Got Questions?
Questions are the root of all answers. Don’t Be Shy!
WHO CAN COME TO YOUR SERVICE? WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
WHAT KIND OF SONGS DO YOU SING DURING THE SERVICES?
We love praising God and singing of his great love and redemption. During our services we sing songs of praise and worship, these include modern Christian songs and a hymn which is always a treasure trove of doctrinal truth.
How do you take offerings if there isn't one taken during THE SERVICE?
how does PRAYER fit into your CHURCH SERVICE?
During our service we use the Lord’s Prayer which was given by Jesus in Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13. We tend not to use personal prayer in public in order to prevent personal glorification or to be “seen of men” (Matthew 6:5) but rather we use personal prayer as a means of talking individually with God as Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 6:6. Often prayer points are given in the service to encourage the congregation in their personal prayer. With that being said, how each individual chooses to pray is their own decision and we respect each Christian’s view.
why are there so many BIBLE READINGs IN your SERVICES?
You may have noticed we use a lot of Bible readings during our services! This is because we come to church to learn the Word of God and apply it in every aspect of our lives. We use the King James Version in the service which may be a bit harder than other versions to understand. The reason for this is that it is one of the closest literal or word for word translations available.
I've noticed some members with long hair and BEARDS, how does this fit in?
Just as Samson, Samuel and many other Biblical leaders were instructed to keep their hair and beard, some members of the CI church choose this same dedication as an outward sign of their commitment to God. This is a personal choice and is similar in the Bible to when the Israelites undertook the Nazarite vow according to Numbers 6:1-21. Not shaving or cutting one’s hair was also a commandment given to the Israelite priests in Leviticus 19:27.
WHY ARE SOME MEMBERS VEGETARIAN?
There are many areas of the Old and New Testament that discuss diet. Dietary recommendations were given by God to the Israelites in the Old Testament (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14) and Christians in the New Testament were also instructed during the initial development of the Christian church to “abstain from things strangled and from blood” Acts 15:20, 29. We believe Gods instructions to his people were given with reason and for the benefit of those who kept them; it says in Deuteronomy 6:24 that God’s commands are “for our good always”. The food laws in the Old Testament outline which meats are considered clean and how best to prepare them for eating. It also outlines meats that are considered unclean which God said his people should not eat. Some members of the church try to follow the way of life that was outlined here by God, and Jesus having also kept these instructions is a great example to us (Galatians 4:4, 1 Peter 2:21). There are some members who decide to be fully vegetarian. One reason for this is that in the beginning when man was created in the garden of Eden, God gave man “every herb bearing seed… and every tree…for meat” Genesis 1:29-30. We believe the Bible instructs us to live a healthy lifestyle which is encouraged in God’s Laws and commands; diet is one part of this but once again it is a personal choice and not a requirement.
WHAT IS THE SABBATH?
One of the Ten Commandments is to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” Exodus 20:8. The Sabbath day was given to man as a day of rest and dedication to God; as God also rested on the seventh day of creation and blessed it. It goes on in Exodus 20:9-11 to further explain this. In the CI Church we have a split Sabbath, Friday and Sunday. This recognises the seventh day and the Christian Sabbath.
what do I wear to church?
There are a variety of clothes worn to the church service. It is completely up to each individual what they would like to wear. Some members choose to wear more formal clothing as a form of respect or to put on their best for God but many are more casual; either way we want you to feel comfortable coming along. The elders of the Church wear a uniform which helps identify them as leaders and Pastors of the Church – they are here to help so just ask if you have any questions or just want to talk.