A Cappella Singing
The first thing that almost anyone notices about our assembly is that we have no instruments in our building and that our singing is entirely a cappella. We sing in this fashion because our goal is to follow the Word of God exactly in everything it says, and according to God’s Word, the only instrument to be used in our worship is the heart. Eph 5.19 says to sing “making melody with your heart to the Lord.” We don’t use instruments because we are able to worship God totally with our hearts.
Weekly Observance of the Lord’s Supper
Another observation that people typically quickly make about our assembly is that we observe the Lord’s Supper every week rather than every so often. In the first century, the Church met every first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20.7). The practice of breaking bread and partaking of the fruit of the vine is more than just eating crackers and drinking grape juice; in doing so we remember Jesus’ death (Lk 22.19) and we proclaim His death until he comes again (1 Cor 11.26).
Contribution
Like the Lord’s Supper, we contribute a portion of our goods back to do the work of the Lord each week. Many congregations do this at the same time as the Lord’s Supper out of convenience, even though we do not at Oakland, but the two are separate and distinct from one another.
When we give back to the Church, we should keep in mind that we are only giving back what we have already been blessed with (Jas 1.17) and that we are to do so joyfully and not begrudgingly (2 Cor 9.7).
The Invitation
You will also notice that at the end of every sermon or worship service, the invitation is offered. At the
invitation, you can be baptized into Christ’s death (Rm 6.3) and be clothed with Christ (Gal 3.27-29). It is by
this baptism, with the earnest motivation of a pure conscience, that we are saved (1 Pet 3.21). It is always
and only by the grace of God that we are saved because it is only by His grace that His Son was sent to the
earth for us and only by His grace that the opportunity of salvation is offered to us (Eph 2.8), but we are still
expected to subject ourselves to His will and keep His commandments (Acts 2.38; Mt 7.21). This is also
an opportunity to be restored to the kingdom of God (Jas 5.15), or to ask for prayers from the congregation
(Jas 5.13-14).
Becoming a Member
We are sure that in coming and visiting us you will want to become a member not only of our
congregation but of the Church, the Lord's Body (Eph 1.22-23). Being added to the body is a simple
process, but it begins the greatest commitment that any of us will ever make. It requires becoming a new
creature (2 Cor 5.17) and dying to sin (Rm 6.2-3). The process begins by first hearing the good news of
Christ (Rm 10.14). Hearing gives way to belief (Rm 10.17). Once a person believes that Jesus Christ left
heaven coming to the world to die for mankind, that person will be convicted to repent of sins (Acts 2.37-
38) and confess Jesus as Lord (Rm 10.10) before being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2.38; 1
Pet 3.21). None of the things that we do earn our salvation (Eph 2.8-9) because God freely offers His grace
and is adding to His kingdom (Acts 2.47), but God freely offering grace does not mean that He does not
have expectations for us. If we love God, truly love Him, it means more than a feeling and acting on that love
(Jn 14.15).