Written by Pastor Dave Reyes
What can I expect on my first visit?
Just inside the front entrance, you’ll find a welcome center where one of our friendly people will meet you and direct you to the right classes and services. They can also answer other questions you may have. They’ll give you a welcome packet with a contact card that you can fill out and return in exchange for a small gift. You can get a snack and some coffee from our refreshment table before you make your way into the service.
If you arrive for the 9:30 hour you’ll find Bible classes for every age. These classes are smaller group settings where you are invited to meet people and hear a lesson relevant to your life stage. The best way to get to know people at New Heights Baptist Church is to get involved in one of these Bible classes.
Most adults also attend the 10:30 preaching service where they enjoy singing traditional hymns and listening to inspiring music. The music is always followed by a clear, helpful, and challenging Bible message. The service is a little more than an hour in length.
You can expect to have a homemade apple pie delivered to you. We have delivered hundreds of pies over the years. Be sure to fill out a welcome card with your information so we can make arrangements to deliver your pie!
Where do I take my children?
On Sunday mornings, children from infants to 5-year-olds are in easily accessible classes as you enter the main auditorium. Elementary children are upstairs for a Bible lesson at 9:30 and Junior Church at 10:30. Junior High and High School students meet in classrooms for the 9:30 Bible Study and join the adults in the auditorium at 10:30. Someone will be at the main entrance to walk your children to their classes. Feel free to ask anyone for assistance. Most of our members would be happy to help you!
What about my teens?
New Heights Baptist teens are involved in many parts of our ministry. Some help in our bus ministry, some attend our teen soulwinning time on Wednesdays. Some sing in special music groups in our worship services. Most teens attend the 9:30 Sunday morning Bible Class where they are challenged with a Bible lesson. Our teen choir sings in the main service regularly. During the 10:30 am worship service our teens participate along with the adults and often make life-changing decisions during the invitation. We have regular teen activities as well as several big events each year. Take a look at our Youth Ministry Page for more details.
How should I dress?
There is no dress code at New Heights Baptist Church for members or guests. Our ministry leaders and many of our church family dress in more traditional “Sunday” dress; however, our main goal is that you would feel welcome and comfortable while visiting with us.
Am I expected to participate in the offerings?
No. We want our service to be a gift to you. We hope you will find a warm family spirit, truth from God’s Word, and a place where you can grow in God’s grace. Please don’t feel any obligation to participate in the offering as a guest.
As the pastor of New Heights Baptist Church, I want you to get a feel for our church before you even get here. NHBC is a wonderful mix of people wanting to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ while helping others along that same path. Some of the people you’ll meet have been Christians for decades, while others only a couple of weeks. Some aren’t Christians but are welcome just the same.
We have chosen a traditional format for our services. We sing timeless hymns, but with the fresh excitement of Christians thankful for the amazing gift of salvation. You can hold a hymnbook in your hands and follow the music. Sometimes we’ll sing a chorus or a Scripture song as well. Our music ministry prepares music each week which is always a blessing. Here’s a page with a sample of our music.
I spend a lot of time each week preparing to preach from the Bible. Sometimes I’ll preach a series from a book of the Bible. Other times I’ll preach on a topic that I feel will be helpful to our church. On Sunday mornings I will often preach a message about trusting Jesus Christ as your Saviour. On most Sunday evenings I will preach a message geared toward growing as a Christian and becoming a better disciple of Jesus Christ. Most messages are about 40 minutes long. You can watch recorded sermons on YouTube.
We finish the service by giving an invitation to make a decision. I’ll ask you to stand if you are able and respond to the impulse of God in your heart. I’ll give you an opportunity to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior if you have not already done that. I’ll also give you an opportunity to spend a few moments at the altar in prayer if you want to. There are always counselors available to pray with you should you want them to. It is during the invitation time that people officially become members of our church after filling out a membership form.
We have a plan to help you take the next step in your journey of faith. You WILL grow here if you simply get involved. We try to match everyone with a mentor and help them complete a discipleship program. You can learn more about our plan here.
If you have any more questions or just want to say, “Hi,” please shoot me an email at newheightspastor@gmail.com or call the church office at 505-899-4433.