We warmly welcome you to the church in Lake Forest. We are believers in Jesus Christ from all backgrounds who gather locally to be the Lord’s testimony in Lake Forest. We have listed some frequently asked questions below. Read through some of our responses to these questions or ask us a question of your own using the form at the bottom of the page.
I’m looking for fellowship, but I’m not ready to attend a Sunday meeting yet. Can someone visit me or call me? Absolutely. Attending a Sunday meeting is not the only way to have fellowship with us. If you leave your contact information on the form below we will be sure to contact you promptly and in a manner that makes you most comfortable.
Are there facilities for children and teenagers?
Yes, ministering to families, including children and teenagers, is an important part of our responsibility and stewardship. Although we meet in homes, we do have a room and session for children. As we grow, this aspect of our church practice will also develop.
What should I expect when I come to a meeting?
You should expect a warm welcome and to meet some joyful Christians. We love to sing with our heart to the Lord and to speak to one another in psalms and hymns (Eph.5:19Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord,). Our gatherings are characterized by mutuality: we encourage praise, prayer, and speaking from one another(1 Cor. 14:26What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.). Our meetings are frequently punctuated by “Hallelujah!”, “Amen!”, “Oh Lord Jesus!” and other joyful noises to the Lord (Psa. 100:1Make a joyful noise to Jehovah, all the earth.; 1 Thes. 5:16Always rejoice; Phil. 2:11And every tongue should openly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.). We are not for any particular outward form, practice, or liturgy. Our only goal is to worship the Lord in spirit and truthfulness (John 4:24God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.).
Is there a dress code?
We have no dress code, and we simply encourage you to be led by the Spirit in all things (Rom. 8:14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.).
Who is your pastor?
God’s intention is that all of His believers would serve Him as priests (1 Pet. 2:5You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.). All Christians have the innate capacity to contact God, worship God, be filled with God, pray to God, speak for God, and represent God (Acts 1:8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.; 1 Cor. 14:31For you can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged.; 1 Pet. 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Rom. 1:9For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers).
Of course, the ascended Christ has given gifts to the Body which we treasure, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers (Eph. 4:11And He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers). There are many who serve as shepherds and teachers among us, including the elders of the church, along with others who have the spiritual gift of shepherding and teaching (1 Pet. 5:1-3Therefore the elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory to be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God; not by seeking gain through base means but eagerly; nor as lording it over your allotments but by becoming patterns of the flock.; Acts 20:28Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers to shepherd the church of God, which He obtained through His own blood.).
What kind of Bible do you use?
Probably the personal Bible collections of our church members are as diverse and expansive as any other congregation. But when we gather together for larger meetings we frequently find it useful to use the same text: the Recovery Version. The Recovery Version of The New Testament is based on the Nestle-Aland Greek text as found in Novum Testamentum Graece (26th edition) and is part of the great heritage of Bible translations through church history (including but not limited to KJV, ASV, NASB, and many other translations). To receive a free copy of the Recovery Version of The New Testament, or to learn more about it, please visit Bibles for America.
What denomination are you?
We are not part of any denomination. We follow the New Testament pattern which shows Christ’s believers who congregate only on the basis of the locality in which they live (see Acts 8:1And Saul approved of his killing. And there occurred in that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.; 13:1Now there were in Antioch, in the local church, prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon, who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.; Rom. 16:1I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is in Cenchrea; 1 Cor. 1:2To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints, with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours:). Because we live in Lake Forest, we meet simply as the church in Lake Forest. As the church in Lake Forest, we receive all of the believers in Lake Forest and surrounding areas, as Christ has also received us (Rom. 15:7Therefore receive one another, as Christ also received you to the glory of God.).
What is your relationship with other local churches?
We have a rich fellowship with thousands of other local churches throughout the world to express the one Body of Christ. Members in the church frequently travel to visit other churches both locally and internationally. There are frequent regional, national, and international conferences and trainings throughout the year where we see more of the “breadth, length, height, and depth” of the Body of Christ (Eph. 3:18May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are).
Feel free to contact us for more information: