A Church of Word and Spirit on State Road 59
Christ Community Church gathers on a stretch of State Road 59 just north of Brazil, Indiana, in the rolling country of Clay County. The church's banner phrase, "A Church of Word & Spirit," captures what the congregation wants to be: a community shaped by the Bible and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Worship happens in a sanctuary whose stained glass mural displays the four emblems of the Christian & Missionary Alliance's Fourfold Gospel, the cross, the laver, the pitcher, and the crown.
CCC is part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance family, a denomination rooted in the teaching that Jesus is Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. The church's stated mission is "to pursue Jesus Christ and to be a community of His followers who gather together, have fellowship together, and serve together." Lead Pastor Joshua Sanders and his wife Madison, both raised in Terre Haute, were called to lead CCC by unanimous congregational vote after a ministry weekend in September 2023, and the body has been growing into that calling since.
Sunday Gatherings at 10 AM
Every Sunday at 10 AM, the church meets as one body for worship, Bible teaching, and prayer. Most weeks the preaching moves verse by verse through a single book of the Bible, a method the church believes is the most faithful way to let Scripture set the agenda. Pastor Joshua typically preaches in jeans and a collared shirt, and most people wear casual attire. Newcomers are encouraged to come as they are.
Those who arrive at 9 AM find coffee, a light breakfast, and a time of fellowship before the service begins. On the first Sunday of every month, the congregation shares communion together, and a benevolence offering is collected to assist people in the church and community who face financial need.
Children are part of the gathering from the start. Kids of all ages join the adults through the worship portion of the morning. After the singing, the CCC Kids team leaders stand at the back of the sanctuary and walk children to their classes. A security team is on duty during gatherings to keep the environment safe.
Wednesday Nights: Prayer and Youth
Wednesday evening is a second weekly anchor at CCC. CCC Youth, for students in sixth through twelfth grade, meets at 6:30 PM in the church building. Students hang out, play games, sing together, and then hear a Bible teaching. The current rhythm is a weekly discussion of the book of James, working through what real faith looks like at school, at home, online, and in every moment that matters.
At 7 PM, the entire church gathers for a churchwide prayer meeting. Adults worship together and pray in the sanctuary while children's classes run at the same time, so the whole family can attend. The church considers prayer one of its eight core values and frames the Wednesday gathering as a time when "there is no stronger connection to God than prayer."
CCC Kids: Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Children's ministry at CCC is led by Shawn and Courtney Nicosin, who serve as the CCC Kids Directors. The program is divided into three rooms. Nursery serves infants through age three. Preschool is for potty-trained children ages three to five. Kids Church is for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
In each class, children participate in songs, Bible teaching, skits, games, and memory verses. Every CCC Kids volunteer has been background checked. The goal, stated plainly by the church, is that children should have so much fun during the service that they cannot wait to come back the next week.
Each summer, CCC hosts a Vacation Bible School that the church describes with playful seriousness ("We take VBS pretty serious"), working to make it a high point of the year for families in the area. Other kid-focused events run throughout the year as well.
Eight Core Values
CCC has identified eight core values that shape its life together: the Gospel, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, Prayer, People, Community, the Next Generation, and Simplicity. Each carries a short statement. The Bible is described as God's revealed will, sufficient to be "the roadmap of our lives." Prayer is the first thing the church turns to in everything it does. Community is built on the belief that "we were created to do life together." Simplicity is the value that keeps the important things from being crowded out.
The stained glass mural in the sanctuary reflects the C&MA's Fourfold Gospel. Jesus is Savior, represented by the cross, who gave His life to rescue from sin. He is Sanctifier, represented by the laver, the ongoing work of cleansing and shaping. He is Healer, represented by the pitcher, His compassion and power to restore according to His will. He is Coming King, represented by the crown, the hope of His return.
What CCC Believes
The church's doctrinal statement covers classical evangelical and C&MA distinctives: one God in three persons, the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, and present ministry as great High Priest. The Holy Spirit is described as a divine person who indwells, guides, teaches, gifts, empowers, and bears fruit in every believer, and who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for salvation, the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice. Humanity, created in the image of God, fell through disobedience and can be saved only through the atoning work of Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith, resulting in justification, new birth, adoption, and transfer from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's Son.
Sanctification, CCC teaches, is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought by the Holy Spirit after conversion. Provision for healing is part of Christ's redemptive work, and prayer for the sick with anointing of oil is taught as a privilege for the church in this present age. The Second Coming of Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial, a vital truth and an incentive to holy living and faithful service.
CCC Groups and Discovery Class
Fellowship at CCC extends beyond Sunday morning through small groups called CCC Groups. The church points to Acts 2:42 as the model, meeting in one another's homes, sharing a meal, breaking bread, and praying together. Groups are the main pathway for deeper relationships and continued spiritual growth, and sign-ups are open through the church's online center.
For newcomers who want to take a next step, the Discovery Class is a one-time introduction to the church's mission, beliefs, and ways to get involved. Childcare is available, and lunch and refreshments are provided.
Local Outreach and Global Missions
Missions at CCC reach in three directions. Locally, the church supports Youth for Christ of the Wabash Valley, the Crisis Pregnancy Center of the Wabash Valley, InsideOut Recovery in Brazil, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Indiana State University. Nationally and globally, CCC backs missionaries through Cru, Wycliffe Bible Translators, One Mission Society (with workers in Kenya and at the OMS hub in Greenfield, Indiana), Missionary Aviation Fellowship, and C&MA International Workers serving in limited-access countries.
As part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, CCC channels giving through the Great Commission Fund, which supports Alliance workers planting churches, discipling new believers, and providing a lasting gospel presence among the world's least reached peoples.
Leadership
CCC describes itself as a "Jesus-ruled, elder-led, and congregationally-responsible church." Joshua Sanders serves as Lead Pastor. He is a licensed minister in the Christian & Missionary Alliance and previously served as Student Pastor at RealHope Church of God in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Assistant Pastor at Plant City Church of God in Florida, and Connection Pastor at Arise Church in Brandon, Florida, which was named one of the top 100 fastest-growing churches in the United States.
Bob Kellum serves as Associate Pastor. The current elders are Jon Graf, Dave Evans, and Shawn Nicosin. Shawn and Courtney Nicosin direct CCC Kids. All members of the congregation are described as responsible for building a healthy church, with every believer called to disciple others, speak the truth in love, and use their gifts for the glory of God.
Getting Connected
Visitors and members use the Church Center app to give, sign up for groups, register for events, listen to previous sermons, and stay in touch with the life of the church. Text-to-give is available by texting any dollar amount to 84321. Giving is also available online, by mail to PO Box 364, Brazil, IN 47834, or at one of the giving boxes during Sunday gatherings.
Sermons are posted on the church's YouTube channel and are also available as a podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The church preaches from the Christian Standard Bible. A prayer request form is available for those who want the prayer team to come alongside them.
Christ Community Church is located at 10942 IN-59, Brazil, IN 47834. The mailing address is PO Box 364, Brazil, IN 47834. The office can be reached at secretary@christcommunitychurch.org.