AboutWe have a great story here at First Christian Church Tyler! From our Disciples of Christ identity — that gives us a unique mission of cooperation across denominational borders — through our early days in the late 1800s — building on a lot in “Block No. 1 of the Town Site of Tyler” — to the 1960s move so far south that open fields surrounded our current site, we’ve consistently looked to shine God’s light to our community and world. We’ve also worked to provide a relevant invitation and an engaging journey to all who would walk in faith with us!
Along the way God has sent leaders and visions “for such a time as this,” allowing our community of faith to be shaped, positioned and sometimes moved to best serve our local and global community. We are passionately propelled to care, share and serve in the heart of our community, to grow where we are rooted, and to remain a bright beacon to new generations looking for ways to live in real Christian community. At First Christian Church we believe God wants to transform our lives individually and collectively for His purpose. In everything we do, we speak and live for Christ. The way we do this is simply to take God's love and our God-given gifts and talents into the world to make a difference. Mission To speak and live for Christ in our community and our world. - Philippians 2:5 Vision To be a worshiping community in which all people are transformed through the love of Jesus Christ. - Romans 12:2 |
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Our five basic principles @ FCC
- We have a simple Confession of Faith; We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and accept Him as Lord and Savior. We believe any Christian person can go along with that confession and that any person who believes what that confession says is "Christian" (saved, going to heaven ,etc.)
- We practice Believers Baptism by immersion. We ask that those who are baptized are old enough to decide for themselves. Therefore, we do not baptize infants, but we do dedicate them in hope that they will someday decide for themselves. While we baptize by immersion, we honor and recognize other forms of Christian baptism as valid (i.e., sprinkling). If someone who was baptized by sprinkling as an infant later transfers his/her membership to our church, that person would not be asked to be baptized again.
- We celebrate the Lord's Supper every time we gather for worship. Our Table is "open" to all Christians of any denomination (all those who can go along with our Confession of Faith).
- We believe each person has the right and responsibility to read and interpret (with God's help) the Scriptures for himself/herself. It's not the preacher's job to tell us what to believe. It is our right/responsibility together to read and interpret ... and to learn what we believe.
- We are ecumenical in nature, which means we cooperate with other churches to further God's Kingdom. We believe that all churches are in the same "business" and therefore work together.