Sharing God's Love from the Heart of Broken Arrow
The Broken Arrow church of Christ has stood at 505 East Kenosha Street in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma since 1963, but its roots in the town go back more than a century. A 1909 religious census listed two members of the church in Broken Arrow. In 1922 a small group of families began meeting in homes, and a gospel meeting under a tent on Main Street launched what would become a multigenerational family of believers. Today the campus covers about ten acres with parking across 4th Street, a preschool called Kids Kare, a food pantry, and a clothing room that opens on select Saturdays.
105 Years of History
The earliest record of members of the church in Broken Arrow is a 1909 religious census that named two people. In 1922 a small group of families began gathering in homes, and that same year a gospel meeting with Brother Joe Warlick was held under a tent on Main Street. Several converts were baptized, and the group moved into a rented room above the city jail in the Old City Hall. Each family brought its own songbook, and members set up chairs and brought communion supplies before services.
By 1924 a new wave of baptisms pushed the young church to look for a permanent home. Late in 1927 three elders signed the Articles of Incorporation and the congregation purchased a building at Ash and Broadway. Baptisms were held in nearby ponds until a baptistry was added in 1932. The building was outgrown by 1948 and torn down, with members pitching in on the demolition and the construction of a white frame building seating 250 that was ready in 1949.
In 1961 the congregation purchased land at the present Kenosha Street location. Construction began in September 1962 and an open house in April 1963 welcomed a new auditorium seating 587 with 34 classrooms and offices. A 1974 expansion added a larger auditorium with seating for 1,200, a north educational wing, and additional office space. A major building project completed in 1982 produced the facilities used today. The Mission Forum, which began in 1975, reflects a long-running emphasis on local, stateside, and foreign missions.
Identity, Faith, and Mission
The Broken Arrow church of Christ describes itself as a family. Members have been born again through salvation in Jesus Christ and adopted into the household of God, and the congregation welcomes believers from many backgrounds: married, single, widowed, divorced, parents, and those without children. Their faith statement centers on Jesus Christ as the one Savior, Redeemer, High Priest, and Friend. Members affirm that every person has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that salvation is a gift of grace received through faith in Christ - a living faith evidenced through repentance, confession, and baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Baptized believers are seen as sanctuaries of the indwelling Holy Spirit, added by God to the church.
The mission that flows from this faith is to share the message of Jesus through words, example, and acts of compassionate service. The congregation seeks to follow the example of Jesus in ministering to physical as well as spiritual needs, serving the sick, the hungry, the grieving, the poor, widows, orphans, and others who have been marginalized.
Sunday and Wednesday Rhythms
The week's center is Sunday. Bible classes meet at 9:00 AM, followed by morning worship at 10:00 AM and an evening service at 5:00 PM. Life Groups meet on the third Sunday of each month in homes. Wednesdays add another round of Bible classes at 7:00 PM, with an additional adult class at 3:00 PM in the Parlor. A Tuesday Ladies' Bible Class gathers at 10:00 AM in Room 103 N from September through May.
Worship on Sunday follows a familiar shape. The Lord's Supper is shared every first day of the week as a simple memorial meal. Members pray, read Scripture, hear the Word proclaimed and explained, give monetary gifts, and sing. As in the practice of the earliest Christians, the singing is a cappella, drawing from both traditional hymns and contemporary songs.
Children are welcomed from the very start. An attended nursery is available for newborns through age two during Sunday morning and evening worship. Children ages three through kindergarten may join their families at the beginning of worship and then be dismissed to Bible Hour, where they sing, hear Bible stories, watch videos, work on application activities, and learn memory verses.
Bible Classes for Every Age
A full slate of Bible classes runs on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM. Combined adults study together in the auditorium under Gary Jones. A Young Adults class in Room 103 N works through Joshua with Jerry Lundy. A class for those in their 30s and 40s meets in the Outreach Center youth room to discuss the Sermon on the Mount with Tim Pyles. A 50s and 60s class gathers in the Parlor for "Fire on the Mountain" with Scott Keele. A ladies' class in Room 101 N studies prayers of the Bible with Loretta Turner and Lori Gillin. A Spanish-speaking class for adults meets in Room 7 of the Outreach Center. Children and youth classes for nursery through 12th grade run at the same hour.
Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM offer another round. The auditorium class works through 1 and 2 Thessalonians with Ron Lee. Fellowship Hall hosts "Joyful Noise" with Jason Davis. The Parlor hosts a grief and comfort study led by Scott Keele. A Spanish-speaking adult class meets in Room 7 of the Outreach Center, and children and youth from nursery through high school meet at the same hour.
Children and The BAY
The children's ministry begins in the nursery and stretches through fifth grade. Bible classes use a curriculum that walks children through the Bible in an age-appropriate way. Preschoolers study through the "First Look" curriculum, primary children in grades one and two study the Life of Christ and Genesis through Joshua, and juniors in grades three through five learn through "Superbook Academy." Emily Gillin serves as Children's Ministry Coordinator while pursuing a Children's Ministry Certificate from Oklahoma Christian University.
The youth ministry, known as the BAY (Broken Arrow Youth), gathers middle and high school students for monthly devotionals, movie nights, service opportunities, retreats, and the annual week at Burnt Cabin Christian Camp. Andrew Lemus serves as Youth and Family Minister.
Ladies' Bible Class and HeartSisters
From September through May, the Ladies' Bible Class meets Tuesday mornings at 10:00 AM in Room 103 N. The year is taught by several women from the congregation and includes Bible study, singing, praying, luncheons, service projects, and quilting. Free childcare is provided during class, and a welcoming gift is prepared for new members. Service projects through the year include making lap quilts for cancer patients, purchasing pigs for young men at West View Boys Home, and rolling bandages and collecting pill bottles for an African hospital.
HeartSisters is a small-group program designed to develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, create a sense of belonging, and involve women in teaching and service. All ladies are invited to participate.
Food Pantry and Clothing Room
Two outreach ministries reach beyond the church's own family. The Food Pantry serves both members of the Broken Arrow church of Christ and the wider community every Thursday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The pantry follows the Broken Arrow Public Schools calendar, closing on school holidays and during inclement weather but remaining open on Thursdays through the summer. Terri Larson leads the ministry and welcomes both those who need help and those who want to volunteer.
The Clothing Room provides seasonal clothing for men, women, and children on select Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with a schedule posted each year. Donations of clothing are accepted every Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 11:00 AM.
Kids Kare Preschool and Mother's Day Out
Kids Kare is a preschool program for children ages two through five that runs from August through May, weekdays from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The curriculum weaves Bible stories, language and math readiness, art, music, motor-skill development, science, and field trips into themed units. Two-day and three-day options are available, and a 15% sibling discount applies. Director Tara Kime leads the program.
Mother's Day Out offers similar hours for younger children, with one-, two-, and three-day options for nursery and toddler classrooms. Both programs share a 1:4 nursery and 1:6 toddler teacher ratio and meet at the church's Kenosha Street campus.
Vacation Bible School and Camp
Each August the church hosts a free Vacation Bible School for children ages three through fifth grade. Evenings include singing, Bible stories, puppets, games, crafts, drama time, and refreshments, with an average of 500 in attendance each year.
Burnt Cabin Christian Camp is the congregation's summer camp partner, a weeklong experience for children from third grade through high school held in a Christ-centered environment with singing, recreation, and Bible study. Applications for the Broken Arrow week open each year in late March.
Missions Beyond Broken Arrow
Missions have been a hallmark of the Broken Arrow church of Christ since 1975, when the Mission Forum began. The congregation supports local, stateside, and foreign mission work and has sent teams to countries including Papua New Guinea, Scotland, England, Estonia, Ukraine, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa. A prison ministry and a Hispanic ministry are among the outreach areas overseen by elders.
Shepherds, Ministers, and Staff
Tim Pyles has served as Preaching Minister since March 2009, after earlier ministry in Australia, Hawaii, Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas. Scott Keele has served the congregation since January 1987 in roles that have included teaching, worship planning, Kids Kare, and Ukraine missions, and now holds the title of Associate Minister. Andrew Lemus serves as Youth and Family Minister, Emily Gillin as Children's Ministry Coordinator, and Tara Kime as Director of Kids Kare. Ten shepherds (elders) shepherd the congregation: Steve Copeland, Ron Lee, Lee Turner, Richard Davis, Jerry Lundy, Brian Street, Jeff Watson, Dave Larson, Gerry Lynn, and Keith Walvoord. Twenty-eight deacons serve in ministries that range from building and grounds to youth, worship, missions, and Golden Agers.
Streaming, Giving, and Connecting
Three weekly services are streamed on YouTube: the 9:00 AM Sunday Bible class, the 10:00 AM Sunday worship service, and the 7:00 PM Wednesday Bible class. Bulletins are posted each week in print and online. Giving is available online, and an easyTithe mobile app allows recurring contributions from iOS or Android devices. Members stay connected through Realm for directory access and through a members-only Facebook group.