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Grace and Peace –Saying “good morning” while telling the story of Jesus! The early church took a typical greeting in the Roman world and infused it with the gospel. “Grace” is the unmerited favor that God invites everyone to experience through Jesus. “Peace” is the result of the kingdom of God spreading in this world. In a way, Christians were telling the gospel story as they greeted one another. At BOCC, we use this ancient greeting to tell the good news of Jesus at the beginning of our worship assemblies.

Shepherd Scriptures – Hearing God’s word in a weekly rhythm. An elder, also called a pastor or shepherd, oversees the spiritual health and direction of the church. Each Lord’s Day (Sunday), a shepherd will read a passage of scripture that is part of a ten-week cycle. As the scripture is read, the church stands at attention as the word of God is implanted in our hearts.

Acapella Singing – Diverse voices coming together as one. Since its founding, most Churches of Christ practice acapella singing which literally means “in the manner of the chapel.” For the first ten centuries of the church’s existence, Christians worshiped without musical instruments. We believe that the harmony of human voices paints a beautiful portrait of the unity of the church as we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to and with one another.

The Lord’s Meal – Communing with Jesus and with one another. The Lord’s meal, or Eucharist (“thanksgiving”), is the meal that Jesus shared with his disciples the evening before he died on the cross. All who profess Jesus as Lord are welcome to take the Lord’s meal with the believers at Brentwood Oaks. As we take the bread and share the cup (grape juice), we remember and proclaim the Lord’s saving death as a unified body while anticipating the heavenly banquet in the life to come.

Baptism –Becoming part of the universal church family (“body of Christ”).  In Scripture, when a person came to have faith in the good news of Jesus Christ, they were immersed (baptized) shortly thereafter. We believe that baptism is not only a public expression of this faith, but also a mysterious unification of a believer with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection. In baptism, we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit as we become part of the universal church family. Acts 2:37-38, Romans 6:1 – 14

Membership - Committing ourselves to one another and making promises. Church membership is a commitment between followers of Jesus to do life together in a local church. If you have been immersed (baptized) and want to become a member of Brentwood Oaks, please let us know through the QR code that is shown on the screen at the beginning of the service, and an elder or minister will reach out to you to answer any questions you may have about this process.