Never been to a church service. Here's what to know.

You don't need a Bible (we have them at the back of every pew). You don't need to know any songs or prayers. You don't need to say or do anything out loud. You don't need to put money in the offering plate when it passes. You don't need to go forward during communion.

You can sit in the back row and watch. That's a totally normal thing to do, and nobody will think it's strange.

A Shearer worship service follows a traditional Reformed Presbyterian order. In practice:

1. Someone welcomes everyone and reads a short Scripture passage.
2. Congregation sings a hymn (words are on screens and in a hymnbook).
3. Someone prays out loud for the church, the community, people who are sick.
4. Scripture is read aloud.
5. Pastor Stout preaches a sermon, usually 30-35 minutes, walking through a passage of the Bible.
6. The Lord's Supper is served (bread and juice; you can take it or not).
7. Another hymn.
8. A final blessing, then we're done.

No altar calls. No one is asked to stand up and share their testimony. No surprise group activities.

What you'll probably hear: "Welcome, glad you're here. I'm [name]. Is this your first time?" A short conversation. Maybe someone offers to show you where the bathroom is or where to park next time.

What you probably won't hear: Pressure to join, pressure to come back, pressure to pray a certain prayer, pressure to make a commitment of any kind. Nobody will ask about your personal spiritual history. Nobody will corner you after the service.

If someone does something that feels invasive, tell us. We train our greeters not to do that, and feedback helps.

You don't have to agree with everything we teach to attend our services. People show up for lots of reasons. Some are curious. Some grew up Christian and left. Some are grieving. Some are just visiting family in Mooresville and were brought by a relative. Some are seriously questioning whether God exists.

All of those are legitimate. We won't ask which category you're in. You can show up, listen, think, go home, and decide what you make of it on your own time.

If you want someone to answer questions one-on-one later — about Christianity, Reformed theology, what we believe about any specific topic — Pastor Stout is available by email. No obligation.