You Have a Place Here

“As members of the Christian Church, we confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world.” From the Preamble to The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

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.”

We find unity in our diversity through a shared commitment to Jesus. Jesus embodied a message of hope, justice, and love, and we strive to do the same. The story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—what Christians call the Gospel—grounds us in God’s limitless love and gives us inspiration and power to continue the work that Jesus began.

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 good summary of the way Disciples tend to think.

Here are some beliefs and practices traditionally associated with Disciples of Christ:

Open Communion: The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is celebrated weekly in worship and is open to all at the invitation of Jesus Christ, regardless of church membership or denominational affiliation.

Freedom of Belief: Disciples are called together around one essential of faith: belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. People are free to follow their consciences guided by the Bible, Holy Spirit, study, and prayer, and are expected to extend that freedom to others.

Baptism by Immersion: In baptism, the old self-centered life is set aside and a new life of trust in God begins. Although Disciples practice baptism by immersion, as a gesture of unity and respect for the diversity of Christianity, we honor the baptism traditions of other churches (i.e. if you were baptized as a baby, we wouldn’t ask you to be re-baptized to be a part of our church). No matter what faith background you come from—Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, or nothing at all—you are welcome to be a part of our church family.

Belief in the Oneness of the Church: All Christians are called to be one in Christ and to see opportunities for common witness and service. Our job as Christians is to make visible the unity which Jesus has already established.

The Ministry of All Believers: Both ministers and lay persons lead in worship, service, and spiritual growth.

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.

The service might best be described as “a traditional style in a casual environment.” Our order of service includes some liturgical elements (like reciting the Lord’s Prayer together) as well as some older hymns. However, don’t come expecting a cold, formal atmosphere. We love to laugh! Lots of folks will wear shorts in the summer. Each person is invited to express their reverence to God in the way that’s most meaningful to them - whether that’s by dressing up or by lifting hands during singing and prayer.

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 ?

Many people have observed that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) offers all of the benefits of a denomination while avoiding many of the drawbacks. Each individual Disciples 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, groups for children and adults, 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!

Hot Springs has many wonderful churches. What makes us unique?

At FCC we strive to be Christ-centered rather than issue-centered. If something mattered to Jesus, it matters to us too. As Jesus said, "Justice, mercy, and faith" are far more important than disagreements over small points of doctrine (Matthew 23:23).

This doesn't mean we avoid hard topics in favor of surface-level teaching, just that we don't let disagreements get in the way of what matters most. Deep study of scripture has sustained us from the beginning and will continue to light the way into the future.

Moreover, we are a vital presence in our neighborhood. We serve dozens of households each month through our food pantry. Our facility hosts support groups each week. And we regularly offer free events for kids and families.

Yet some of the church's most crucial work takes place outside the walls of our building: in homes and hospitals, on streets and sidewalks, as we provide care and mutual aid to those around us. Simply put, we are a church that loves our community.

First Christian Church has been uniting people around a shared table and a simple gospel since 1886. With your help, we'll continue to do so for many years to come!