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© the church 2021.
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About the church.

Our Lead Pastors

Pastors Elijah & Sheridan Garcia are the Lead Pastors of The Church, based in Lawton, OK since May of 2020. They were entrusted with The Church from the founding pastor, Danny ElKouri, after 14 years of operation. Their personal philosophy and driving passion is to bridge the gap between the lost & Jesus. The last census taken shows that 90% of the community in which the church resides is unchurched. They aspire to reach this community, city and the world with the gospel being presented in such a way that it bridges the gap between those who are lost and Jesus Christ. They believe in the next generation and value the wisdom and guidance of those that have gone before them. They have been married since 2013, reside in Lawton, and have 5 amazing children (Avah, Elle, Axel, Dani, & Demi).

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Our Story

The Church began in 2006 when God directed Pastor Danny El Kouri to build a church. Services were initially held in Danny and Lori’s home. By God’s grace, attendance quickly grew to ten and within a year the attendance averaged 20 to 40 for the Friday night Bible Studies. Needing larger accommodations, the church moved to the downtown coffee shop in September 2008. Tuesday evening services were held there for seven months. In May 2009, The Church moved to their present location at 2202 SW ‘A’ Street to the building now known as the Church Kids Building. By April 2010, the congregation outgrew the building and moved to the present facility. We have always been involved in missions, today we are currently very active in supporting Revive Israel (whom the first 1% of our tithes goes to on a weekly basis), and the Association of Related Churches, also known as ARC. We give to ARC, who plants churches across the globe! Word Alive does not exist to serve itself, but rather to serve our community and world by bridging the gap!

The Church is a faith walking church. We believe big, we expect bigger. When we pray, we know God hears us. We are faith-filled, big-thinking, bet-the-farm risk-takers. We will never insult God with small thinking and safe living. What are you believing for? Come join us!

What We Believe

  • The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives.
  • (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4, 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:16)
  • God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.
  • (1 John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19, 3:16-17; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11)
  • God is great: He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.
  • (Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)
  • Jesus Christ is completely human but, at the same time, completely God. The Holy Spirit in the virgin, Mary, created him. He is the only plan for bringing people who are far from God back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life, so that He could be a substitution for us in satisfying God’s demands for perfection. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we could have life.
  • (Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 28:5-6; Luke 1:27-35; 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8:1-3; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16)
  • His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ. Evidence of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, speaking in unknown tongues, gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.
  • (Genesis 1:2; Psalms 51:11; 139:7 ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:1-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)
  • The Church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
  • (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)
  • Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
  • (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
  • Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell into sin. His only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ. Repentance is a commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ. Through repentance we individually receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation.
  • (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:17; Acts 2:38, 3:19; Romans 5:12-21)
  • The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift given through the grace of God, and it cannot be earned through our own efforts.
  • (Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-66, 28:1-6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1, 10:9-10; Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:16, 20; 3:8, 13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:22-28; Revelation 3:20)
  • Prayer is our ability to communicate with God. Through Jesus’ salvation, we no longer need an intercessor to go between God and us; we can address Him directly. We believe that no monumental thing can be done without prayer preceding it and continuing through it.
  • (Psalms 145:18; Proverbs 15:29; Matthew 7:11; Luke 18:1; Romans 8:26; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:8)
  • Baptism is a symbolic act to publicly profess one’s salvation. God commands it, but our salvation is not reliant upon it. We practice full-immersion baptism, symbolizing the process of death and resurrection that Jesus went through for us.
  • (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38)
  • Communion (The Lord’s Supper) is a unique time when the elements of bread and juice express, in a spiritual way, the body and blood of Christ. Communion is taken by believers in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
  • (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25)
  • The five-fold ministry positions of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are gifts given to each local church and the universal church. These gifts are for the equipping of believers to spread the gospel of Christ. We believe both men and women are sovereignly chosen by God for these ministry positions.
  • (Ephesians 4:8-13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-30, 14:29-31; Galatians 3:26-29; Philippians 4:3; Romans 16:1-7)
  • We believe that, as part of Christ’s work of salvation, it is the Father’s will for believers to become whole, healthy, and successful in all areas of life:

1. Spiritual (John 3:3, 11: Romans 10:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

2. Mental & Emotional (Isaiah 26:3; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2)

3. Physical (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24)

4. Financial (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Malachi 3:10)

  • Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish his authority on earth. This will occur at a time undisclosed by scripture. So, we live everyday in expectation of Christ’s return.
  • (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64: Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)
  • Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
  • (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34, 41; Mark 9:43-48; John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27, 11:16; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8)

Know God. Find Freedom. Discover Purpose. Make a Difference.