Adult, youth, and children's classes.
First-time visitor
Glad you're thinking about coming Sunday.
If you've never set foot in a COGIC church before, this page is for you. Here is the honest version of what Sunday morning at Faith Tabernacle looks like.
When and where
The short version, first.
Sunday School is at 10:00 AM. Morning Worship is at 11:00 AM. You can arrive for either, and most first-time visitors come straight to 11:00. We're at 907 W Home Street in Vandalia. There is parking on the street and around the building.
The main service. About 90 minutes.
Subject to seasonal changes.
What a Sunday looks like
A walk through 11:00 AM.
COGIC worship is expressive. You will hear singing, shouts of praise, and clapping. The Spirit moves freely. Don't let any of it surprise you. You are welcome to participate, sit quietly, or anything in between.
01
You'll be greeted at the door.
Someone will say hello, hand you a program, and answer any quick questions. We won't ask you to stand and be recognized in front of everyone unless you want to be.
02
Worship begins with singing and prayer.
The choir leads. The congregation joins in. There will be testimony, praise, and prayer for whoever is in the room. Expressive worship is part of who we are.
03
The Word is read and preached.
Pastor Smith preaches anointed, plainspoken messages from the Bible. He doesn't water it down, and he doesn't shame anyone who is searching.
04
The altar opens.
At the end of the service, anyone who wants prayer or wants to give their life to Jesus can come forward. No pressure. No spotlight. Just the church praying with you.
05
We dismiss together.
The whole thing runs about 90 minutes. After service, the saints stay around and talk. If you'd like to meet Pastor and First Lady Smith, that's the moment.
Practical questions
The stuff people quietly wonder.
You shouldn't have to call the church to find out what to wear or where to park. Here are the questions we hear most.
Come as you are.
Some saints dress up. Some come straight from work in jeans. We're more interested in your heart than your outfit. Wear what helps you focus on the Lord.
On the street, or beside the building.
907 W Home Street, Vandalia. The lot beside the church is open Sundays. Street parking on Home is free.
Bring them.
Children are welcome in worship. Sunday School at 10:00 AM has classes for kids and teens. If the little ones get restless during preaching, that's okay. We've all been there.
No.
Tithes and offerings are a part of our worship for members. Visitors are never expected to give. If you want to, the offering plate passes during service, or you can give online on the Give page.
You're still welcome.
Faith Tabernacle is a place to hear the gospel honestly. If you've been hurt by church before, or you just have questions, you don't need to have anything figured out before you walk in.
Not unless you want to be.
If you fill out a visitor card, we'll reach out gently. If you don't, you can come and go in peace. No follow-up sales pitch.
What we believe
The short version of our faith.
Faith Tabernacle is part of the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal-Holiness denomination founded in 1907 by Bishop Charles Harrison Mason. Here is the one-paragraph summary of what that means.
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God. We believe Jesus Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead, and is the only way to the Father. We believe in salvation by grace through faith, in sanctification as a continuing work of grace, and in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We believe in the Church as the body of Christ on the earth, and in the soon return of our Lord Jesus.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord.Isaiah 1:18 · KJV