About us

Who we are

As of March, 2007 there are about twenty Christians who make up this congregation in Jay. There are more than just
twenty members of the church in Jay, but many worship and work with congregations in Century, Milton, and other
nearby towns.

By "members of the church" we mean individuals who have had their sins washed away as a result of believing and
obeying the gospel. The Lord adds all such individuals to his church (Acts 2:36-47). By "Christians" we mean the
same. Any distinction between a Christian and a member of the church is a distinction not made by the Bible.

We are simply one congregation among many that make up the church of the Lord Jesus. We come together from
different places and backgrounds, young and old, to worship, fellowship, and work, so that one day we will be among
the saved of the kingdom who are taken home to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).

Statement of belief

We have no "statement of belief," "declaration of faith," "discipline," "manual," "prayer book," or any other type of
creed. We believe the Bible. The gospel is our "statement of belief," our creed. Why should we have an official
statement enumerating our beliefs or positions on Bible matters when the Bible has already spoken? We have no
"official church doctrine", just the gospel of Christ. We simply accept it as truth and do our best to teach it faithfully
and accurately to others.

It is strange that "Christians" would even find it necessary to have an official creed or similar statement when it
should suffice us to say, "the Bible teaches..." or "according to Scripture..." Creeds and statements of faith found
among denominations are essentially an admission that they (the various denominations) are not of one faith, and
that they do not and cannot all adhere to and follow the same gospel. When asked what the church of Christ or "our
church" believes and teaches on a given issue, our response should simply be, "the Bible teaches..." or "this is what
the word of God says on this matter..." This does not mean that we are infallible in our handling of God's word; it
simply means that we can find no use for "official church teachings" external to the New Testament of Jesus Christ.

Why "the church of Christ?"

When people obey the gospel, God adds them to the church (Acts 2:47). As many as are Christians are members of
the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). The word "church" in the New Testament is from a Greek word which
literally means "called out," and was especially used to denote an assembly or congregation of special citizens. In this
case, the special citizens are Christians (cf. Philippians 3:21 - "conversation/citizenship"); our assembly belongs to
the firstborn, Jesus (Hebrews 12:23). Thus, the assembly of Christ, the church of Christ (Romans 16:16), the church
of God (1 Corinthians 1:2), the kingdom of God's son (Colossians 1:13), the family of God (1 Timothy 3:15), and the
body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) are all apt ascriptions of the body of believers who are saved in Christ. Though no
ascription or description of God's people should be used in exclusion to others--each signifies a special aspect or
feature of the church--perhaps the simplest, most to-the-point way to refer to the body of the saved is "the church of
Jesus Christ." Regardless of which Scriptural description or designation of the church is used, of this you can be sure:
no obedient child of God will ever wear the name of a man or theological tradition rather than the name of the one
who bought us with his blood and into whom we were baptized (1 Corinthians 1:12-13; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25;
Galatians 3:27).

Worship

When you visit the worship assemblies of the church at Jay, you can expect to find worship that is God-centered and
Bible-based. In accordance with the instruction of the New Testament, each Sunday we partake of the Lord's Supper
(Acts 20:7) and take up a collection for the work of the church (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). In addition, we worship God
and edify each other through prayer, singing praises and spiritual songs, and listening to the Word of God read and
proclaimed. Though the Christian life in general is viewed by God as an offering, or worship (Romans 12:1-2), these
five acts are the only prescribed avenues through which we approach the throne of God in special worship.

Bible Classes

This congregation places a premium upon building up current and potential members in the knowledge of God's
word. In addition to conducting Bible classes for one hour of the Sunday assembly (10:00 AM), we currently meet
each Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM to study. Men and women, and boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds are
invited to attend our Bible classes. We are not opposed to wholesome recreation or entertainment, but our Bible
classes are just that--Bible classes. When you attend classes with this congregation, your focus will be directed
toward the Bible and spiritual things.

Works

It is God's desire that the body of Christ be involved in his work (1 Corinthians 15:58). In addition to helping the
suffering and needy, and taking care of and strengthening our own members, it is the work of Christ's church to be
the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15) and to teach the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:4).

We strive to make these works our priority. Specific works in which the church at Jay is now involved in supporting
include:

1. The preaching of the gospel in India through Dean Crutchfield and
native Indian evangelists.
2. Both the physical and spiritual caretaking of orphans in India.
3. The Northwest Florida School of Biblical Studies in Cantonment, FL.
4. Several TV and radio preaching programs.
5. House to House/Heart to Heart community mailout.

Becoming a member

To become a member of the body of Christ, one must believe the gospel with all their heart (Mark 16:15-16; John
8:24; Romans 1:16), repent of sin (Luke 13:3; Acts 11:18; 17:30), confess the name of Christ (Romans 10:9-10),
and be baptized in water (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Galatians 3:27). When these aspects of the gospel are obeyed,
there is no vote taken by the church, no screening committee used to verify status, no public testimonial required,
and no probationary or trial membership period--GOD adds such individuals to HIS church (cf. Acts 2:36-47). Obeying
the gospel, or becoming a Christian, makes one a member of the "assembly of the firstborn" (Hebrews 11:23), the
"church of God" (1 Corinthians 1:2), the "body of Christ" (Ephesians 5:23). Man can do nothing to force or prohibit
entrance thereinto.

As for becoming a member of this particular congregation, which is but one in the universal body of Christ, we make
no special demands. It is simply necessary that one has obeyed the gospel--that is, one must in fact be a Christian--is
willing to be an active worker and contributor, and is not living in sin. [Each congregation must deal with their own
members living in sin--such individuals cannot be allowed to remain with us and corrupt the church (1 Corinthians
5).]

Youth

We are concerned about our youth. We certainly do not emphasize their needs to the exclusion of other age groups,
but we do recognize that young people require special attention. We do what we can to accomodate that, but, at the
same time, we refuse to rearrange the biblical pattern for worship, compromise morality on the premise of special
circumstances, or cater to every desire or interest of young people; these are not options. Youth need the Bible, they
need Christian fellowship, they need good influences and examples, they need to be involved, they need support and
encouragement, and they need a loving family. We do what we can to provide these for them. We do not expect
them to be adults, nor do we consider them incapable of learning or contributing in the church. Believe it or not, we
believe that even above providing physical sustinence and comfort to needy youth there is a need on their part for the
gospel. We will be more proud of our young people for their being knowledgeable in the Scriptures, pure in conduct,
pleasant in spirit, and faithful in obedience to God than we will for their winning basketball games or having a blast at
an amusement park. We want our youth to grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, and socially (cf. Luke 2:52). It is
the primary responsibility of parents to oversee and direct this growth in the lives of their children; that does not
always happen, though, and where parents fail in these areas, individual Christians and the church as a whole should
be ready and willing to provide support and strength.