Building Relationships That Lead to Passionate Christ Followers
Fall Creek Church sits at 8901 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis, where it has long served families from the surrounding neighborhoods and the broader metro area. The congregation captures itself in a single sentence that doubles as its mission: "Building relationships that lead people to become passionate Christ followers who produce passionate Christ followers." That motto shapes everything from Sunday worship to a weekday preschool, from a high-energy student ministry called X-Stream to a Spanish-language service that meets on Sunday evenings.
The church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It partners with the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, and Send Relief. Giving runs through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions. Yet those affiliations only frame what is, at heart, a community church: a place where children hear about Jesus in their own language, where college students and grandparents share Growth Groups, and where missionaries from Senegal to South Asia are prayed for by name.
Sunday Morning Worship
Fall Creek gathers for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. The service is held in the church auditorium, and there are no assigned seats. As worshipers enter, the band leads the congregation in modern, uplifting songs directed toward God and rooted in truth. The pastor then delivers an expository message, walking straight through a passage of Scripture and centering the teaching on the gospel each week.
Visitors walking in for the first time can expect volunteers stationed at the front doors and in the lobby. A cup of coffee or water is waiting there, and someone will gladly show newcomers around. The music is contemporary and the atmosphere is welcoming, but the preaching aims to grow, challenge, and move people toward a deeper relationship with God and a greater sense of community with others.
Worship is also livestreamed online for those who cannot attend in person, with sermons archived on the church's YouTube and Vimeo channels. Recent archives start in early 2020, while older video and audio recordings are also available through the sermon archives.
Growth Groups for Adults
Before the worship service, on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM, adults gather for Growth Groups across the Fall Creek campus. These small groups are the backbone of adult discipleship. Each semester brings new study options - from inductive Bible studies and topical series on spiritual disciplines to senior adult classes using Lifeway curriculum and a new-roots group that welcomes adults of any age.
Recent offerings have included Faith Builders, an open group examining the Genesis Creation Account under Lorenzo Martinez; Living Proof: A Journey Through James, led by Greg Cross, working through the brother of Jesus' letter as a blueprint for putting faith into action; New Roots, a study of the Doctrine of Worship with Mark and Christa Hochfellner; Open Door Bible Studies for Life, a senior adult class led by Paul and Becky Collins; and Bible Studies for Life - Adults, led by Merrill Eggleston and Diane Anderson. Each fall, all the Sunday morning groups come together in the sanctuary for Fall Creek Core Classes, studying the Spiritual Disciplines laid out in Scripture.
Beyond Sunday morning, the Growth Group ministry stretches across the week. Transforming Grace meets Monday evenings at the Martinez home for a study of The Promise of Heaven. Monday Night Fellowship meets at the Cross home for an inductive Bible study with light snacks and discussion. Tuesday Evening Women's Bible Study gathers at the Yoder home, sharing dinner at 6 PM and then studying 1 and 2 Samuel from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Wednesday mornings bring a women's study of The Way of Wisdom in Room 223. Andros: A Study of Biblical Masculinity meets Wednesday evenings for men, working through twelve character traits modeled by Jesus.
Anyone can join a group at any time. Greg Cross, the Director of Growth Group Ministry, helps newcomers find a fit that matches their season of life.
X-Stream Student Ministry
Middle and high school students have a ministry of their own at Fall Creek called X-Stream. The goal is for every teen to graduate high school knowing God, following Him, and devoted to the Scriptures. X-Stream meets Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM for an engaging Student Worship Experience with an age-appropriate sermon series and small group discussions. Wednesday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM feature dinner together followed by small group Bible study.
Student Ministry is led by Shayne Spurgeon, an Indiana native with more than fifteen years in full-time ministry. Spurgeon and his wife Amber have served in church, camp, and school ministries across Indiana, Tennessee, and South Florida. His heart is for the lost, and he loves connecting fun activities to biblical, relevant truths from God's Word. He is an avid outdoorsman who hikes, hunts, and scuba dives. He lives by the motto: "It's not about your way, it's about Yahweh."
Throughout the year, X-Stream students gather for retreats, conferences, service opportunities, and outings, including an annual trip to a youth evangelism conference where students attend sessions, join in large-group worship, and grow closer together as a youth group.
Kids at Fall Creek
Fall Creek's children's ministry exists for infants through fifth grade. Children meet for Growth Groups every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM, where they receive a first look at the gospel through age-appropriate, Bible-based activities, songs, and play. Nursery care is available at 11 AM for infants through age four.
Kids Church takes place several Sundays each month at 11 AM, offering a special age-appropriate lesson for elementary-aged children in the Kids Church room. The 11 AM worship service itself is always a place where children are welcomed to join their families in the sanctuary. Fall Creek values the importance of having children worship alongside their parents, and age-appropriate offerings are available during the service for those who prefer them.
The preschool ministry centers on three truths children carry with them by age five: God made me; God loves me; Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Elementary children focus on three truths by the time they finish fifth grade: I need to make the wise choice; I can trust God no matter what; I should treat others the way I want to be treated. These core convictions are drawn from Luke 2:52, the Bible's description of Jesus' own growing-up years: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
Sunday evenings bring AWANA, held from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM throughout the school year. The name "Awana" comes from the first letters of 2 Timothy 2:15, "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed." Children from every background learn how a personal relationship with Christ affects their everyday lives. Cubbies (at least 3 years old through pre-K), Sparks (K through second grade), and Truth and Training (third through sixth grade) all meet together on Sunday evenings.
Preteen boys also gather for FORGED, a breakout study asking what truth is and how to engage others with the unchanging truth of the Bible. A monthly Kids Connect newsletter keeps families in the loop.
April Reynolds directs the children's ministry. She and her husband John have been members of Fall Creek for nearly twenty years. April brings experience from directing the weekday preschool ministry and from a journalism and book publishing background.
Marriage, Men, and Women
Adult ministries at Fall Creek include Marriage Ministry, Men's Ministry, and Women's Ministry, each with a clear purpose.
Marriage Ministry provides support, friendship, encouragement, and fun as couples learn together the accountability that comes from fellowship with other Christian couples and leaders. The work is grounded in the conviction that marriage exists to refine spouses for holiness, not for their sole happiness, and that obedience to God while serving each other in love leads to lasting happiness and fulfillment. John and April Reynolds lead this work.
Men's Ministry promotes spiritual growth and accountability through the study of God's Word, through building relationships, and through engaging fellowship activities and service projects. The men's calendar includes regular bonfires, a Men's Breakfast with a guest speaker, and twice-yearly pistol shoots at Highsmith Guns in Greenfield. Randy Sipe coordinates men's ministry efforts.
Women's Ministry carries the same purpose as Fall Creek's overall mission - building relationships that lead people to become passionate Christ followers. Within women's ministry, that purpose unfolds through understanding biblical truth and how to apply it, through outreach and service to the community, and in engaging fellowship with women of all ages. The ministry gives women a space to encourage one another's faith, find strength in trials, and share prayer requests uniquely as women. Debbie Meenan oversees women's ministry.
WEECare Preschool and Kindergarten
WEE Care Preschool and Kindergarten is Fall Creek's weekday early education program for children ages two through kindergarten, operating under the philosophy that preschool-aged children learn best through hands-on experimentation and play. The program provides biblically-based, age-appropriate readiness skills as children prepare for grade school.
The program offers:
- Scholastics - structure and guided activities to develop language, reading, writing, and math skills.
- Target-Specific Activities - hands-on activities for gross and fine motor development, with weekly motor gym and music classes, daily Spanish instruction, art class, and family-oriented music programs.
- Spiritual Growth - biblically-based curriculum so each child knows God's love, with monthly Children's Chapel that parents are welcome to attend.
- Social Development - a foundation of respecting self, family, and others through a demographically diverse student body, with Christian teachers who show the example of Jesus.
Class options include a two-day program for two- and three-year-olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a three-day option adding Wednesdays, and a Pre-K and Kindergarten program on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wednesdays. Sibling and tuition discounts are available, and the program welcomes tours by appointment.
The WEECare Director, Melissa Anderson, can be reached at 317-594-6968. The program also distributes a monthly newsletter to keep families up to date on events and announcements.
Missions Around the Block and Across the World
Fall Creek takes seriously the call to take the gospel beyond its walls. Through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the church supports missionaries with the International Mission Board. Through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, it supports North American missionaries. Giving toward "One Mission" at any time of year supports international, North American, and state and local mission efforts together. One hundred percent of Lottie Moon gifts are routed directly to international missions initiatives to enable gospel transformation among the unreached.
Each year the church observes the Week of Prayer for International Missions and the Week of Prayer for North American Missions. The prayer guide walks the congregation through daily stories of missionaries serving in Senegal, Central Asia, among the deaf, in Brazil, on Southeast Asian islands, in Northern Africa, in South Asia, and in Europe. Each day names specific missionaries, asks for protection from persecution, and pleads for unreached people groups to hear the gospel.
The guide frames missionary support in concrete terms: three months of intensive training at $700, language sprints at $150 a month, security training at $5,800 per missionary, gospel films in new languages at $3,000 each, USBs of the gospel in sign language at $6, refugee meals at $1 a plate, and one-time micro-finance grants for bivocational church planters at $317. Bibles in local languages cost $10, and $60 covers Bible study materials for a new believers class.
Fall Creek also partners with Send Relief, the Southern Baptist compassion ministry that responds to crisis and strengthens vulnerable communities at home and abroad. The church encourages members to make a point of speaking about eternal matters with neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members - to invite them to in-person services or watch an online service with them.
Fall Creek en Español
The church's Spanish-language ministry, Fall Creek en Español, meets Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM for a time of worship, Bible study, and fellowship. Jonathan Santos and his wife Lauri lead the work. The Santoses moved to Indianapolis to share the love of Christ with the Hispanic community and anyone else who wishes to enter into a personal relationship with the Creator. A Facebook page and a sermon library support the ministry between Sundays.
What Fall Creek Believes
Fall Creek's doctrinal convictions run along classical Baptist lines. The church teaches that there is one God, existing in unity as One and as three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God's Son, born of a virgin, both God and man, who lived a sinless life, died to atone for human sin, was buried, rose again, ascended into heaven, and will literally return to earth. The Holy Spirit is the divine helper, assistant, counselor, and instructor, and His work is to reveal Christ, convict of sin, lead to repentance, guide believers, comfort, strengthen, and sanctify.
The Bible is God's Holy Word, literally God-breathed and wholly truthful without any mixture of error, and the sole authority for faith and life. Human beings are the special creation of God, made in His image, who fell through the sin of the first man, Adam, leaving every person a sinner in need of salvation. Salvation is a gift from God, received by grace through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. Every person truly saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ and will spend eternity in heaven, while those who die in their sins will spend eternity in hell.
Baptism is by immersion after salvation, in obedience to Jesus Christ's command and as a declaration of faith and new life in Him. The church is a local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head, united in the mission of telling everyone in the world the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Staff, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses
Pastor John Newland is the senior pastor of Fall Creek. He has authored a small book called Eternity, which walks readers through life's biggest questions - what happens after this life, who Jesus is, and how a person can really know God - and offers it to readers for a $5 gift to the church. Discounts are available for bulk orders to help people begin and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
The church staff includes:
- Shayne Spurgeon, Student Minister, leading X-Stream.
- Andrew, Worship Minister, a Taylor University graduate in Film and Media Production and Music who believes worship is the proper response to Christ's act of redemption and a lifestyle to be lived out in accordance with Romans 12:1-2.
- April Reynolds, Children's Ministry Director, with experience directing the weekday preschool ministry and a background in journalism and book publishing.
- Melissa Anderson, Church Administrator and WEECare Director.
Elders serving the congregation are men who shepherd, teach, and lead across ministries. The elder team includes Chad Anderson, John O'Dell, Greg Cross, Mark Hochfellner, and others. They have served FCC in roles ranging from Trustee and Treasurer to Growth Group Director, Men's Ministry Director, Youth Leader, AWANA, VBS, and interim Worship Leader.
Deacons and Deaconesses serve in practical ministry. The team includes Jon Becker, Kim Becker, Kim Burke, Becky Collins, Paul Collins, Greg Cross, Barry Gibson, Darlene Gibson, Tracy Helm, and Julie Storm. They serve in AWANA, VBS, the tech team, children's ministry, women's ministry, hospitality, prayer, encouragement, and on the WEECare school board. Greg Cross heads up the deacon team.
Prayer and Care
Fall Creek's Prayer and Care ministry provides spiritual and physical support to members and regular attenders in times of need. A prayer request form lets anyone share specific concerns so the church can pray more pointedly. A care request form covers tangible needs like meal delivery, pharmacy pickup, child care, transportation, and benevolence. Financial assistance is available for members and regular attenders experiencing crisis; requests are reviewed and processed over a one- to two-week period.
For anyone wanting to be the hands and feet of Jesus, a sign-up form plugs willing volunteers into the ministries that need them.
Vacation Bible School Each Summer
Every summer, Fall Creek invites children from pre-K through fifth grade to a fun-themed adventure of games, singing, dancing, skits, arts and crafts, and friends. VBS typically runs across one week in the evenings, capped with a free family barbecue and child-led music presentation. Kids explore the ways light brightens, illuminates, reflects, and reveals, and discover that Jesus is the light who brings hope to a dark world, anchored in John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life."
Planning a First Visit
The church sits at 8901 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 4 PM, and the office phone is 317-841-9770. Worship on a Sunday begins with Growth Groups at 9:30 AM and the main service at 11:00 AM. The Spanish-language service meets at 6:00 PM. AWANA for kids runs from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM during the school year, and X-Stream students meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
Visitors do not need to dress up or to know anyone. Volunteers greet at the doors, a connection card is available online for anyone wanting to share contact information, and the Connect Class meets periodically for anyone wanting to learn more about the church. Children are welcome in worship, and nursery care is provided. For anyone unable to attend in person, services stream online and sermon archives reach back through the church's YouTube and Vimeo channels. Giving is available online, and a CCB church database and app help members stay connected with growth groups, ministry updates, and one another.