At 6101 Masonic Drive in Alexandria, Christian Worship Center is a church built around the vision “Faith for Every Generation.” Its life spans campuses in Alexandria and Pineville, with worship, Bible teaching, children and youth ministries, connect groups and pathways for serving. Aaron and Errin Hankins are the lead pastors.
Alexandria and Pineville Worship Times
At the Alexandria campus, Sunday services begin at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., and the Wednesday service begins at 7 p.m. All three are available through the CWC livestream, and the church also carries live services on YouTube and Facebook. Online gatherings follow the same 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sunday times and the 7 p.m. Wednesday time. At 624 Main Street in Pineville, the Sunday service begins at 11:45 a.m. and is in person only.
An Upbeat Start and an Engaging Bible Message
Every service begins with worship described by the church as upbeat, passionate and powerful. People then have an opportunity to bring a tithe and offering. Each gathering includes a thought-provoking and engaging message based on the Bible, together with worship and a friendly welcome from people who are looking forward to meeting visitors.
The CWC app provides the latest sermons, live services and ways to learn about involvement. The CWC podcast also carries past sermons for listening through podcast apps.
From Youth Pastors to a Second Campus
Lead Pastors Aaron and Errin Hankins met while attending Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas. After marrying in 1999, they joined the Christian Worship Center staff as youth pastors. They became lead pastors in 2007 and launched the second campus in Pineville in September 2018.
Their mission has three parts: reach the lost, connect the Christian and serve their generation. Their vision is faith for every generation.
Kiddie Cove and I-54, From Six Weeks Through Sixth Grade
Christian Worship Center divides its children's ministry into two age groups. Kiddie Cove serves children from six weeks through four years, while I-54 Kids serves children ages five through sixth grade, from Pre-K through grade 6. The purpose of both ministries is to help children know, understand and practice God's Word and be led by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God's call on their lives.
At the Alexandria campus, Kiddie Cove and I-54 are in the administrative office building facing the Horseshoe Drive entrance. At Pineville, the two ministries are immediately inside the lobby, on the left and right.
Check-in is digital and uses a kiosk. A parent enters the family name, selects the children attending and receives printed name tags along with a retrieval barcode. The barcode is presented when the children are picked up.
Children are supervised by trained workers. Every children's ministry worker is screened and has received a certified background check through the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office. Christian Worship Center also employs an off-duty police officer to support child safety.
Children's Pastors Adam and Tiffany Wright wrote Compass Kids Curriculum for I-54. The Spirit-filled curriculum contains 52 lessons divided into seven units: God Is, Jesus Is, the Holy Spirit Is, Prayer, Emojis of Faith, Emoji Emotions and Discipleship. It includes a teacher's guide, a student devotional and activity pages for each lesson.
Deeper Youth on Wednesdays and Study Through Bridge University
Deeper Youth is the junior high and high school ministry for students ages 12 through 18. It meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Family Life Center under youth pastors Timothy and Avery Aadland. Its mission is to create an atmosphere where teenagers can experience God's love and goodness for themselves. The ministry also teaches students to discover their purpose, understand their identity in Christ and develop character for the path ahead. Each youth volunteer undergoes a background check.
Bridge University is a fully accredited college within Christian Worship Center that offers Associate and Bachelor degrees in theological disciplines. Course topics include Divine Healing, Principles of Faith, the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Bridge University is intended for everyone, including people who are newly saved, already serving in ministry or seeking greater preparation for ministry and daily life.
Five Grow Classes, Baptism and Monthly Connect Groups
Grow Classes form a five-step course designed to help people understand the church and discover their part in its mission. The sequence is:
- Who You Are in Christ
- Spiritual Disciplines
- The Help You Need
- Values of the CWC Family
- Welcome Home
The classes teach about spiritual disciplines, the Holy Spirit, the church's core values and ways to serve. Their purpose is both spiritual growth and connection with the CWC family.
Connect Groups meet once a month on schedules suited to each group. They are offered for women, men, young adults ages 18 through 25, adults ages 50 and older, youth, and fifth and sixth graders. One open-to-all group welcomes children. These smaller gatherings are intended to build friendships, strengthen existing relationships and encourage spiritual growth.
Baptism is presented as an outward expression of a decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. For someone who has not been baptized after salvation, the church considers baptism the first step of that public commitment.
Serving Through Prayer, Media, Music and Prison Ministry
The first step toward serving at Christian Worship Center is to complete the Grow Classes. After becoming an approved volunteer, a person can meet with the leaders of the ministry area they want to serve. Some areas require background checks or further approval.
Available areas of service include:
- Prayer and family ministries: Prayer Team, Kiddie Cove Nursery, I-54 Kids, Deeper Youth and Bridge University
- Media: Sound, lyrics, cameras, stage lighting and photography
- Music: Worship team and band
- Guest and member experience: Alexandria bookstore, coffee bar, greeters, Next Steps, ushers, the Pineville parking team and hospitality
- Facilities and outreach: Grounds and facility maintenance, along with prison ministry
The Faith CWC Confesses
Christian Worship Center states its beliefs in practical and explicit terms:
- God, the Word and Jesus: CWC believes in the Trinity as God the Father, Jesus the Son and God the Holy Spirit, three persons of one God who is creator of all things, totally loving and perfectly holy. The Bible is God's Word and is accurate, authoritative and applicable to everyday life. Jesus Christ was sent to undo the works of the devil, and he gave his life and shed his blood to redeem and restore humanity to God.
- Salvation, baptism and communion: New birth comes through repenting of sin, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and calling on his name. Baptism is by immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the authority of Jesus. Communion is regularly taken as an act of remembering what Jesus did on the cross.
- The Holy Spirit and healing: The church believes in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a gift from God for all believers. CWC believes this baptism is accompanied by the evidence of speaking in other tongues and by power to live holy and fruitful lives. It also believes physical illness can be healed through God's power, prayer of faith and the laying on of hands.
- Faith and the church: Faith grows by hearing the Word of God, and CWC believes people are saved, justified, strengthened and pleasing to God through faith. The church holds power and significance, and it calls believers to meet regularly for fellowship, prayer and the breaking of bread.
- Purpose, marriage and generosity: God individually equips people to worship him, fulfill their role in the church and serve their community. CWC holds a biblical view of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman. It also believes the tithe, defined as the first 10 percent of income, belongs to God and that generosity is part of Christian life.
- Eternity and Christ's authority: The eternal destination of heaven or hell is determined by a person's response to Jesus Christ. CWC believes the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again and serves as the head of the church. He has delegated authority to the church to carry out the Great Commission and live a holy life.
The Nine Values of the CWC Family
The church describes its core values as part of its identity, not simply as a list of activities. They shape the way the CWC family lives together:
- Live by faith: Trust God rather than relying on sight, and let faith shape both personal conviction and the words spoken.
- Abound in hope: Live with joyful expectation and confidence in what God has prepared. The family refrain is, “Our best, blessed and brightest days are still ahead.”
- Walk in love: God's love is described as the greatest and never failing. It affects how CWC people think, speak and act toward one another.
- Honor all people: Those serving alongside the church, those leading it and those they are called to reach and minister to are honored.
- Live and give generously: CWC honors God with its finances through tithes and offerings and trusts God as its source.
- Serve the generation: Time, treasure, gifts, talents and abilities are offered for God's glory and ministry to the present generation.
- Be passionate in everything: The church pursues excellence and approaches its work wholeheartedly as work done for the Lord.
- Maintain worship as a lifestyle: Worship is more than a song. It is a way of seeking to please God in every part of life.
- Pursue unity: The church emphasizes mutual care, peace and unity, believing that Jesus is greater than anything that can divide people.
Christian Worship Center's values are reflected in practical ways to give. Online giving supports one-time or recurring gifts through a checking account, debit card or credit card, and text giving is also available. Gifts can be made in person at either campus during weekend worship or mailed to Christian Worship Center, Attn: Finance, 6101 Masonic Dr, Alexandria, LA 71301.
Across its Alexandria and Pineville campuses and its livestream, Christian Worship Center remains a church built around worship, the Word, relationships, service and faith for every generation.