell a whole lot about what a person thinks is important in life by how they spend their money...

At The Worship Center we believe we should all be working toward developing a good habit of tithing -- it's what God expects.

We have some resources that help explain what we mean:

Frankly, one of the biggest issues we all have is trying to figure out how to give money to the church when we are all under lots of pressure from our other financial commitments.  Not only that, but most of us really don't have a clue as to what is expected!  Here is one proven method that has been very helpful to many of us. Read our page called How Much Should I be Giving??

So, I won't be getting a bunch of weird "new age" teachings or just "feel good" stuff?

Right! You're catching on! At The Worship Center, you and your family can rest assured that you'll be taught the Bible as it is, with no apologies or "explaining away." You'll receive the practical truths of the Scriptures in an easy to understand, down-to-earth format. Kids, teens and adults enjoy and understand Dr. Steve's awesome Powerpoint sermons that bring the truths of the Scriptures to life.

Do you have programs for children and teenagers?

The Kids and Teens will be thrilled with the special ministry designed just for them. They'll make new friends and grow closer to the Lord through the teen's fellowship, Choir, Sunday evening kid's clubs, Sunday School and Children's Church.

How can I fit worship services into my busy schedule?

Since your life is crowded with so many time constraints and demands, we offer a variety of service times. This means, you can be involved no matter what your schedule is. On Sundays, there are Worship Services at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.. Sunday School classes for all ages are held at 10 a.m.. Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., you will enjoy the Interactive Bible Study, where each person is free to participate, comment and share.

You won't have to wait several weeks before you feel like you "fit in." After every evening service, you'll meet and mingle with other people during the Coffee Socials. These are where new friends are found, often forming lifelong relationships. You'll also learn how to manage your life according to the principles of the Bible.

OK, I'm sold. How do I get to The Worship Center?

(Click here for map and directions.)