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Many in America are searching for a church. The confusion and division in the religious world has resulted in many names and creeds. The Picayune Church of Christ meets with a great desire to adhere to the simplicity of God’s word and it’s truth. Outwardly, we preach the good news of the cross to the lost and minister its grace to those who are hurting. Inwardly, we seek to encourage one another to live the crucified life of holiness in the power of the Holy Spirit. Upwardly, we worship and glorify God for who He is and all He has done in us through the cross.
We are just Christians who have committed ourselves to standing under the cross of Christ and who have joined Jesus there through the response of baptism. We have no creed but Christ, accept no book but the Bible, and wear no name but Christian. We believe that when we follow the Bible only, we will be Christians only.
The goal of our congregation may be simply stated to lead the lost to the cross of Jesus Christ in obedience to the gospel. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Romans 1:16; Mark 16:15)
Things We Do When We Assemble
Our assembly is intended to lift up and admonish one another in the true spirit of God’s redeemed people. Please, join us in worshipping God. After our worship time together, remain for a few minutes so the brethren can introduce themselves to you and thank you for being with us. It is important to us that you have chosen to worship God; we are honored by your presence.
Seating: There are no "reserved seats." Feel free to sit anywhere you wish. Prayer: All of our services will include a time of prayer. As believers we are confident that speaking with God often is the best way to acknowledge our dependence upon His care and to be the kind of followers that He has called us to be.
Scripture Reading: Just as we take the time for speaking to God through the avenue of prayer, we believe that it is equally important to read from the Bible in the assembly. The Bible teaches that God’s word saves (James 1:21); therefore, we need to be reminded of the messages that He has left for us in his word.
Singing: Singing is a very important part of our collective worship, and we strive to do just as we are told in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 when the apostle Paul said, "Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord." In the assembly we sing acapella (without instrumental accompaniment) and congregational (we don't have a choir to sing to us). We hope that you will join with us in our song service and enjoy the singing of these praises from the heart.
Lord’s Supper: Each first day of the week we gather together to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. The communion service is participated in by all of those wishing to remember the gift of God’s Son and the willingness of Jesus to die for us. It is observed, as it was on the night that our Savior was betrayed. The bread is representative of the body of Christ and the fruit of the vine is representative of His blood that was given to cleanse us of our sins (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).Sermon: The teaching from God’s word is designed to encourage you in the ways of righteousness. All of our teaching is centered around the text of the Bible and is for communicating the reality of God’s good news (Romans 1:16-17; 10:17).Invitation: At the conclusion of each sermon message an invitation is given. Those desiring to become Christians are invited to come forward and let their desires be known. One who believes in Christ (Hebrews 11:6), repents of his sins (Luke 13:3), confesses Christ and is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38), is therefore forgiven of their sins and given the Holy Spirit to indwell them. Then according to scripture, God at this point adds them to the church (Acts 2:47). However, this action is voluntary on the part of the one desiring to become a Christian. You will never be singled out for public attention or embarrassment. The invitation period is only one of many opportunities to obey the gospel. One can become a Christian anytime of day or night by being immersed in the name of Jesus Christ.
How We Function
Elders are the overseers or shepherds of the local congregation. The basis for elders is found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. As a church we are autonomous; we do not have a national board, but proclaim Jesus Christ as our head.
The preacher’s primary responsibility is the continued in-depth study and teaching of God’s word. You will notice that the emphasis placed on the study of the Bible is of great interest to both the elders and the ministerial staff (2 Timothy 4:2).The congregation is also divided into many ministries that are directed by appointed deacons. The basis for this is found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. The focus of our ministries is two fold: First, our effort is to look outwardly to the opportunities around us to assist and lead people to the saving gospel. Secondly, our ministries look inwardly at our own church family and their unique needs. Finding ways to involve each member in God’s work so as to create hope and love that causes them to stand fast in the faith until the coming of our Lord.
Programs Of Interest
We are strong believers in the continued teaching and education of the youth in our congregation and of the community. For this reason, we at the Picayune Church of Christ put a special emphasis on our youth programs.
The entire Bible school curriculum for our children’s and youth classes is designed to fit the needs of our own congregation and community. We believe that our Bible school classes provide a comprehensive and chronological study of the Bible. A wide range of ministries provides opportunities to lift up the name of Jesus Christ in Picayune. Benevolence, mission efforts, encouraging the local community, youth activities are but a few areas of involvement.
You And Your Family Are Important To Us
Hopefully you can see by this brief introduction that your entire family is important to us. You will find a genuine concern for all people. Certainly, we are not aware of specific needs in your life. It is our desire to encourage everyone we can in a faithful relationship with God, and as is within our ability to meet all the needs of all that come our way that we might continue expanding our ministries in areas that will bring others closer to Christ. If you have any questions or concerns about our fellowship, please feel at ease in speaking with any Christian at the Picayune Church of Christ. For parents with young children, we want to encourage a positive, Christian environment. Our congregation is a mixture of young and old...we are a church family.
In The Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through
Him." (John 3:16-17)
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