About Us

Ephesians 5:19 ¹⁹Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord

Colossians 3: 16 ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

I Corinthians 16:1-2 ¹ Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. ² On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

II Corinthians 9:7 ⁷ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

I Corinthians 11:26 ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Acts 20:7 ⁷ On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

Hebrews 4:16 ¹⁶ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 11:6 ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Luke 13:3 ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Romans 10:9-10 ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Galatians 3:26-27 ²⁶ You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

II Thessalonians 1:8 ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

II Corinthians 5:17 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Acts 2:38 ³⁸ Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Offering God the Worship of Our Hearts

Many are apprehensive when they visit a church without knowing something about the church's beliefs and practices; therefore, we at Hillcrest Church of Christ in Gainesville, Texas have prepared this page to help you understand more about us and our efforts to worship God.

Our Worship is Simple and Biblical

Because worship is praising God and expressing love for him, we have tried to design our worship assembly in a way that will help you concentrate on who God is and focus on offering yourself to Him wholeheartedly. We try to follow the New Testament teaching and example of worship. Because worship involves active participation, we invite you to join in so that you will feel closer to God and closer to others who share the same kind of love.

Singing

One of the most expressive ways to worship God is through singing. The scripture speaks of the early Christians singing and making melody in their hearts (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).

Preaching

The preaching is designed to instruct and encourage you to be right with God. You are invited to follow the minister in the Bible as he presents the lesson. It is our prayer that you will benefit greatly from the message you hear.

Contribution

The contribution, or collection, is taken at our worship assemblies on the first day of the week just as the apostle Paul taught the Churches to do for accomplishing the work of ministry. At this time our members give back to God a portion of what He as blessed us with, as they have prospered and as they have purposed in their hearts (I Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 9:7).

The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper, or communion, is observed as it was the night of our Lord's betrayal
( Matthew 26:26-28 ). A prayer of thanks is given for the bread, which represents the body of Christ. Each Christian takes a piece and eats it. Next, a prayer is given for the cup, which represents the blood of Christ which was shed to authenticate the new covenant. As with the bread, each Christian partakes in an effort to concentrate on what it represents. This memorial if Christ's death ( I Corinthians 11:26 ) is observed at this congregation every Sunday (Acts 20:7) and is one of the primary focal points of our worship assembly.

Prayer

The prayers we offer are intended to express four things: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. These are the kinds of prayers found in God's word and can easily be remembered with the acronym "ACTS" where "A" stands for Adoration etc. Prayer allows us to approach the Father's throne of grace through Jesus and speak directly to Almighty God ( Hebrews 4:16 ). God Cares about people and is always there for anyone who desires to do his will.

Time of Response

At each service, a song will be sung to allow for response. Those wishing to become Christians ask for prayers or confess sins are invited to step forward and let their desires be known. Becoming a Christian involves believing in Christ (Hebrews 11:6), repenting of sins (Luke 13:3), confessing Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Through obedience to the gospel (II Thessalonians 1:8,) which is the god news about Jesus' death, burial and resurrection for our salvation (I Corinthians 15:1-4) a person becomes a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17). Through immersion in water for forgiveness of sins ( Acts 2:38) a person calls on the name of the Lord. Submitting to baptism demonstrates faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross and unites us with Jesus, His death, burial and resurrection so that we a new kind of spiritual life. At that point a person is recognized as a member of the body of Christ, the church. Having other Christians around for worship, service and fellowship becomes a built in support group of the new disciple.

We are Christians Only

Many in this world are searching for truth. We believe that truth can be found in one person, Jesus Christ. As a congregation of believers under the leadership and lordship of Christ, we accept the Bible as God's inspired word and wear the name Christian. If you have any questions, please speak to one of the ministers or elders.

Hillcrest Church of Christ
1712 E. O'Neal St. 76240
Gainesville, TX
940.668.7246