If you are planning on a visiting an Apostolic Christian Church for the first time, you may have some basic questions about the church; for example, the dress code, how services are conducted and so on. Have no fear, we have answered the most common questions below! If you like, you can skip down to one of the following topics:
Finding A Church What To Bring Entering The Church Building Dress Code Services More Info
I would like to visit one of your churches. Where are they?
And what time are services held?
Church locations and times can be found on our Locations page. If possible, it is a good idea to double-check service times as these are subject to change; you can do this by driving by your local church; current service times are usually posted on a sign outside the church.
I see that my local Apostolic Christian Church has three
different service times listed, two on Sunday and one during mid-week. Which
one do you recommend I attend?
You can attend them all if you like, however, most visitors attend the Sunday morning service. Unlike some churches, the Sunday morning and afternoon services are not intended for two different groups of people (early risers and late risers). Church members attend both the Sunday morning and afternoon services. Lunch is served between the two services so you won't go hungry if you stay for the afternoon service! However, please note if you have children that Sunday School is held only in the morning; the time for Sunday School generally parallels the time for the morning service (all children are welcome).
Attendance at midweek services is generally smaller as it is considered optional for church members (although attendance is highly encouraged). On rare occasions, mid-week services may be restricted to church members only, so we recommend that you attend a Sunday worship service first and inquire there about the midweek service, if you are interested in attending a midweek service. Unlike some churches, there is no Sunday evening service.
How
big are your churches? Are these big megachurches or small churches with a few
dozen people?
They vary in size. A few are very small and intimate, with a few dozen people, but the average size is around 200-300 people, including children. Of course, there are a few large congregations, such as in Bluffton, Indiana, where those in attendance can number well over a thousand people! Our Locations pages include a simple bar graph to give you an idea of the average attendance at each of our churches.
Help! There's an Apostolic church nearby, but I don't see
it on your Locations page. I'm confused!
Please note that in some locales there are some splinter groups present that often get confused with the Apostolic Christian Church, such as the Apostolic Christian Church Nazarean or the Christian Apostolic Church or the German Apostolic Christian Church, for example (see our History page for the origin of these churches). And unfortunately, many Apostolic Christian Church Nazarean churches fail to identify themselves as Nazarean (instead just as "Apostolic Christian Church" or by city name, such as "Anytown Apostolic Christian Church") which only adds to the confusion. If the church is not on our locations page, it is not part of the Apostolic Christian Church denomination. Also, we are not to be confused with the various Pentecostal/Charismatic churches who use "Apostolic" in their church names.
How
much do I need to bring for an offering?
Nothing! Just bring yourself! No offering is taken from the congregation, you will not be pressured for money. The clergy is not salaried.
How
can the pastors and church support itself if no offerings are taken?
Ministers have full-time jobs (unless they are retired). Those who attend the church regularly give a freewill offering once or twice a year of a nominal amount, just enough for building maintenance and the like. If additional funds are needed for special projects, like building additions and the like, the need is announced and those willing to contribute can place their donation boxes set up throughout the church for this purpose. This allows everyone to contribute whatever amount they can afford and do it without anyone else knowing how much they are contributing, or if they are contributing at all.
Doesn't
the church do any charitable giving?
Yes. Opportunities to donate to specific charities are announced after worship services. Special charity boxes are placed throughout the church where those who wish can contribute whatever they like. The donations are combined by the church trustees and given to the charity.
Are
records kept of the money donated for church maintenance, building funds and
charities?
Yes, Records of the total amount of all church donations and funds and their use is posted in the church for all to see.
Okay,
I see I won't be pestered for money, but don't I have to bring my Bible?
No, Bibles there are plenty of Bibles available at each pew for your use, you do not need to bring your own Bible.
I see several large entrances to our local Apostolic Christian
Church. Which one do we go into? I am confused!
Most churches have a side entrance (usually with a large attached car port) that is used primarily by women, especially women with children. This entrance usually leads directly to the children's nursery. If your family has toddlers or infants, your wife may want to use this entrance (although all are perfectly free to use the front entrance). This is nearly always on the women's side of the church, so if you are a man, you will probably want to use the front entrance.
You said the "women's side" of the church. What
are you talking about?
The Apostolic Christian Church bases itself on the
New Testament
church which separated men and women during worship, so adult male members sit
on one side of the sanctuary and adult female members on the other. This division
is extended to the dining room and assembly hall areas as well. We don't want
to give you the idea that there is a wall or white line between the two "sides"
of the church, however! The sexes can mingle together once outside of the sanctuary. We
find that separating the sexes adds to worship because single or widowed people
do not feel left out and there are generally less distractions from family members
or others of the opposite sex in this environment.
We are used to sitting together as a family in church, do
we have to separate by sex in the sanctuary like church members?
No, non-members do not have to separate by sex if they do not wish to do so.
I hear that your
church practices the holy kiss (see our Beliefs
page). Will someone try to give me a kiss when I come into the church? Or
am I expected to kiss everyone?
No! The holy kiss is only observed between church members of the same sex! If you are visiting a very large church and fear that you might be mistaken for a member, you could wear a prominent piece of jewelry to let them know you are not a church member. However, this rarely ever happens, members are very careful to determine if the one they are meeting is a member of the church before greeting them with a holy kiss.
After
entering the church, how do I get seated for the worship service?
Many larger churches have ushers that can help you get seated. And for all but the smallest churches, ushers are always present for special church services such as weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter programs. If there are no ushers, feel free to sit in any pew where you feel comfortable; however please note that the very front benches are usually reserved ministers and young converts.
What is the dress code for male and female visitors to the
church?
The Apostolic Christian Church maintains traditional church dress codes, that is, wearing one's "Sunday best" when coming to church out of a sign of respect. That means suits & ties for men and dresses for women. If you don't own this type of attire, that's okay, you can come with whatever your current "Sunday best" may be, we just don't want you to be self-conscious if you find you are the only man not wearing a suit, for example. For children old enough to go to Sunday School, the same rules apply, however, in most churches boys do not wear a suit until they are older, usually around middle school or high school age.
I hear that church members don't wear jewelry and women don't
wear makeup. Is it okay if visitors to come with their jewelry and makeup?
Absolutely!
I heard that the women in the church wear a prayer veil (see
our Beliefs page). Are female visitors expected to wear a veil?
No, not at all.
What should I expect in the typical worship service?
The worship service follows a form that closely resembles the worship services held by the first Anabaptists in the 1500's.
* Often during weddings, baptisms, Christmas and Easter programs and other occasions where large numbers of visitors from other denominations may be visiting (who may not be used to kneeling in prayer or singing while sitting), the congregation will stand for prayer and singing. The minister will instruct the congregation to stand, so you don't have to fear that you might be kneeling when standing is called for or vice versa.
How
long does the typical worship service last?
As the preaching is extemporaneous, it can vary. However, most services are usually around 75 minutes, including all of the prayers, singing and announcements (more information about the Apostolic Christian Church ministry and preaching methods can be found on our Articles and Library pages).
You
said "ministers" -- I take it there is more than one minister, how
many ministers
are there? How does that work?
Because ministers are not paid and must maintain full time jobs elsewhere, it helps to have more than one to bear the load. All but the smallest churches have more than one minister, with four or five ministers being common. You may be unaware of the fact that this practice was started by the Apostles, as there were always more than one minister appointed to a single church, the idea of only a single pastor ministering to a church is a modern innovation (see "The History of Church Leadership" from our Library for more details). There are other benefits to this arrangement, for example, the church always gets to hear a variety of ministers; each has his own style of preaching; it makes the service more interesting and accessible to all.
You
say that during regular worship services the congregation kneels for prayer.
Exactly how is this done? Are there kneelers like in some liturgical churches?
No, the congregation will pray with their knees on the floor (which is carpeted) with their head and hands resting on the back of the pew in front of them.
Can
someone who is not a member of the church offer prayer or call out song numbers?
No, that is restricted to male members baptized into the church.
Is
there shouting, dancing, speaking in tongues, people falling to the ground "slain
in the spirit," healing services or other such activities in your church?
No, we are not a Pentecostal or Charismatic church.
I didn't
see communion listed as part of the worship service. Don't you celebrate
holy communion?
Yes, but this is only done once a year and only at special services for church members only.
I heard
that there are no musical instruments in your church and that the congregation
sings in four-part harmony. Can you tell me more about this?
Yes, singing a cappella is a tradition that goes back to the first Christian church in New Testament times. Musical instruments were forbidden to be used in the church. This did not change until Pope Vitalian changed the practice in 685 A.D. and the first pipe organs weren't introduced until the 800's. The original practice of singing a cappella was reinstituted during the Swiss Reformation by Zwingli and used by Anabaptists from their beginning (see our History page for more information about the Anabaptist movement).
I'm
afraid I don't know how to sing in four-part harmony. Can I just sing the melody?
Sure.
However, you may find that it is very easy to pick up a part of the harmony
by listening to
those around you and following their lead. Sitting with those
of the same sex (and therefore same parts of the harmony) makes it easy to learn
to sing four-part harmony. But don't feel compelled to sit silent if singing
harmony is intimidating to you, singing the melody (soprano) part is perfectly
acceptable, even if you are tone-deaf! The beauty of a cappella singing is that
it is something that everyone
in the congregation can take part in (click on the speaker for a sample from
an actual worship service).
Do
weddings differ from the typical worship services detailed above?
Weddings usually occur at the Sunday afternoon service. Weddings are very similar to a typical service, although the songs are chosen beforehand by the bride and groom (not given out spontaneously as in a regular worship service) and the sermons are about matrimony, for obvious reasons. Usually an usher will seat those who arrive for the wedding. The song service will start and the entire congregation will sing, however, pay special attention when hymn 212 from the Zion's Harp hymnal is called out, as this is traditionally the hymn where the wedding attendants and bride and groom will enter. Towards the end of the wedding service, the bride and groom will stand in front of the pulpit and take their vows. When the bride and groom are pronounced man and wife, they will join hands (there will be no kiss). At the end of the service, the newlyweds will be the first to leave, followed by their attendants and then the rest of the congregation.
After the wedding service, the newlyweds will hold a reception, usually at a nearby Apostolic Christian fellowship hall or local meeting place. At the reception, you will meet the bride and groom and their immediate family and then partake of the food and drink provided. There is no dancing or alcohol present at the reception. Smoking is not allowed in the building.
I am coming to a wedding at one of your churches. Can I set
up my video camera in the aisle during the wedding?
Sorry, no cameras are allowed in the church. We do not want to turn a solemn service into a spectacle or form of entertainment. However, most churches will allow cameras at the reception as it does not take place in the church building.
What
about funerals, how do they differ from the typical worship service?
Funerals are very similar to the typical service, although a eulogy is given and of course the sermon is focused on the death of the loved one and the consolation of the mourners. A choir may sing the songs instead of the congregation and all songs are preselected (usually by the immediate family). The funeral service is followed by a graveside service where a final prayer is given and usually a choir will sing a parting song. After that, all relatives of the deceased are usually invited for a meal which is most commonly held in the church dining room.
What
about baptismal services?
Baptismal services are similar to the typical service. Baptisms are most often held during the Sunday afternoon service. Towards the end of the sermon, those to be baptized will leave their pews to get ready for baptism. At this time, the minister will talk about the significance of baptism. Then those to be baptized will appear by the baptistry which is usually situated behind the pulpit. A prayer is held and those about to be baptized will be asked basic questions about their belief in Christ and His resurrection and then take a vow to follow Him the rest of their life. Then they will step into the baptismal tank, holding onto the hand of the elder (a senior minister) and be fully immersed in the tank. The elder will baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The baptized will step out of the tank and be given a towel. After the last person is baptized, they will go to a dressing room while the congregation sings hymns.
After they are dressed, they will appear in front of the church. The elder will perform the Biblical rite of the laying on of the hands which consists of prayer over the converts while placing his hands on the head(s) of the newly baptized. After the prayer, everyone will be ushered up to meet the new member(s) of the church. Those just baptized will greet fellow church members with words "Greetings, brother" or "Greetings, sister" and a holy kiss (if of the same sex) for the first time. Longstanding church members often have words of encouragement for the new members. After everyone has had a chance to meet the new church member(s), relatives and those specifically invited to the baptismal service will attend a meal prepared for them, usually in the church dining room.
What
about Christmas and Easter services and the like?
There are two types of Christmas and Easter services. One is held in the morning and closely resembles regular worship services with the exception that the sermon will be based on Scriptures concerning Christmas or Easter, instead of being chosen randomly. Also, hymns will be chosen based on the season (Christmas carols or Easter hymns).
The other service is usually referred to as a Christmas or Easter program, this is a special service in the evening featuring the Sunday School students. The program will start with congregational singing, followed by a few words from the minister and a prayer. These programs then feature singing from each Sunday School class or age group. The students will go to the front of the church to sing. Their singing will be interspersed by Scripture and devotional readings. The service ends with a prayer and congregational singing.
Does
your church hold Vacation Bible
School sessions
during the summer?
Yes, nearly all of our churches do, and all children of Sunday School age are invited. Ask a church member at your local Apostolic Christian Church for details.
Thanks
for this information. However, I now have even more
questions! Where can I get more information about the Apostolic
Christian Church and its beliefs?
Right here! We recommend that you look at our Beliefs page for a start. More detailed information about many of our beliefs can be found on our Library page; you may want to start with the document called "How To Talk Like An Apostolic Christian" as it covers many of the phrases and the terminology used by the church like "elder" and "minister" and so on. Also, we highly recommend that you read the about our church history by clicking on our History page; we think you will find it very enlightening. Also, take a look at our Library page as well for some thought-provoking reading. Of course, if you are looking for the nearest Apostolic Christian Church, just click on our Locations page. Lastly, additional information from other sources can be found on our Links page. Of course, if you know a member of the Apostolic Christian Church, we would encourage you to ask them as well!
