Preaching

The primary way every believer is discipled is though the weekly expository preaching of the Bible. Preaching is the most common means of grace by which God saves sinners and sanctifies saints. This is why discipleship will be greatly impacted by the amount of time spent under the faithful preaching of the word of God.

Sermons

Pastoral Discipleship Meetings

It is the goal of the Elders to meet with each household at least once a year to check on the spiritual growth of each member. These meetings are meant to strengthen the faith of each member and to help provide direction for further growth. Each meeting is usually scheduled according to household family units on an annual basis. The Membership Interview is your first Pastoral Discipleship Meeting. These meetings usually consist of four questions:

What is the gospel?
How have you seen the gospel transform your home in the last year?
What recent sermons have been most helpful?
What questions do you have for the Elders (Pastors)?

Prayer Meetings

Prayer is a critical part of the Christian walk. Without prayer, we are trying to walk by the flesh and not by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we set aside time specifically for the purpose of praying. At various times our church body will also fast together. This includes when we are considering a new Elder or Deacon, as well as other significant seasons in our church life. The Puritans would often discover future men for ministry based on their prayers offered at prayer meetings.

Small Groups

Mid-Week Small Groups

With members from all over Humboldt County we have established small groups to help minister to each other throughout the week. The purpose of these small groups is to encourage regular fellowship, discipleship, and one-another ministry among the members spread throughout Humboldt County. Further, it is more likely that a person will thrive and last longer in church if he or she is participating regularly in a small group.

Sunday School (Adults & Kids)

Our Sunday School program is designed to disciple participants in studying and obeying the Bible. We have the following opportunities.

Journey through the Bible (JTTB)

These classes are meant to survey the entire Bible every three years. Each class is age-appropriate and is studying the same lesson. By having all JTTB classes learn the same lesson, parents are better equipped to continue evangelizing and discipling their children at home. As mentioned previously, it is more likely that a person will thrive and last longer in church if he or she is participating regularly in a small group.

Children Classes (Babies – 6th Grade)

Our children’s classes are taught by teachers who love Jesus and love their students. Any adult working with a minor is required to fill out an application and pass a

background check.

Adults and Youth

Our adults and youth can pick between the JTTB classes or the Christian Ministry Training Classes. These are also on a three-year cycle.

Christian Ministry Training (CMT)

At some point every believer must transition from being discipled to making disciples. The CMT modules are an excellent way to prepare for this. These 13-week modules provide a brief survey of the fundamentals of the Christian life and faith. They are meant to provide every member with basic information needed to grow and disciple others in the faith. Although everybody is encouraged to attend, participation is required for all Elers, Deacons, teachers, and ministry leaders. CMT is available for youth and adults during Sunday School. The modules are listed below.

Parathou

Parathou is the Greek word for the command to “entrust.” Based on 2 Timothy 2:1, Parathou has two types of men in mind. First and foremost, Parathou has churchmen in mind. These are men who desire to pour into the church; men who want to be better equipped to serve God and serve his people. Secondly, Parathou is designed for men who aspire to the office of Elder/Overseer. It must be clearly stated that participation in Parathou is not a guarantee or promise that you will become an Elder. However, it is designed to lead men in that direction.

Private Worship, Family Worship. and Spiritual Disciplines

Every member must be committed to taking responsibility for his own spiritual growth. This is learned from others but then practiced in private. Therefore, each member should look to find ways to have regular time of Private Worship. This includes time in the word (Read), time praying (Pray), and even time of singing (Sing). These three elements are also useful to incorporate into times of Family Worship. Each household should set aside daily or weekly time to worship together (read, sing, pray).

Spiritual disciplines are to be learned and practiced throughout our entire Christian walk. Reading the Bible daily is the most basic spiritual discipline, but there are many others to learn as well. The Corporate Worship, Pastoral Discipleship Meetings, Prayer, mid-week small groups, and the CMT Classes will help every member learn how to grow in their walk with Christ. By spending time in private worship, family worship, and corporate worship, as well as practicing Spiritual disciplines, we ensure that our private life and our public life both reflect Christlikeness.

Parent Training Classes

These bi-monthly classes are designed to equip and encourage parents who take seriously their responsibility to educate their children. Any and all parents are encouraged to participate (parents of homeschoolers, private schoolers, public schoolers, and future schoolers).