What to expect (Sunday Morning Worship)

Here's what to expect when you visit our gathering on Sunday morning.

Profile

We believe that the church should not be made up of a single, homogenous group, but should be as diverse as the community in which it is located. In fact, we want to look as much like heaven as possible. That's why we welcome and encourage people of any age or race, or from any walk of life, to visit with us. You'll find both young and old gladly worshipping and serving the Lord side by side at Forest Baptist Church (FBC). Sunday morning worship attendance is between 300 and 400 people between our two services. Dress tends to be business-casual, though you can find anything from khakis to suits, from dress shoes to sneakers. (The pastor and church leaders wear suits and ties.) Our people are friendly, but with many visitors each week, we encourage you to be bold and introduce yourself.

Family Matters

We provide safe, dependable childcare in our nursery for children from birth to age five. The youngest classes provide vibrating pagers to give parents peace of mind (although any parent is welcome to one). We provide Children's Church, ages kindergarten through forth grade, as a place where kids can learn about Jesus and God's Word in a biblical, enjoyable, and age-appropriate way. Parents pick up their children immediately after the service.

Music

The music we sing at FBC is a blend of old and new. We love the doctrinally rich hymns of the sixteenth century and we find blessing in the choruses of the twenty-first, although we intentionally emphasize content over and above style. We focus on being God-centered rather than man-centered. Our music ministry includes a small orchestra and multi-voice choir. We strongly prefer congregational singing, which emphasizes the gathered body singing praise to God and which also represents the unity and common faith that we have in Christ.

Service

Our services formally begin at 8:30am and 11:00am, led most often by our pastor or a staff member. We begin by sharing announcements and upcoming opportunities, followed by the singing of several songs, offering prayers of praise and confession to God, hearing Scripture read, enjoying special music, giving our offerings, and listening to God's Word proclaimed.

Sermons

Preaching at FBC is primarily expositional, meaning that it seeks to declare the point of a particular Bible passage. Sermons usually last between 30-45 minutes. Our pastor's passion in preaching is for biblical accuracy to shape contemporary life. Our pastor regularly alternates preaching between the Old and New Testaments including doctrinal and practical emphasis. All preaching is gospel-driven and Christ-centered.

Post Sermon

We provide people with an opportunity respond to the message at the end while the congregation sings a closing hymn of dedication. The pastor and other capable counselors are available, near the platform, for those who would like to come forward for prayer, guidance, or to join the church in membership. Though the service soon ends, usually the fellowship and encouragement follow us as we depart and anticipate gathering together again.