Questions? Here Are Plain Answers.
Planning Your Visit
When we meet, where to park, what to wear, and what to expect when you arrive.
When do you meet?
Sunday worship is at 10:00 AM. Bible classes meet Sunday at 5:00 PM and Wednesday at 7:30 PM, with classes for every age, starting with toddlers. You are welcome at any of them. Nobody minds if you come for worship only.
What happens in a Bible class?
People sit with open Bibles while a teacher leads a study of a book of Scripture or a Bible subject. No one will call on you. Classes are separate from worship, and many first-time visitors come for worship only.
Where are you located?
25903 Hardin Store Road, Magnolia, TX 77354. The building is on Hardin Store Road, about half a mile east of FM 249. Watch for our sign at the only road leading to the building, then follow that road around the corner. Get directions.
Where do I park?
Park anywhere you like. Nothing is assigned. There is parking in front of the building. If the front lot is full, drive around the building to a second lot in front of the portable. A member or two will usually be at the door to greet you.
What should I wear?
Come as you are. Most people dress casually, though some like to dress up a little. Wear whatever is comfortable and modest, and you will be warmly welcomed.
What happens on a first visit?
Nothing is required of you. Someone shakes your hand at the door, you sit wherever you like, and you are free to watch. We ask you to fill out a visitor card or scan a QR code, but there is no check-in, no badge, and no moment when the room turns to look at you.
Will I be singled out as a visitor?
No. No one will ask you to stand up or hand you a microphone, and no one points you out from the front. You get a handshake at the door and then the freedom to sit and listen.
Will I be asked for money?
No. There is one collection during Sunday worship, and it is for the members, not for visitors. You can let the tray pass right by you, and no one will think a thing of it.
Do I need to tell you I am coming?
No. You are welcome to simply show up on Sunday. If you would like us to watch for you, fill out the Plan Your Visit form, and we will know to look for you.
During Worship
Simple worship that follows the New Testament pattern. Here is what to expect.
How long is the worship service?
Usually about an hour and 15 minutes, from 10:00 to about 11:15 AM. The sermon runs 25 to 35 minutes. We like to visit after services, but you won’t be kept late.
What is a worship service like?
Simple. We sing, pray, observe the Lord’s Supper, and hear a sermon from the Bible, following the outline of the first church in . Worship usually runs about an hour and 15 minutes.
Why do you sing without instruments?
Singing is what the New Testament describes, so we sing with voices only. Someone gives the first note, and the whole room sings together, in parts. Church history also shows that instruments were not part of Christian worship for over 700 years after the apostles.
What is the Lord’s Supper like?
Plain and unhurried, every Sunday. As you walk in, you can pick up a small cup in the lobby that holds both the bread and the fruit of the vine. After a prayer of thanks for each, everyone partakes together. It takes only a few minutes.
Do I need to bring a Bible?
Bring yours in any translation, or use one of ours from the rack. We put the passages on the screen or read them out, so you can follow along either way. Songbooks are in the racks too.
What is the invitation at the end of the sermon?
While we sing a hymn after the sermon, anyone who wants to obey the gospel, or any Christian who wants the church’s prayers, can come to the front. You are free to stay seated. Most of us do, most weeks.
Can I watch online before I visit?
Yes. Our Sunday morning worship streams live on YouTube every week, starting about 9:55 AM Central. You can also watch past sermons anytime.
Your Kids
What to expect for your children, from toddlers to high school.
Is there something for my kids?
Yes. We have Bible classes for every age, from toddlers through high school, on Sunday at 5:00 PM and Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Each class teaches the Bible at a level that fits the age, and questions are always encouraged. See our children and teen classes.
Do my children stay with me during worship?
Yes. On Sunday morning, children stay with their parents in worship, and we are glad when they do. Their Bible classes meet Sunday at 5:00 PM and Wednesday at 7:30 PM.
Is there a nursery?
Yes, we have a nursery. Children are also always welcome to stay with you in worship.
Can I sit in on my child's class?
Yes. You are welcome to sit in on your child's class, especially the first time.
What We Believe
Straight answers about what we teach and why.
How do you decide what to teach?
By the Bible. We do not claim to have every answer, but we let God's Word guide what we believe, how we worship, and the way we live. We hold to the simple truth of Scripture, adding nothing and taking nothing away (). Read what we believe.
What does the Bible say I must do to be saved?
Salvation is God's gift, not a wage we earn (). Scripture shows how a person receives it: hear the gospel (), believe in Jesus (), repent of sin (), confess Jesus as Lord (), be baptized (), and live faithfully (). See the plan of salvation.
Is baptism necessary for salvation?
Yes. We read the New Testament as connecting baptism directly to being saved and having sins forgiven (). So we see it as part of coming to Jesus, not a step you add on later.
Can I be baptized the same day I ask?
Yes. We keep no waiting list, require no class first, and take no vote. If you believe Jesus is the Son of God and you are ready to turn from sin, we will gladly baptize you right away, any day of the week.
Do churches of Christ believe in grace?
Yes. Grace is the whole reason any of us has hope. We do not believe a person can put God in his debt by behaving well ().
Is the church of Christ a denomination?
No. Members of churches of Christ do not consider themselves a denomination. The goal is not to be one more branch among many, but the same church you read about in the New Testament: people who belong to Christ and follow His Word.
What if I am still working out what I believe?
Take your time and keep studying. No one here will push you. If you want to ask something, please do. A question from someone new is often the best part of a Bible class.
About Our Congregation
Who we are, how we are led, and how the work is funded.
How big is the congregation?
There are 260 to 270 of us meeting on Hardin Store Road in Magnolia. Every one of us walked through the door as a stranger at some point.
Who leads the congregation?
Elders lead and teach to keep the church faithful to Jesus (). Deacons care for practical needs (). Our evangelist, Brent Moody, preaches and teaches (). Meet our leaders.
Do you answer to a headquarters?
No. Jesus is the only head of His church (; ). Each congregation is independent, guided by its own elders according to the Bible (; ). We can speak only for Decker Prairie.
How is the contribution used?
It funds the work the New Testament gives the church: building up our members (), spreading the gospel (), and caring for Christians in need (). There are no dues, pledges, or fees.
Why is there no fellowship hall, gym, or kitchen?
We keep the work of the church and the work of the home separate. The New Testament gives the church spiritual work: teaching the gospel, building up its members, and helping Christians in need. Meals and recreation belong to Christians in their own homes (, ).
How do I place membership here?
The Lord adds the saved to His church when they are baptized (). To become part of this congregation, tell us you would like to place membership. You then meet with the elders for a conversation, and they ask you a few questions. After that, you are welcomed as a member.
Are churches of Christ a cult?
No. Churches of Christ are self-governing groups of Christians who go by the Bible alone. There is no human founder, no headquarters, no hidden teaching, and no one pulling the strings on your money, your family, or your freedom to walk away.
Can I study the Bible with someone one-on-one?
Yes. If a classroom feels like too much, reach out to us, and we will set up a one-on-one or small group study at your pace.
Bible Questions
Short answers to common questions about the Bible and the church. Each one links to the full article.
How are you different from Seventh-day Adventists?
We read the same Bible and confess the same Lord. We differ on four things: the day we gather, whether any writing after the New Testament carries prophetic authority, what happens to a person after death, and who governs a congregation.
Does it matter which church I attend?
We believe it matters a great deal. Not for the music, and not for the parking lot, but because Jesus built one church, and His word tells us what it teaches and how it worships.
What about the thief on the cross?
Jesus saved the thief in person, before He died. The new covenant, which tells us to be baptized, did not begin until Jesus had died and risen. So the thief’s case does not undo what the New Testament asks of us.
How are you different from the Episcopal Church?
The Episcopal Church is governed by bishops and worships from the Book of Common Prayer, with tradition standing alongside Scripture. We hold to the New Testament by itself, answer to no organization beyond this congregation, and keep our worship plain.
How are you different from Presbyterians?
We differ on three things: how salvation works (Presbyterian teaching follows Calvinism, including predestination), how the church is governed, and what holds final authority (the Westminster Confession alongside Scripture, or the Bible alone).
How are you different from Lutherans?
We share a high view of Scripture, salvation by God’s grace, and baptism tied to the forgiveness of sins. We differ on whether confessions carry authority, on faith alone, on who is baptized and how, on the Lord’s Supper, and on worship.
How are you different from Pentecostals?
The clearest difference is the miraculous gifts. Pentecostals expect tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing today. We believe those gifts finished their work when God’s revelation was complete, so we do not seek them now.
How are you different from Methodists?
We share a love for Jesus and a high regard for the Bible. We differ on where final authority rests, how the church is organized, how and why baptism is done, instruments in worship, and how often the Lord’s Supper is observed.
How are you different from a non-denominational church?
Both say they are not a denomination. A non-denominational church usually answers to no larger group and is free to shape its own beliefs and worship. We try to follow the New Testament pattern in everything, adding nothing to it and leaving nothing out.
Still have a question? Ask it.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. esv.org