faqs about the ring community church
:: what does the ring community church have to offer my family? ::
we have ministries geared specifically toward kids k-5th grade, youth 6th-12th grade, and college students. each ministry includes age-specific community groups and various other activities planned just for them such as easter egg hunts for the kids, camps for our kids and youth, and mission trips for our college students.
we also offer childcare for newborns to age 5 at our sunday night gatherings.
:: what is the best way for me to get involved? ::
by far the best way to meet people, to find opportunities to serve, to be discipled and to disciple others, and to just have fun is to join a community group.
:: how can i become a member of the ring? ::
everyone who believes that God is leading them to join the ring community church is invited to join us for one of the scheduled membership classes that are offered every couple of months. these membership classes allow those you the time to find out more about the beliefs, values, and organization of the ring.
after the membership class and some prayer, if you still believe that God has called you to be a part of the ring community church, then one of the elders will schedule a one-on-one meeting with you. these one-on-ones allow us to get to know your story, gifts, passions, and interests so that we are better able to help you find your place in the Body.
after you have met with an elder and after more prayer, if you still believe that God is leading you to be a part of the ring, then we hope you will come to one of the "family meetings."
(for more information about membership classes and/or becoming a member of the ring community church, check out the membership classes page on this site or email us at .)
:: why does the ring meet on sunday nights and not sunday mornings? ::
the ring originally began as a college ministry. it was God's idea planted in the heart of jim wallace at parkview baptist church to begin a sunday night worship service for college students.
with the help of josh causey, bro. jim did just that... began a sunday night college service. this sunday night gathering became known as the ring.
as the ring has grown into the ring community church, we have continued to meet on sunday nights instead of sunday mornings. sunday nights have been an integral part of who we were as a college ministry and who we are now as a church Body.
meeting at night instead of in the morning has allowed us to reach a different sector of the community than a morning service would have.
maybe one day we will have a sunday morning community group or sunday morning membership classes or other events on sunday mornings. but for now, we feel that sunday nights are the best times for our weekly worship service. we will change the time when God leads us to do so.
(for more information about the ring's history, check out the about us page of this site.)
:: why do the prayer request cards say "Jesus Christ has the power to..."? ::
we believe that Jesus Christ has the power to change any life and any situation. therefore, our prayer request cards say "Jesus Christ has the power to...", and you fill in the rest. those requests are then emailed to our prayer team, who joyfully joins you in praying for that need.
if you have a need that you would like for us to join you in praying for, please email it to or fill out a card on sunday night. we would love to join you in praying!
:: why have a station for offerings on sunday nights instead of using other methods? ::
the truth is, we feel that this is the best fit for our church. not that we believe this is the only way to receive offerings, but it seems to be the best way for us at this time. this comes from our belief that giving is an act of worship, just like the other things we do on sunday nights such as the music and prayer.
we desire for everyone to have the freedom to respond to God in their time, and to do so gladly. God has used the giving and prayer request station to shape our understanding of giving, and He is helping us refuse to let money rule our lives.
:: what is 5:15 prayer? ::
5:45 prayer is a time that we set aside each week before our sunday night gatherings to pray for the upcoming worship service. everyone is welcome to join us for this time of prayer from 5:15-5:45 p.m. on sunday nights in the lsu bcm building.
:: what is 30 days? ::
30 days is our annual period of concentrated prayer for the ring. the goal is simply to let God direct us over this time as we seek His plan for our church.
30 days began when the ring was a college ministry. it became clear to the students involved in the ministry that God was doing something special, but it was unclear exactly what. that group of students decided to take the time between the fall and spring semesters to individually pray and seek the Lord's direction for the ministry.
at the end of the 30 days, everyone gathered together to discuss the things God had taught them during the course of that month.
as the ring has grown into the ring community church with families and people of all ages, we have continued to take time around christmas (the time between the fall and spring semesters at lsu) to pray individually seek God's will for our church.
(for more information about the ring's history, check out the about us page of this site.)
:: what is the ring's connection with monclova, mexico? ::
we prayed for a long time that God would connect us with believers outside the U.S.
several of our students went to monclova, mexico on lsu's bcm mexico mission trip and really clicked with some of the people at the church where they worked.
the following summer one of our students felt led to go and spend 2 months in monclova with the friends she made that spring. it was more than just a vacation in mexico... she was going to serve the church and minister alongside them in the city. so we sent lauren as a missionary that summer.
the next january, four people from the ring went with lauren to visit her friends in monclova. they spent 8 days there, and by the time they left there was a bond between the church in mexico and our church in the states.
so the next few months were spent praying for confirmation, and God made it clear that this was the place the ring was supposed to invest in.
we now send groups to monclova 3-4 times a year, and they come to us from time to time as well. only God can make these kinds of friendships, and we look forward to many years of serving together.
:: have more questions about the ring community church? ::
if you would like more answers to your questions about the ring community church, call our offices or email us anytime at .