What To Expect
Worship services are casual at Missionary Wesleyan Church. Many people wear jeans or dress “business casual.” We encourage you to arrive about 10 minutes before the service starts so you can fellowship with friends and meet people. Our services start with a call to Worship sung by our Choir. Our Pastor will preach & teach a bible-based message with practical application to help you live out your faith during the week. Some services we celebrate communion, but there’s no pressure to participate if you don’t want to. Services are usually a little over an hour, and then you’re welcome to hang out and talk with people afterwards
If you have children under the age of 3, we have a team of loving, trained volunteers in our secure nursery area. For children 3 and up to 5th grade, we have Children’s Church – a fun, up-beat service that includes music, games and a bible lesson taught at their level. We encourage middle school and high school students, to join their parents in adult service.
History of Our Church
📍July 28, 1913
Missionary Methodist of Forest City was officially organized in the home of Jeff Hardin on Harmon Street near the Southern Railway depot.
📍1913–1915
Rev. James Stafford served as the first elected pastor. One room in the Hardin home was cleared and used as the church’s first place of worship.
📍Circa 1914
As attendance increased, a two-room space on South Church Street was rented. Due to heavy attendance, the floor collapsed during a service.
📍Shortly After 1914
Worship services moved to a large room in the Moore Building on Main Street’s north side.
📍1914
A frame building from East Main Street Methodist Church was purchased, relocated, and reconstructed on a lot at South Church Street and Dock Street, donated by the Florence Mill Company.
📍1924
The church was remodeled, and four Sunday School rooms were added.
📍1914–1945
Various improvements and updates were made to the church facilities.
📍1953
A new brick parsonage was built on South Church Street near the church.
📍Later (Exact Year Unspecified)
A Social Hall was erected to support church fellowship and events.
📍1975
The church purchased six acres of land on Doggett Road in Forest City.
📍March 1976
A new parsonage was completed on the Doggett Road property.
📍August 28, 1977
The first worship service was held in the new church building on Doggett Road.
📍June 1996
The church officially returned to its Wesleyan roots, becoming part of The Wesleyan Church and was renamed:
Missionary Wesleyan Church of Forest City
Our Beliefs
Bible. We believe the Bible, consisting of 66 books, to be the inspired Word of God, without error, the revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
God. We believe in one God existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God has always been and will always be the only God. There were none before Him and shall be none after him.
The Father. We believe that the Father created all things in heaven and on earth. He created human beings out of a love for us and desires a personal relationship with each of us.
Jesus. We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Furthermore, He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven.
Holy Spirit. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict men, making them aware of their sin and the salvation available through Jesus. He regenerates, guides, instructs, and empowers the believer for godly living and service.
Man. We believe that man was created in the image of God and sinless, but fell into sin and is therefore lost and subject to judgment. There is nothing man can do to save himself from this judgment, but he can accept the death of Jesus as punishment in place of his own eternal death by acknowledging God and accepting the free gift of salvation.
Salvation. We believe that the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ provides the only way of justification and salvation for all who believe. Any who attach additional works of man as a requirement for salvation are false in that they infer Jesus’ death is insufficient in and of itself to save and that human beings somehow have the capability to save themselves.
Accepting the Sinner, Denouncing the Sin. We believe that no sin is too big for God to forgive. Therefore, as Christians we should be open and eager to share the Gospel with everyone regardless of their sin or affliction. However, making Jesus Lord of our lives means striving towards holiness and turning from our sinful ways. Therefore, while being open to all sinners, Christians ought not accept, ignore, or promote any sin as permissible.
Non-Essential Elements. We believe the above tenets make up the basis of Christian faith on which all Christians believe and agree. We have intentionally omitted any statements regarding areas of legitimate disagreement (i.e., baptism, predestination, end times) on which agreement is not essential for salvation.
