real. . .comfortable. . .church
We invite you to come visit us at Parkway Church of Christ, where Jesus is Lord and people are loved. We won't try to impress you with how well we dress, or how much we know, or how good we act. Come as you are, a sinner in need of a Savior. That's what each one of us is. And our goal is not to lure you away from another Christian group. We encourage you in your faith wherever you worship. But if you don't have a church family to call your own, come see us. If you don't know much about this Jesus fellow but would like to know more, let's sit down and talk. And if you are lonely, depressed, angry, sad or confused, we want to be your friend through the storm. Our aim is to please God by treating people the same way Jesus treated them, in LOVE.Mark 12:28-31
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
If you've read this far, then perhaps you are a "seeker". As a seeker, you may be looking for answers, or you may be in search of purpose, or you may be in need of a place to belong and be loved. Whatever it is that led you here, we thank God for it. Perhaps He directed you to us so that He can meet your need through us. Or more likely, you possess something that will bless the church, something that none of us have but need. Maybe God has given you talent, knowledge, experience, wisdom, or another spiritual gift that you don't know about, which He will use for His glory. Only He knows what the future holds, but we can't wait to meet you!
what to expect on sunday morning
9:30 a.m. Bible Study
We begin Sunday mornings with a Bible study. Several classes are offered for different age groups (Adults, College, Teen, several Youth classes and a Nursery), so you will be sure to find something that interests you. Before and after the classes Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee are offered in the kitchen for your enjoyment. Visitors are always welcome.
10:30 a.m. Worship
* Praise and Worship:
Our worship usually begins with singing songs of praise in the acapella style (without instruments). You may sing along using the hymnal or by simply following the words on the large screen up front.
* Prayer:
We are a church that believes in prayer, therefore we spend time in prayer as we worship. We believe not just that prayer works, but that God works on our behalf when we pray to Him. We pray to praise Him, we pray to thank Him, we pray to ask for His forgiveness of our sins, and we pray to bring our needs before Him. God answers prayer.
* The Lord's Supper:
Every Sunday we celebrate the Lord's Supper or Communion, which is the memorial feast Jesus left for all believers to partake in to remember His death for our sins. All believers are invited to join us. First to be passed out will be the bread, which is His body. Break off a portion and eat, remembering the crucifixion of Christ as you do so. Next, the grape juice will be passed to drink. This is to remind us of His blood, which cleanses us of our sin.
* Offering:
Normally, after the elements of communion are passed, we take a moment to allow our members to give tithes and offerings to the Lord. These funds go to support the work of the church, help several mission works, and meet the needs of our members and some in the community, as well. As our guest you should not feel pressured to give.
* Children's Church:
At this point, all of the children between the ages of 2 and 5 will be dismissed to Children's Church where they will be taught from God's Word using songs, stories and activities. However, children are welcome to stay with their parents or guardians in the main auditorium, if so desired. A staffed nursery is also available for infants and toddlers under two-years-old.
* Lesson:
Our teacher will open up God's Word and share a lesson that will help us understand God a little better and encourage us in our faith for the days ahead. Children over five years of age are challenged to follow along by filling out corresponding worksheets. The rewards are always sweet! (candy for all completed worksheets)
what to wear
Come as you are. There are no dress codes or requirements. You may think it helps to know what others usually wear, but in our case, it may not. Some folks dress up in their Sunday best - suits, ties, dresses, and yes, sometimes even hats. Others feel comfortable in more casual attire - jeans, t-shirts, and yes, sometimes even shorts and sandals. The preacher usually wears a collared shirt and slacks, if that helps.
what we believe
Our membership consists of people from all backgrounds with very diverse ideas about Christianity. We encourage open inquiry and freedom of thought concerning all aspects of God's Word, and we will not turn anyone away who has differing opinions, because we all have differing opinions. However, the following are the core beliefs taught in the Bible that we all agree upon, and that we all hold as essential to the Christian experience. . .
God.
There is one God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of everything that exists and the sustainer of His own creation. He is the all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing, all-loving, all-serving, self-sacrificing, gracious, forgiving and holy God who reigns over the visible and the invisible in absolute truth, perfect justice and merciful kindness. (Genesis 1, John 1, Deuteronomy 6:4, John 4:24, Isaiah 40:28, Acts 7:48-49, Romans 11:33-36, 1 John 4:16, John 3:16, Numbers 14:18, Romans 3:25-26, John 8:32, Isaiah 6:3)
The Bible.
The Bible is the perfect, holy and inspired Word of God delivered to men; therefore, it is the final authority in understanding God - who He is, what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. The ink on the page and the pages themselves are not sacred, but the message contained gives life. The main focus of the Bible is Jesus: The Old Testament promises that Jesus is coming, the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and Acts proclaim that Jesus has come, and the remainder of the New Testament books promise that Jesus is coming again. The Bible is God’s love letter to man, it is His perfect instruction manual for living, and it is the greatest story ever told. (Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16, Romans 1:1-2, John 5:39, Revelation 19:11-13)
Man (Humanity).
God created us in His own image for the purpose of living in the closest and most intimate relationship with Him. The first man, Adam, along with the first woman, Eve, sinned against God and severed that relationship. Each human being inherited that sinful and rebellious nature, and therefore we all have sinned and fallen from God. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:1-19, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Galatians 5:19-21)
Salvation.
We cannot save ourselves from our sin problem, which will ultimately lead to eternal destruction in Hell. However, out of love for His creation, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to offer His perfect righteous life as a ransom for us. This is the "gospel," which means "good news." Jesus Christ was rejected, beaten and crucified on a cross where He died. Three days after He was buried in the ground, Jesus was resurrected by the power of God, and now He is exalted to the right hand of God the Father. Our salvation is a free gift from God received through faith in Jesus Christ and expressed through repentance of sin, confession of Jesus as God’s Son, water baptism (immersion) and obedience to the Word. (John 3:16, Titus 3:4-7, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 3:1, Ephesians 2:8, Acts 17:30-31, Acts 2:38, Acts 16:31-33, Romans 10:9-10, Titus 2:11-14)
Heaven and Hell.
Heaven is the unspeakable eternal reward for all who are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke often of this Paradise and the complete joy that the saved will inherit, free from all evil and pain and sadness and death. Heaven is not a place we can buy or work our way into. No one can ever afford or deserve it. Rather God gives eternal life in heaven as a free gift of grace to each person who is born again. (Isaiah 65:17, Matthew 25:34, John 14:1-3, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Revelation 21:1-4)
Hell is the horrible final dwelling place for all sinners. Jesus described it with words like weeping, torment, fire, darkness, and destruction. This is not the cruel punishment of a hateful God, but rather the natural consequence of rebellion that awaits each person who rejects the Good News of forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. (Deuteronomy 32:22, Isaiah 33:14, Matthew 3:12, Matthew 9:43-48, Luke 16:23-24, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Revelation 21:8)
This will all be revealed on the Day of Judgment-that future Day of reckoning that God has predetermined and that only He knows, when Christ returns to redeem and glorify His Church. On that Day each man, woman and child will stand before the throne of God to give an account of his or her life. (Matthew 12:36-37, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 2 Peter 3:8-13)
Abundant Life.
Jesus came to earth as a man that we might have life and have it more abundantly, both in this age and in the eternal age to come. As followers of Jesus Christ, being baptized into Him, we are given the Holy Spirit of God to live in our hearts. By his own Spirit, God guides, teaches, corrects and disciplines his children. He not only wants to save us, but He wants our lives to be transformed into the image of His Son. This transformation begins at salvation and continues to change us with ever-increasing glory as we willfully surrender our own wants and desires to His purpose. (John 10:10, Joel 2:28-29, Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:38, Ephesians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Romans 12:2, Romans 8:29-30)
The Church.
Jesus said that His disciples would be known by their love for one another. Becoming a Christian is an individual choice, but when we choose Jesus, He adds us to His body, which is the church. The Lord in His wisdom gave us an eternal spiritual family to be connected with while we are on the earth so that we will not get discouraged, give up and fall away. The church is not a particular denomination or non-denomination, but rather it is made up of all people of all ages who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord. The purpose of the church is three-fold: 1) to worship God and exalt Jesus Christ, the head of the church, 2) to support one another through encouragement, fellowship, and accountability 3) to be a light in the darkness, a shining city on a hill that shows the love of God to the world and calls sinners to salvation in Christ. (Matthew 16:15-18, John 17:20-23, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:22-23, 1 Peter 2:4-10)
ministries
Mature Single's Ministry
College Ministry
Youth Ministry
Neighborhood Dinners
LifeGroups throughout Savannah/Chatham area
Bible 101 course
Hispanic Ministry
worship times
Sunday Bible Classes - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship - 10:30 AM
Sunday Evening Devotion* - 6:00 PM
Wednesday Evening Studies - 7:00 PM
*1st Sunday LifeGroups
**3rd Sunday fellowship dinner after worship, no evening service