helpful information
What are your worship services like?
Worship services at Emmanuel Baptist Church are simple and focus on the ordinary means of grace. A typical Lord's Day service includes the singing of hymns and songs of praise, public prayer, public Scripture reading, the giving of tithes and offerings, and the expository preaching of God's Word. The morning worship service normally lasts about 90 minutes, and the evening service about 75 minutes. On the first Sunday of every month, in lieu of an evening service, we have a fellowship meal following our morning service, and then gather to welcome new members, celebrate the Lord's Supper, and baptize new believers as the glad occasion arises.
How are people expected to dress at your worship services?
We do not have a dress code at Emmanuel Baptist Church, however, we do believe that we should all seek to dress modestly and with the recognition that we are engaging in something of unique importance when we draw near to God to worship Him. Our pastors usually wear a suit and tie, and while some of the other men do likewise, many do not. The women wear dresses, skirts, and pants. You will be welcomed at EBC regardless of your attire.
What Bible version do you use in worship?
The pastors, and those leading worship, usually use the New King James and English Standard versions of the Bible; however, we recognize and believe that there are a number of excellent English translations of the Bible with some being more careful to follow the original Hebrew and Greek texts in translation than others.
Do you have a nursery for little children?
Yes, we provide nursery care for babies and young toddlers. Our nursery is very clean, spacious and provides numerous baby cribs and rocking chairs. Normally, three year olds begin to sit in the worship services with their parents, though accommodations can be made for toddlers of that age and older who are not yet accustomed to sitting through a service. You may also keep your child with you in the worship services at any age, but we encourage you to be sensitive to the distraction that can be caused by a crying child during worship and to act accordingly by either taking the child out until the crying is stopped or utilizing the nursery care that is provided.
Do you do background checks on those who work with children?
Yes, anyone working with children at Emmanuel Baptist Church (Sunday school and nursery ministries) is required to submit to a background check.
What ministry do you provide for the teenage youth?
Our youth ministry, under the guidance of the pastors, is led by a youth council consisting primarily of parents of the youth and also other mature adults who have a heart for our young people. Ordinarily, there is a youth meeting after the evening worship on the third Sunday of each month. Additionally, the youth meet for other fellowship opportunities throughout the month, and engage in service projects throughout the year. We host an annual youth conference and periodically provide chaperoned opportunities for the young people to go on service trips as a group to foreign countries.
Is evening worship a repeat of the morning worship or do you have two separate worship services each Sunday?
Evening worship is not a repeat of morning worship. We ordinarily have two distinct worship services every Lord’s Day.
What are midweek prayer meetings like?
We devote our midweek prayer meeting to the work of prayer. Usually the pastor or person leading the meeting will begin with the singing of a hymn, and a brief devotion from Scripture to prepare our hearts for the remaining time of extended prayer. Our Wednesday evening prayer meeting begins at 7:00pm and we seek to end by 8:15pm.
What evangelistic/missionary activities is your church involved in?
We give a significant portion of our budget to the financial support of a number of foreign missionaries who serve around the world. We also take up a monthly benevolence offering during our Lord's Supper service that is dedicated to either local benevolence or foreign missions. Additionally, we like to have missionaries visit Emmanuel Baptist Church to provide updated reports about their work, and we read their written reports in our prayer meeting. For local evangelism, we regularly encourage and pray for opportunities for the members of Emmanuel Baptist Church to share the gospel with friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors in addition to more formal ministries in the local jail and an assisted living facility.
