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Hurst Baptist Church is not just a place on a map, but the identity of who we are. As members of God’s church we gather together to exalt the Lord, to edify the saints, and to evangelize the lost. It is our prayer that you would consider joining us when we gather as God’s church. Below is a description of what to expect in each of our meetings when we gather together.
Sunday Morning: 10:00 – 12:15
Sunday School: 10:00 – 10:45
Our church family gathers for Bible Study at 10:00 on Sunday morning. Classes are organized and structured for different age groups. Sunday School is designed to be smaller and interactive. Typically, we begin the adult class with a time of prayer requests and prayer. After that we study God’s Word seeking to learn its meaning and how to apply it to our life.
Worship Meeting: 11:00 – 12:15
Following Sunday School, we gather together as a church to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. We open our meeting with a call to worship. Normally this time involves reading a passage of scripture designed to focus our hearts on God and a moment of prayer. Since our purpose is to exalt the Lord, each area of our worship service is designed to bring him glory.
Music:
After preparing our hearts to worship the Lord, we offer praise to God in song. Issac Watts in his hymn “We’re Marching to Zion” wrote, “Let those refuse to sing, Who never knew our God; But children of the heav’nly King may speak their joys abroad.”
The music of our worship gathering is designed to offer praise to God by reminding us of the nature of God and his gospel work in our lives. As we seek to bring glory to God through our music, we consider carefully what we sing and how we sing. We strive to sing to the Lord texts that are rich in biblical truth and focus our hearts on who God is and what he has done through Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:16) . In addition, we strive to pair these truths with tunes that reflect the nature of God. Since God is clear that we cannot approach him in worship the way the world worships their gods (Deuteronomy 12:29-32), our music is distinctly different from popular secular music.
Giving:
Psalm 96:8-9 says, “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come unto his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him.” Giving an offering is an important part of worshiping the Lord. Throughout the Bible we find God instructing us to give an offering when we worship. In addition, we find many examples of believers giving financially to the Lord out of love and gratitude toward God because he faithfully meets the necessities of life.
Bible Reading:
The Bible is the very word of God. As a church we worship the Lord by taking the time to publicly read the very words of God. As the scripture is read, we listen attentively and meditate on the truth God is giving to us (I Timothy 4:13).
Prayer:
I Timothy 2:1 command us that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.” Prayer forms an important part of our worship meeting. As we pray together, we have the opportunity to come boldly before the throne of grace and speak directly to God. Our prayers focus on God’s work as his word is proclaimed, his gospel is preached and his Spirit ministers to change us into Jesus’ image.
Preaching and Teaching:
The preaching at Hurst is expositional. This means that we seek to carefully investigate a biblical text to understand its meaning, explain its purpose, illustrate its truth and apply it practically to our lives. Usually the sermon lasts between 40-45 minutes. By his grace as we humble ourselves in repentance and faith in his word, the Spirit changes our hearts and lives. This change through his word brings glory to God, which is the purpose of worship. (Acts 2:42; II Corinthians 3:18; II Timothy 4:1-5).
Sunday Evening: 6:00 – 7:00
At 6:00 pm we gather as a church for a time of singing, sharing, prayer and Bible Study. Our Sunday evening meetings are designed to be more of a family time. From week to week the emphasis changes. Most always some form of Bible study is presented. However, we try to incorporate times of prayer, testimonies and singing to encourage our life of following the Lord by faith in his word. Hopefully, this time will encourage your heart as we seek to encourage each other to live the gospel by faith.
Wednesday Evening: 6:30 – 7:30
At 6:30 we open our meeting with a hymn and a word of prayer. Normally a short devotional from God’s word is presented. We also focus time on updating our church family in regard to the lives and needs of our missionaries. Afterward, the balance of our time is reserved for prayer requests and prayer. In addition, our Kids Adventure club meets at the same time for spiritual encouragement and instruction.