What To Expect
Sunday Morning Worship
Profile
Age-wise, we are diverse. Our congregation is small, yet growing and vibrant. We are a come as you are congregation, but believe our dress code should be God-honoring and modest so as not to detract from the worship service. We are friendly and will greet you before, during, and after worship. Do not be bashful, we want to get to know you and for you to feel at home.
In our main seating area, we have no COVID-related guidelines or restrictions. If you are uncomfortable choosing a seat, our ushers will help.
Beginning
On Sunday morning at 11:00am, people begin to pour into the facility, greeting one another, finding their seats, and often perusing the program or their Bible. Following that, we begin our Sunday morning service at 11:30am. The musicians will typically play some instrumentals while members are finding their seats and to prepare our hearts for worship.
Music
The music we sing at FBCOG is a blend of old and new. We love the doctrinally rich
hymns of the sixteenth century and often include a hymn in our program and sing an array of hymns that are well-known in the congregation. Do not feel embarrassed if you do not recognize a song or tune. Keep coming and you will become familiar with them. We also enjoy a variety of contemporary worship songs centered on the message of the gospel. This ranges from gospel quartet music to contemporary hymns (e.g. Chris Tomlin, Shane & Shane) to larger gospel choir music. We strongly prefer congregational singing, which emphasizes the gathered body singing praise to God with one voice, over performed music, which tends to spotlight the abilities of some while encouraging passivity in the rest. So expect to stand with us a congregation and sing praises to our God.
Body of Service
Our service formally begins at 11am, and involves our devotion time of
prayer, scripture reading(s), and songs. You will also hear testimonials from individuals regarding their salvation experiences and blessings of the week. We also give our offerings and tithes during this time.
Sermons
Preaching at FBCOG is Spirit-led and because the Spirit has gifted the body with varying talents – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – the sermon styles also vary. We preach expositionally, meaning that we seek to declare the point of a particular Biblical passage without violating its context. We also preach topically, meaning that we may rightfully divide the Scripture by using multiple passages to convey a major scriptural truth or concept (e.g. faith, obedience, prayer, etc.). There are also teaching sermons, where the Pastor or Elder may pause for questions or use a more deliberative approach so the congregation leaves edified. Regardless of the style, all preaching is driven by the Gospel and rooted in the inspired Word of God. Sermons usually last from 45 minutes to an hour and are packed with material for reflection. Our goal is to declare the Bible’s main message of God saving sinners through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Post Sermon
We hear announcements of upcoming events or outreach activities and sing a final song together. Afterward you will notice members hugging, laughing, and sharing. Thirty minutes later, you might still find folks talking over the sermon and events of the past week.
Sunday Evening Praise & Prayer
Our church praise and prayer times combine singing, sharing and prayer. We come together at 5pm to lift up our praise to God in song, generally singing from our hymnals for about fifteen minutes. After one of our pastors leads us in a brief prayer, we hear matters for prayer from both our corporate and individual lives, including things like evangelistic efforts, special needs, and birth and wedding announcements. We then lift up our petitions and praises to God.
Once we’ve prayed together, a leader in the church gives a brief devotional on a biblical text relating to the morning’s message. These talks are weighted toward application in the life of the believer and the church. The service concludes by singing a hymn and reflecting on God’s Word.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Members and visitors assemble for an inductive Bible study in which we think through a small passage of Scripture together. Bible study begins at 8pm. Our deacons will open with prayer and a brief reading. Our congregation will sing two songs together. Afterward one of our pastors will then launch into our study of the Word, asking three questions of the text:
- What does it say?
- What does it mean?
- What does it mean for me?
This method not only helps us learn how to apply particular passages to our lives, but also teaches us how to study the Bible in our private devotions.
Our Bible studies end around 9pm with a closing song and we are dismissed.
Friday Night Worship
Friday nights are a time for us to come together and praise God for carrying us and our families through another work or school week. Though our bodies may be tired from a week’s worth of activities, our spirits are ready to worship God. We enter the sanctuary on Friday nights with thanksgiving and praise. The song selection is lively and upbeat. The sermons are typically boisterous and resounding declaring something powerful about the Glory of God and our lives lived in admiration of Him. You will experience prayer, praise, a testimony or two, and most importantly the Word of God. Many use Fridays as time to unwind, relax, and others even to let loose. For us, Friday nights are a time to avoid drifting into idle time and to focus our energies constructively on the source of life and strength – the Lord Jesus Christ – for it is in Him that will live and have our being.