Easter 1991 on the Katy Freeway
Christ Presbyterian Church sits on about twenty acres along I-10 in west Houston, just off the Katy Freeway at 8300 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024. The building, the campus, and the schedule all grew out of one decision made on a Friday afternoon in early 1991, when roughly six hundred people walked away from their former Presbyterian denomination to plant a new congregation committed to the inerrancy of Scripture, salvation through Jesus Christ alone, and Reformed theology.
That first worship service was held on Easter morning in 1991, in a rented middle school. Through the rest of the 1990s and into the early 2000s the congregation met in a series of borrowed spaces before moving to the present property. Today the campus serves as the base from which the church tries to reach the city of Houston and the world for Christ. The mission statement on the front of the building is the simplest summary of the place: "We exist to make disciples who love Christ, his Word and his Church through the ordinary means of grace."
Christ Presbyterian Church is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America, and it is also listed as a partner church of The Gospel Coalition and Redeemer City to City. Senior Pastor Richard Harris has held the pulpit for some years now, and the current staff includes a Director of Music and Worship, an Assistant Pastor of Community Outreach, and a full team of ministry directors for children, students, young adults, women, and congregational care.
Sunday Mornings in the Sanctuary
The Sunday schedule is built around two morning services in the Sanctuary and an hour of Sunday School between them. Worship begins at 8:30 am, runs to about 9:45 am, and is followed by Sunday School from 10:00 am to 10:45 am. A second identical service follows at 11:00 am.
The 8:30 am service is livestreamed, so anyone who cannot be in the Sanctuary can watch live or catch up later on YouTube or Vimeo. Recordings stay available, and PDFs of each week's Order of Worship can be downloaded for follow-up.
Visitors who walk in through the main entrance find the Sanctuary to their right and the Sunday School wing and children's areas to their left. Middle and high school students meet in a space called The Barn, at the back of the campus. Greeters are posted at the doors and are happy to point anyone in the right direction. There is a drop-off zone at the main entrance and a separate visitor parking area for young families and those with limited mobility.
Worship at Christ Presbyterian follows a deliberately Word-centered pattern: singing, praying, confessing sin, hearing assurance of pardon, and then the sermon. The music itself is a blend of old hymns and newer songs, drawn from a tradition the church describes as "a mixture of old hymns and newer songs," served by a Worship Choir, an orchestra, and a band. The preaching is expository, working through books of the Bible over many weeks; recent series have included a long walk through Titus and a current study in Esther. The Order of Worship sets out where the singing, the prayers, the readings, and the preaching will go, and members and visitors are encouraged to follow along.
Sunday School at Ten
Between the two Sunday services sits what the church calls "old-school" adult education. Sunday School runs from 10:00 am to 10:45 am and meets across both the Main Building and the SonRise building. Classes are taught by the pastors and by lay teachers, many of whom hold seminary degrees.
The current fall rotation includes a "Bible in 90 Days" class, a study through the Gospel of Matthew with Roger Wernette, a year-long systematic theology class built around R.C. Sproul, a fourteen-week walk through Revelation with Tim McKeown, a class on the Psalms aimed at parents, a women's discussion and prayer class on the Person and Work of Christ, a class through Hebrews with John Crimmins, a young adult study through 1 and 2 Peter, and a New Testament overview. One of the Sunday School slots is also the ESL class on Paul's Letter to the Romans led by Rev. Axel Sotelo, designed both for English-language learners and for anyone who wants to work through Romans in a smaller setting.
Children from Nursery through Fifth Grade
The Children's Ministry exists to help the youngest members of the church feel warmly welcomed, develop friendships inside the congregation, and grow in their grasp of the gospel. The church uses the "Show Me Jesus" Sunday School curriculum published by Great Commission Publications, a graded curriculum that walks children each year through both Old and New Testament stories.
The nursery is open for children younger than two during both worship services and Sunday School. Preschool rooms serve children ages two through five; parents may keep their child in the classroom for the entire service or begin in the Sanctuary and let the child leave for Children's Church during the Doxology. First through fifth graders are likewise welcome to remain in the service with their parents or to step out to Children's Church during the Doxology.
Children's Church is offered at both the 8:30 and 11:00 services, and Sunday School classes meet at 10:00 am at each child's age or grade level. A Nursing Mom's Room is available on the floor. The director of Children's Ministry is Anne Henderson, with Kristin Page serving as associate director. The ministry also supports a Children's Choir that sings in services periodically and presents a Christmas play each year; Angela Ikard can be contacted for details.
The Barn: Middle and High School
Middle school and high school students have their own home on the campus: The Barn, a separate building at the back of the property that the Student Ministry describes as "an incredibly fun space." The goal of the Student Ministry is the same as the rest of the church: to help students love Christ, his Word, and his Church.
Students are encouraged to attend one of the Sunday worship services with the rest of the congregation, to attend Sunday School at 10:00 am in The Barn, and then to come back on Wednesday nights for City Group. Wednesday City Group runs from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in The Barn, beginning with dinner ($5 per person), followed by a time of worship, a lesson, and small groups divided by age and gender.
The Director of Student Ministry is Kyler Parkman, and Gina Grieb serves as Student Ministry Coordinator. Students can subscribe to weekly email updates by emailing Kyler and can text the word "barn" to 888-704-2100 to receive text alerts. The Student Ministry also keeps an active Instagram presence.
Young Adults in Their Twenties and Thirties
The Young Adults Ministry exists to make disciples who love Christ, his Word, and his Church through the ordinary means of grace among college students and young professionals, single or married, in their twenties and thirties. The community gathers around two weekly rhythms.
On Sunday mornings at 10:00 am, the young adult Sunday School class meets upstairs in Room 203 of the SonRise building, currently working through 1 and 2 Peter under the teaching of David Newland, the Interim Director of Young Adults Ministry. On Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm, the Young Adults City Group meets in The Barn for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, with snacks and beverages provided. The group is co-ed and multi-stage, designed for anyone from graduate students to young married couples to new parents.
Women of CPC
Women's Ministry at Christ Presbyterian centers on three flagship rhythms: the Women's Bible Study, Lessons & Laughter, and Journeys.
The Women's Bible Study is the largest ongoing program. For 2026 and 2027, Mikie Bellis and Mary Hambly are leading the congregation through "Hosea and the Epistles of John: Hesed, God's Covenant Love," a deep dive into the doctrine of hesed - the Hebrew word often rendered "lovingkindness" - using the 3Deep Bible Study method. The format pairs a written weekly lesson with a live Wednesday morning lecture from 9:30 to 11:00 am, followed by small group discussion and lunch at 11:00 am. Two online-only small groups also meet during the week: Tuesdays at 7:00 pm and Wednesdays at 1:30 pm. The lessons are free, and childcare is provided for children through fifth grade during the Wednesday morning session.
Lessons & Laughter meets Wednesdays at 12:00 pm in the SonRise Cafe. The group knits and crochets baby blankets for new babies, prayer shawls for those who are hospitalized or grieving, and scarves and lap blankets for an outreach called the Eyes on Me ministry. Beginners are welcome. Lessons & Laughter is led by Pam Schwab.
Journeys is the annual women's gathering held each fall, with speakers, brunch in the Chapel, and a chosen theme verse from Hebrews 10:24-25 about stirring one another up to love and good works. The Women's Ministry Coordinator is Alicia Harris, the Women's Bible Study Leader is Mikie Bellis, and the Women of Prayer leader is Danielle Olson.
For women aged 55 and older, the Just Older Youth (JOY) Group hosts occasional field trips and fellowship events for those who want to stay connected during retirement years.
Men's Ministry
The Men's Ministry gathers around a few key rhythms. The most visible is the Men's Steak Night, held each fall at an off-campus location, where attendees bring their favorite cut of meat and the ministry supplies the rest. The night is a time of fellowship, food, and grilling (grills are run by what the church calls its "highly trained grill masters").
Men's small group life happens primarily through City Groups (described below). The church sees men's ministry as flowing out of the same gospel-community-mission framework that drives the rest of the congregation, with men and women meeting together in most small groups rather than splitting along gender lines.
City Groups Across Houston
City Groups are the church's name for its small groups, and they are the second of the three main means of making disciples (alongside Sunday Worship and Sunday School). The groups are designed for authentic community, mutual shepherding and care, and progressive sanctification - in plain terms, places where people study the Bible together, encourage one another in prayer, build friendships, and open their lives to one another.
The long-term goal is twenty to twenty-five City Groups planted across Houston, geographically sensitive, multigenerational, and coed. Current groups meet in homes and on the CPC campus in neighborhoods such as Bear Creek and Copperfield, Braeswood Place, Hunters Creek, Memorial City, and The Heights. Some meet weekly, others every other week, and most meet on a weeknight between 6:30 and 9:00 pm. Several meet right at CPC, including Tuesday and Wednesday evening groups, a Thursday afternoon group at 2:00 pm, and the Young Adults group.
City Groups typically begin meeting the second week after Labor Day and run through the spring. Several include dinner or snacks.
The Worship Ministry and Handel's Messiah
Music and worship at Christ Presbyterian is led by Rev. BJ McDougal, the Director of Music and Worship, with a goal of leading people to worship God through ordinary means of grace. The Sunday services draw from psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs across modern and traditional styles, supported by a Worship Choir, an orchestra, a band, a media team, and a team of ushers and greeters.
The Worship Choir is the adult choir of the church. It is non-auditioned and open to adults of all ages. The choir rehearses on Wednesday nights from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the Sanctuary, late August through April. Fall 2026 rehearsals begin on September 2 in the Sanctuary, with a Choir Workshop held the Saturday before.
The Concert Choir is the smaller ensemble that prepares the church's annual performances of Handel's Messiah. Rehearsals for Messiah begin each October on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. Singers in the Concert Choir are expected to have an advanced level of vocal and choral skill, but do not need to be members of the Worship Choir to participate.
Handel's Messiah at Christ Presbyterian has become a Christmas tradition in its own right. The 2026 performances are scheduled for December 10, 11, and 12, and will be the twenty-second season. The performances feature the Concert Choir, the orchestra, and guest soloists, accompanied by a 17th-century Flemish harpsichord that is a centerpiece of the church's musical life. Free general admission tickets are distributed at 7:00 pm each evening, first come, first served.
The Children's Choir sings in services periodically and presents a Christmas play each year. The Media Ministry covers sound, lighting, video, and worship slides. Ushers and Greeters are organized under the Deacons' Ministry.
English Classes for the Neighborhood
The ESL Ministry reflects the diversity of the area immediately surrounding the church. Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and large communities of non-native English speakers live within a short distance of the campus. More than two hundred students have registered for English classes in a recent year, and the ministry regularly needs more teachers and volunteers.
The current ESL program runs on Thursday evenings from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, beginning September 10, 2026 and continuing through May 20, 2027. The only requirements for teaching are: love God and a desire to serve the community, the ability to speak English, and membership at CPC. Training is provided. Rev. Axel Sotelo, the Assistant Pastor of Community Outreach, coordinates the ministry and can be reached at (832) 710-6193.
Missions from Houston to the World
Missions at Christ Presbyterian are organized under four headings: planting churches, pastor training, discipleship and evangelism, and mercy.
The church plants and supports a network of partner congregations around the world. These include All Saints Reformed Church, Biserica Reformată din Chișinău in Moldova, Covenant Fellowship Church in Stuttgart, Gloucester Presbyterian Church in the UK, GracePoint Church and GracePoint Church Waiyaki Way in Kenya, the Oxford Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the UK, the Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Győr, Hungary, the Presbyterian Reformed Church IPC in Sibiu, Romania, and Vila Lliure in Barcelona, Spain. The church also supports pastor training ministries including the Clase Internacional de Teología Aplicada, the Gospel Reformation Network, Hope Russia, MINTS International Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary's Houston campus, the San Pablo Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Mexico, Thirdmill, and Twin Lakes Fellowship.
Discipleship and evangelism partners include B-Less Oxford, Beloved and Beyond, Bridges International, the Christian Coalition for Reconciliation, Cru Business and Professionals, Cru Houston Young Professionals, Frontiers, the Gathering of Men, iServe Africa, Kairos Prison Ministry, Mars Hill Productions, Metanoia Prison Ministries, the Rafiki Foundation, We Go To Them, World Team, Words of Hope, and Young Life Costa Rica.
Mercy and humanitarian partners include Freedom Church Alliance, the Get Together, Gracewood, Houston Haven, Hope Pregnancy Center, the Houston Pregnancy Help Center, LifeHouse Maternity Home, the Mathare Feeding Station in Nairobi, Military Chaplain Ministries, Mission of Yahweh, MNA Disaster Response, the Philemon Project, Schools Not Streets, Sovereign Wings of Hope, and Youth-Reach Houston.
One of the most personal partnerships is the Tumaini Children's Village (Soy Orphanage) in Soy, Kenya. In 2006, the Session of Christ Presbyterian set aside funds to build the orphanage, which continues to be supported by a portion of the church's giving and by teams from the congregation.
Deacons and Congregational Care
The Deacons' Ministry is the hands-and-feet ministry of the church, organized into four teams. Ushers extend hospitality to guests and members at the Sanctuary doors. Greeters welcome visitors, escort them as needed, and connect them with the Welcome Center or the Deacon or Elder on Call. The Safety Team provides for the safety and well-being of everyone on the campus, working alongside church staff and uniformed security. The Meals & Care ministry organizes meals for families and individuals after births, deaths, or medical crises, with members of the congregation providing food on a volunteer basis.
Members of the congregation are also shepherded through Shepherding Communities, in which an elder is assigned to walk alongside individual members and families. The Stephen Ministers program offers additional one-to-one Christian care, coordinated by Terrie Waughtal. Darren Smith, the Director of Congregational Care, oversees these ministries.
Reformed Beliefs and the Westminster Standards
The doctrinal commitments of the church are summarized in a brief set of beliefs and in the historic Westminster Standards. The Bible is the Word of God, given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, without error in the original manuscripts, and is the only infallible judge for matters of life and faith. All people are sinners, separated from God and under his wrath and curse, and unregenerate men and women are unable to save themselves. Salvation is by God's grace alone: the Holy Spirit draws sinners to Jesus, giving them a new nature through which they repent and trust in Christ as he is offered in the gospel.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, without beginning or end, who became man, fulfilled God's law, and died to atone for the sins of his people. He is the only mediator between God and humanity. The Holy Spirit gives Christians the grace and strength to live a holy life that brings glory and honor to God. The Lord Jesus now rules and reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and will return at the end of the age, visibly, physically, and gloriously, to judge all people and to receive his Church to himself.
In addition to these statements, the pastors, elders, and deacons subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, which the church holds to be the "purest, clearest expression of the historic Christian faith recovered at the Protestant Reformation." That Reformed and confessional identity is what led a group of six hundred to leave their former Presbyterian denomination and begin this one on an Easter morning in 1991, and it continues to shape everything from the preaching to the curriculum to the City Groups.