Many people have questions about church, religion, beliefs, and how any or all of that might apply to them. Here are a few questions you might have:
I haven’t been to church for a long time. Would it be ok for me to attend a service?
Yes. Absolutely. There is no age or time limit on when one must start or finish attending church.
I’ve never gone to church, except maybe on Christmas. Why do people go to church? Should I go to church? Which church? Why are there so many religions?
People attend church because the Bible encourages us to gather in groups. We’re stronger when we’re sharing in God’s love. We learn from our Pastors and from one another.
Will people expect me to give money? How should I dress?
People give money because they want to help the church and others. There is no requirement. When Jesus was born, the lowliest of the lowly were his first visitors – the shepherds in the fields. There is no dress code. However, there is reverence in God’s house. Historically, people chose to show reverence by dressing nicely.
Is religion just for old people?
No. Religion is for all. Everyone. All nations, all peoples.
What’s a liturgy?
It is the ancient order of service, which has a number of different sections. Some are for prayer, some for thanks, others for song. Some are for asking for forgiveness. The liturgy changes depending on the time of year. For example, the liturgy at Christmas is slightly different than the liturgy at Easter.
Is the Bible real? Who says so? Should I care? Why?
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, as he instructed the authors of the various Books of the Bible to record His words. We believe that the Bible is inerrant. We believe that having a foundation for one’s life is necessary and important. We find that foundation in the Bible – in the Word of God.
The world is a mess. I don’t think there is a God. How do I know if God is real? Should I care if He’s real?
This is an age-old question. We believe in creation. A world created by God, the Father Almighty, as recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament. We see God all around us. We see Him in our blue planet. We see him in the smallest physics particles. We see His work in photosynthesis and human veins and arteries. We believe that God created Adam, and Eve from Adam.
People talk about heaven and hell. Are they real? How do I find out?
Why do churches talk about sin? I haven’t killed anyone. I don’t steal. I’m a good person. I don’t think I sin. I’m pretty sure I’m going to heaven. Am I right about that?
The Ten Commandments are from a long time ago. Do they still matter? I don’t live 3,000 years ago. I live now. Why should I care about what someone thought so long ago?
Biblical stories are pertinent for our lives today. Stealing was wrong then and it’s wrong now. Forgiveness mattered then, and it matters now. People behaved well and badly then as they do now. We believe that we cannot save ourselves. We can only avoid hell and eternal damnation by grace and faith alone. Not good works. Not by being a good person. We live in hope because we have faith in the saving grace of our heavenly Father, his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit who enables us in faith and belief.
Who are the people in the Bible? I see paintings in museums of people with names like Mark, Peter, Mary and Joseph. And lots of paintings of people called “Saint” something or other. Were those people real? What’s a saint?
The Bible is an immensely important historical document. It records the lives of real people. It records events. In the Old Testament, Egypt, for example, is prominent. It’s the same Egypt we know today. The lands of the ancient peoples have occasionally changed names, for example, we no longer have a land of the Edomites or Moabites, but the land areas are there, currently as Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and other Middle East countries.