You Have a Place Here

In keeping with our Disciples of Christ heritage, we have no official creed or statement of faith. Rather, we affirm the dignity of each person’s conscience and respect the uniqueness of each person’s journey.

As our spiritual forbears were fond of saying, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.” Rather than draw lines around who’s “in” and who’s “out,” we invite all people to discover the truth about God for themselves.

That said, we are firmly committed to the life and teachings of Jesus as revealed in Scripture. Jesus embodied a message of hope, justice, and love, and we strive to do the same.

Though not binding on congregations or members of Disciples churches, the opening paragraphs of the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) offer a succinct summary of Disciples thought.

Certain practices are traditionally associated with the Disciples, such as weekly communion and baptism by immersion.

Communion is open to all at the invitation of Jesus Christ, regardless of church membership or denominational affiliation.

As a gesture of unity and respect for the beautiful diversity of Christianity, we honor the baptism traditions of other churches. No matter what background you come from—Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, or nothing at all—you are welcome to be a part of our church family.

We worship together at 10:45am every Sunday. The service is also posted online.

Our worship lasts about an hour and consists of music, prayers, teaching from the Bible, and communion.

Click here for more information and to access videos of our services.

“We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us” (from the Disciples of Christ Identity Statement).

We are part of the Great River Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The first part of our denominational name, “Christian Church,” acknowledges our oneness with all Christians. No matter what labels we attach to ourselves, all Christians are part of the same family.

The second part of our name, “Disciples of Christ,” honors our unique heritage. In the early 1800s, a group of Christians on the American frontier began a movement for Christian unity that over time evolved into its own unique tradition.

How Does the Relationship Between FCC and the Denomination Work ?

Disciples of Christ practice what is commonly called “congregational polity.” This means that each individual congregation is entirely self-governing—FCC owns all of its property, chooses its own leaders and ministers, and all financial contributions to the regional and general ministries of the church are completely voluntary.

We freely choose to be part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and this relationship continually blesses us.

Why a Denomination?

In an a era when more and more Christians are identifying as nondenominational, it’s reasonable to question the value of being part of an established denomination.

So, why do we find value in being part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)?

For starters, our denomination gives us a sense of rootedness and history by connecting us with other congregations with whom we can partner. By combining our efforts, we’re able to provide aid to disaster victims and refugees, fund innovative charitable works, and help start new congregations.

We are stronger together.

And while we have tremendous respect for our nondenominational friends, we recognize that no church exists in a vacuum. Many nondenominational churches retain affiliation with larger networks, organizations which are denominations in all but name. Some churches grow so large that they become denominations in themselves, with campuses spread across multiple cities, even multiple states, held together by centralized structures far more rigorous than our own.

Even churches which do not claim ties to a denomination still have their roots in the soil of some theological tradition. Some nondenominational churches profess Baptist or Reformed theology. Others are more Pentecostal or Charismatic. Still other have a Wesleyan or Holiness bent. Regardless, their beliefs come from somewhere.

One of our favorite aspects of our Disciples heritage is an emphasis on Christian unity. No matter your background, we invite you to join us on the journey—your unique perspective helps us grow!

Through our various ministries we help people grow in their relationship with God and live lives of Christlike service.

We offer special worship services, Sunday morning Bible study, small groups, service opportunities, and more.

But we’re also a church in transition. We’ve been a part of the Hot Springs community for a long time. In this season of our church’s life we’re seeking to renew our presence in the community. If there’s a particular ministry you don’t see, we’d love to talk with you about it — something may already be in the works, and if not, we’re always open to new ideas!