It was Christ’s vision for His church to be one. With that guidance in mind, two very old and well-established congregations – the Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Shadeland Avenue Christian Church – came together to celebrate what they had in common. They both had a steadfast goal of a congregation rooted in strong Biblical teaching, an unwavering love for Jesus, and a desire to be good stewards of the gifts that God had given them. Both had a need that the other could fulfill. Emmanuel Baptist had gone several years with no full-time minister, yet had several strong families unwilling to allow their church to close. Shadeland Avenue Christian Church was a growing congregation, but had an old and deteriorating facility. Recognizing that each could benefit from the other with a common goal of developing a single, stronger congregation than two separate ones, the leadership of both groups began to meet in the spring of 1993. By November, a new congregation was chartered – forming one church out of two.
The first service of the new Emmanuel Christian Church was held on Sunday, January 3rd, 1994 with 96 in attendance. Since then, the congregation has been on a steady course of growth. Through a philosophy of spiritually uplifting worship, home groups, and Sunday School classes for strong Biblical nourishment, and plenty of extracurricular fellowship, Emmanuel has continued to draw from both the immediate neighborhood and from the Greater Pittsburgh area at large. We strive to provide an environment that allows for the spiritual healing and growth for families of the area. We offer a place where the creative gifts of God has given His people for the purpose of the edification of His church is both encouraged and expected. And, through all of this, we keep a keen eye on Biblical truths, not settling for a “watered down” message that conforms to modern society.
We are certainly not content to just look back on the success of our relatively short past, but instead look boldly into the future and the commission that Jesus gave us – to go, preach, and draw people to Him. We see hundreds of unchurched people in our area and are constantly seeking ways of bringing them to an encounter with their Creator. For this is the very reason why our two congregations were brought together – to seek those who are lost in a world that offers no hope, and to point them towards the love of the One who gave everything so that they may be made complete. If you have not yet experienced the uniqueness of the congregation at Emmanuel, why not give us a try? You may find that Emmanuel is just the place that you have been trying to find.
Listed below is at the core of what we,
at Emmanuel Christian Church, believe
We believe the Christian Church
…exists to unite all of Christ’s followers by eliminating doctrinal and denominational differences,
…aims to restore Christ’s church as it existed in New Testament times,
…believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. The Bible outlines a rational plan of salvation that is accessible to all individuals. The Bible is relevant to modern times,
…teaches that the New Testament contains all the instructions necessary for unbelievers to become Christian and for believers to maintain the Christian life. They are based on:
- Hearing the Word of God – Romans 10:17
- Believing in Christ – Acts 16:31
- Repenting of all sin – Acts 2:38
- Confessing Christ – Matthew 10:32
- Being baptized into Christ – Romans 6:3-5
- Living a Christian Life – 2 Peter 1:5-8
At Emmanuel we share communion, sing songs of praise, pray together, and hear a message preached from scripture.
Emmanuel Christian Church 