Background
A brief description of our background may help you understand us. Our goal is to restore the New Testament church in our time—to determine from the Bible what the church was like in the beginning, and to be like that. We believe this is a worthy and reverent goal.

We want to be a Bible-centered church. And we try to be. Yet we know that our conclusions aren’t flawless, and that our practices are sometimes colored by habit, preference, tradition, or convenience.

Our local congregation, the Westside church of Christ, was established in November 1944, during that time to provide a place of worship for members living on the west side of Muskogee. Currently, we have members from all over the area. Members have come and gone through the years, but one thing has remained constant–the desire to remain faithful to the commandments of God’s Word. Let our daily priority be to remain the friends of Christ by following his commandments. May we give of our time, talents, and resources unselfishly and cheerfully to the service of the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation.

The People
What kind of people can you expect to find here? You will see the entire spectrum, as in any group. We’re a diverse group, coming from varied backgrounds, and at different stages of knowledge, age and spiritual growth.

We do not know everything. We may not do everything right. We haven’t arrived; we’re just on the journey. You see, we are not brought together by any illusion of our own perfection or our own righteousness. We are brought together by our recognition that we are sinners and need the cleansing blood of Jesus (Romans 5, 1 John 1).

That is the reason we can worship together, and with God’s help, accomplish the things that make a difference.

You won’t have to look very far to find our failures, but the bottom line is you will find people here who love Jesus and love the Bible.

For seekers of God’s grace and truth who are not yet to the point of commitment, we offer personal Bible study and spiritual guidance in making faith real and expressing that faith in obedience (Hebrews 11:6).

Now, let us walk you through a worship service.

The Setting
Some churches of Christ meet in homes or rented facilities. However, most, for the sake of convenience, have erected a church building.

There will be rows of chairs or pews for the worshipers in the auditorium. There are no reserved seats, so feel free to sit anywhere you choose.

Prayers
There will be several prayers during the service led by the men of the congregation. There may be prayers for specific needs and requests.

Singing
The singing will be a cappella (without instruments) and everyone is invited to participate. In a bookrack near you, there will be a hymnbook for your use. The song leader will announce the song number so you can find the words and music.

Lord’s Supper
If you visit on a Sunday morning, the Lord’s Supper will be included in the worship proceedings because we observe this memorial every Sunday.

Again, the reason for this is our desire to follow New Testament teaching. The first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). This indicates they did it the first day of every week. Also, we know from respected historians that in early centuries the Lord’s Supper was observed as a commemoration every Sunday.

During this memorial, plates containing pieces of unleavened bread will be passed throughout the congregation. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus (I Corinthians 11:23-25). Each participating person will break off a piece of the bread and eat it.

Next, trays filled with small cups will be distributed. The cups will contain “fruit of the vine” (grape juice) symbolizing the blood of Jesus. Each participant will drink the contents of one of the cups.

If you choose not to participate, don’t be embarrassed. Feel free to just pass the plate or tray to the person next to you.

Offering
At some point in the service, trays will be passed to collect the weekly financial offering (I Corinthians 16:1-2). As our guest, you are not expected to make a donation. Feel perfectly comfortable in just passing the collection plate on down the row.

Preaching
You will notice that the preacher doesn’t have a title. He won’t be referred to as Pastor or Reverend. He will probably be referred to a brother, minister, or possibly just called by his first name. He won’t be wearing any ecclesiastical vestments which set him apart.

The reason for this is our belief in the priesthood of all believers. That all are equal. The sermon will likely be from 20 to 30 minutes. We think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered (Matthew 23:8-12; Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Peter 2:5, 9).

Invitation
At the close of the sermon, the preacher will “extend an invitation.” This is simply an convenient time to invite those who are moved to do so to make a commitment to Christ or request prayer support to come foreward as the congregation sings a hymn.

Don’t feel ill-at-ease during this invitation. You will not be singled out in anyway. There may be several who respond or none. Some may respond for baptism. Some to confess sins. Some to ask for prayer for a specific need. Some to “identify” or “place membership” with this church.

If there is a baptism during this service, the baptism will be by immersion. And it will be for the remission of sins (Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12, Acts 2:38).

What Will Be Expected of You if You Visit
Nothing at all! You are welcome to participate. But don’t feel obligated to. Just observe, if that is your choice.

You may be asked to fill out a Visitor’s Card. This simply provides information so the church can write or call to thank you for your visit. Supply the information if you are comfortable doing so. But feel free to decline this request if you prefer.

(Adapted from a tract by Joe R. Barnett)