About Us
“Accept Jesus as your personal savior and join the church of your choice.” Ask most folks who claim to be Christians today how to be saved, and you are likely to get this answer in one form or another. But is it the truth? Thankfully, we can go to the word of God and make that determination (John 17:17, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, John 16:13, John 8:32).
God’s word teaches us that Jesus built ONE church, which is His body (Matthew 16:13-20, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:4-6), and that we MUST be a in that body to be saved (Ephesians 5:23, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:10).
No one in Scripture was ever told to “accept Jesus as your personal Savior” or “invite Jesus into your heart” in order to be saved. Instead, they were told to:
- Hear the word of God, the gospel (Romans 10:17, 1:16)
- Believe that word and have faith in Jesus (John 8:24)
- Confess that faith (Matthew 10:32-33, Romans 10:10)
- Repent of their sins (Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30)
- Be baptized in water (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21)
No one in Scripture was ever told to “join the church of your choice” or “find a bible-believing church.” There were no denominations in existence to join, and God added saved people to the church that Jesus built (Acts 2:37-47). Men had not yet had time to pervert the doctrine of Christ (2 John 1:9-11) and divide themselves based on their perversions. Jesus warned that basing our worship of Him on the doctrines of men makes our worship vain (Matthew 15:1-9). When the church at Corinth started to divide themselves based on their attachment to teachers, Paul chastised them and told them they were being carnal, which made them enemies of God (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:1-4, Romans 8:6-8). The denominationalism that exists today is from the devil and is contrary to our Savior’s prayer in John 17:20-23.
Those whom the Lord added to the church were encouraged to maintain their confidence steadfast to the end, run with endurance the race set before them and work out their salvation with fear and trembling by faithfully obeying God (Hebrews 3:12-14, 12:1-3, Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 5:9).
The I-35 Church of Christ is the congregation of the Lord’s church located in Alvarado, Texas. Just like the congregations at Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, etc., that we read about in the New Testament, we are in submission to our King, Jesus (1 Timothy 6:15), who is Head of the church and possessor of all authority (Ephesians 5:23, Matthew 28:18, Colossians 3:17). We speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11) and neither add to nor take away from HIs word (Revelation 22:18-19). We work, worship and teach like Christians in the first century did when they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).
Our plea to you is the same one Peter had for the Jews assembled in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (Acts 2:40) by obeying God (Acts 2:41). Then let us work together to spread the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16, Mark 16:15-16, 1 Thessalonians 1:8), take care of needy saints (Galatians 6:10, 1 John 3:17), build up this local church (Ephesians 4:11-16), and exhort and encourage one another to continue fighting the good fight of faith that we may lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12, Hebrews 3:12-14, 10:23-31).
We hope to see you soon!
Worship - 11 a.m. Sundays; Bible Study - 10 a.m. Sundays, 7 p.m. Wednesdays