evangelism

Alpha

Alpha is one of those places where we can invite friends and family to have conversations about the big questions of life, faith, and meaning.

Alpha is for everyone but it is especially designed for those who do not have a Christian faith, who are new to the faith, or who are exploring (or re-exploring) the basics of the Christian faith.

Have you tried Alpha yet? And who will you invite into these life-changing conversations?

Learn more about Alpha

Join the Family

Being a member of MDPC is saying Yes to the Family and Yes to the Mission that God has given us at MDPC. Becoming a member of a church is an important step of faith after saying Yes to Jesus and becoming a Christian. Membership would be a great next step of faith if you are a Christian and you’d like MDPC to be your church home. Learn more about becoming a member by checking out Discover MDPC or the New Member Class. Attending Discover MDPC is not a requirement to register for the New Member Class, though it is a great way to get to meet our Senior Pastor and hear more about the MDPC family and mission.

 

Events

Alpha
Tuesday, April 09, 2024
7:00 PM - 8:45 PM

Training

The Equipped Disciple is a multi-course small group curriculum produced by MDPC Equipping Pastor, Rev. Dr. Clay Brown. Each of the six study categories in the series consists of six weekly studies. The first five (shown below) were introduced in 2020-2021. The Giving Disciple is scheduled to release in 2022.

The Growing Disciple

In The Growing Disciple’s six sessions, your group will focus on five spiritual practices every Christian needs: Bible Study, Prayer, Witness, Service, and Generosity. We’ll also read Mark’s Gospel devotionally and memorize Colossians 2:6-7 together.

Download The Growing Disciple (PDF)

The Witnessing Disciple

The Witnessing Disciple is the second study in The Equipped Disciple multi-course small group curriculum produced by MDPC. In The Witnessing Disciple, we focus on recognizing and enjoying how God often works through spiritual conversations. We'll talk about our faith stories and practice with one another how to share the good news of Jesus when the Holy Spirit creates opportunities. We'll study Scripture, read part of Acts devotionally, and memorize Matthew 28:18-20 together.

Download The Witnessing Disciple (PDF)

The Studying Disciple

The Studying Disciple, the third study in The Equipped Disciple multi-course small group curriculum produced by MDPC, is ready for you to download! No purchase is necessary. You can download the 6-session small group course for your use anytime. It is in a fillable PDF format, so you are able to type your responses to study questions into the file itself. Also, you may print the study and handwrite your responses.

Download The Studying Disciple (PDF)

The Praying Disciple

This course, The Praying Disciple, has the sub-title Experiencing Peace through Fellowship with God. Each session will focus on one specific aspect of prayer that will enable you, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to be a faithful practitioner of prayer. As you pray faithfully in each circumstance, you will experience God’s peace.
Most sessions will include study and discussion on a biblical passage relevant to the spiritual practice of prayer. Also, each session will include opportunities to grow in your other spiritual practices, such as devotional reading and Scripture memory.

Download The Praying Disciple (PDF)

The Serving Disciple

In The Serving Disciple, each session will focus on one specific aspect of service that will enable you, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ as you grow in the fruit of the Spirit, discover and apply your spiritual gifts, and share the good news of Jesus through your service.

DOWNLOAD THE SERVING DISCIPLE (PDF)

 

New Member Classes

Explore our New Member Class!

The New Member Class is our process for learning the history, vision, and mission of MDPC. The class is led by Associate Pastors, Elders, and staff, and you will be invited to explore if becoming a member is the right next step in your faith in Jesus. After finishing the class and deciding that becoming a member is indeed the right next step, you will be introduced at a worship service to the congregation and invited to meet with Session (board of Elders) to be received as a member of MDPC. 

Upcoming New Member Classes

Sunday Morning Class: April 7, 14, 21, & 28 at 9:45am • Register for April
Weekend Class: Fri evening & Sat morning, June 14 & 15 • Register for June
Sunday Morning Class: September 8, 15, 22, & 29 at 9:45am
Weekend Class: Fri evening & Sat morning, Nov 15 & 16

If you’d like to learn more about what it is to be a Christian or how to begin a relationship with Jesus, reach out to Pastor Dan Aikins by clicking here. He would love to hear your story and answer any questions you might have. We invite you, too, to try Alpha. Alpha at MDPC is a series of interactive sessions to explore faith, ask questions, and share your own thoughts. Learn more about Alpha at alpha.mdpc.org.

Learn more about what membership at MDPC is all about and more about the New Member Class by looking over our FAQ or click here to email Pastor Dan Aikins.

Frequently asked Questions

Being a member of MDPC is saying Yes to the Family and Yes to the Mission that God has given us at MDPC. Becoming a member of a church is an important step of faith after saying Yes to Jesus and becoming a Christian.

The New Member Class is our process for learning the history, vision, and mission of MDPC. The class will be led by Associate Pastors, Elders, and staff, and you will be invited to explore if becoming a member is the right next step in your faith in Jesus. After finishing the class and deciding that becoming a member is indeed the right next step, you will be introduced at a worship service to the congregation and invited to meet with Session (board of elders) to be received as a member of MDPC.

What does it mean to become a member of MDPC? Because "membership' is a term used for lots of organizations like gyms, country clubs, and streaming services, it can be pretty confusing when we apply it to churches. Whereas membership in the other things consists of paying a fee to receive services, church membership is about partnering alongside the other church members and pastors under Jesus' leadership to accomplish the mission and vision God has given us.
The confusion on membership is why our family of churches also refers to church membership as Covenant Partnership. A covenant is a binding commitment made between two parties, and partnership implies a collaborative relationship of working together toward a common purpose. So becoming a member (or covenant partner) at MDPC is a commitment from MDPC to you to support you, equip you, and nourish you as a disciple of Jesus. It is also a commitment from you to the whole church to embrace the family and mission of MDPC as you follow Jesus as a disciple. And together in partnership, we will work as a family toward the mission and vision God has given MDPC.

What happens in a New Member Class? The New Member class is a series of meetings through which you will:
1) Be introduced to the history, vision, and mission of Memorial Drive Presbyterian through brief presentations made by the Associate Pastors, Elders, and staff.
2) Meet in small groups to get to know one another better and talk about the brief presentations.
3) Share briefly about your faith experience by using the #LifeIsMore Story Starters resource. After attending the New Member Class, you will be invited to meet with the Session (MDPC's board of Elders) to be received as members of the church.

Do I have to become a member if I attend the class? Nope. You are welcome to attend the classes to learn about MDPC, meet some people, or explore what it means to become a member. If you decide along the way that becoming a member isn't the right step for you, that's okay! We'd love to help you get connected and discover your next step of faith.

Do I have to be a Christian to become a member? You are welcome to participate and belong at MDPC no matter what you believe about faith or Jesus. However, you do need to trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord (i.e. be a Christian) to become a church member. The family and mission at MDPC flows out of our love of Jesus and our desire to be a people and church that reflect His vision for the world. Because Jesus is the source of our family and mission, we believe it is necessary to be a Christian before fully embracing MDPC as a church member.
If you want to learn about Jesus or would like to become a Christian, click here to contact Pastor Dan Aikins. He would love to talk to you about faith in Jesus.

I have never been baptized. Can I still become a member? Baptism marks a person's adoption in God's global family of Christians around the world. Becoming a church member marks a person's partnership with a particular church family like MDPC. Becoming a Christian and saying Yes to Jesus always comes before becoming a church member. If you are a Christian but have not been baptized, you can be baptized as part of becoming a member. Simply let us know when you sign up for the class that you haven’t been baptized. Click here to email Pastor Dan Aikins if you have questions about being baptized.

I was baptized at a different church. Will I be baptized again at MDPC to become a member? If you were baptized with water at another Christian church through infant baptism or believer baptism, you will not be baptized again to become a member at MDPC. Our family of churches believes that once you’ve received Christian baptism, it is not necessary to be baptized again. We understand Christian baptism as any baptism by water made in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I am thinking about becoming a member. What should I do? If you’re ready, you can sign up for an upcoming New Member Class at the links on this page (above). Or you can contact Pastor Dan Aikins at or 713-490-9292. He will be glad to talk to you about membership at MDPC and try to answer any questions you may have. Though we appreciate it when you let us know you will attend a New Member Class, it is not altogether necessary. We also welcome a last-minute decision to show up at a class series! If the class happens to be an online class, then you’ll need to sign up or contact us for the Zoom information.

If I am not ready to become a member, can I still participate in a New Member class? Of course! Being ready to join the church is not an expectation of those who attend the classes. We want participants to be free to think through membership at MDPC and what is involved with that commitment. Each class series regularly includes people who are still exploring their faith, or for other reasons are not yet prepared to join the church. We encourage people to continue to worship with us and take part in all our ministries. Should you, sometime in the future, decide to join MDPC, we will gladly welcome you into membership.

 

Discover MDPC

Attend Discover MDPC with MDPC Pastors

Discover MDPC is a chance to get to know MDPC through a conversation with one of MDPC's pastors. Come learn about MDPC's history, mission, and vision. He will also answer questions you have and share about the ministry at and through MDPC. Choose one of the Sunday dates below.

Upcoming Dates for Discover MDPC

2024 Dates: 10:45-11:10am in the Sanctuary Lobby
Sunday, January 21
Sunday, March 17
Sunday, June 2
Sunday, August 25
Sunday, October 27

Connections

Connections Ministry is all about helping people . . . Connect! Whether they are visiting for the first time, looking for a new group or class, wanting to explore faith in a new way, or simply can’t find the restrooms, Connections Ministry is here to help.

The Connections Center is open every Sunday morning in the Sanctuary lobby to engage with visitors and members alike and to get them pointed in the right direction.

Online Community

Wherever you may be, join us to learn, worship, and socialize! From Sunday services to weekday studies, small-group Zooms to livestreamed special guest speakers, there's something for everyone in MDPC's Online Community.

Check it out here