Frequently Asked Questions - Mount Ararat Church

You Have EXCUSES...

I DON'T LIKE CHURCH I understand! However, all churches are not the same. Sorry to hear that your church experience has not been a good one, but we invite you to visit MABCBK at least one time and see for yourself how loving our congregation is. I AM NOT RELIGIOUS, I AM SPIRITUAL Great! We here at MABCBK are not focused on "RELIGION". we focus on growing together spiritually as brothers and sister in the Christian faith. We do not seek to get you locked into traditions, we seek to bring you into a closer spiritual relationship with Jesus. Let's be spiritual together! CHURCH IS ALL ABOUT MONEY! A lot of churches are, but not here at MABCBK. We do not have multiple offerings, we simply obey the scriptures and raise tithes & offering, and we only do it one time. For specific events that are focused on OUTREACH for others in the community is the ONLY time when we MAY raise a special offering. YOUR CHURCH IS NO BETTER THAN ANY OTHER CHURCH You are right! We never claim to be better, we just seek to be different. All we ask is that you visit and experience for yourself. I ALREADY BELONG TO A CHURCH! Praise God for your church connection. If you know of someone who may be looking for a church home and you think ours may be a good fit, please help us and send them our app. I AM GOING TO COME, BUT NOT THIS SUNDAY I am so happy to hear that. When you come please be sure to let the Pastor know on your way out as he is shaking hands that you came because of reading this message. We would love to know that the church app is reaching people like you and others. HOW IS THE MUSIC? Our music ministry is led by Ms. Kim Summerson who is a committed gospel singer and has been the main singer for the Broadway Play "Momma I Want to Sing." She has developed both praise team and choir that brings glory to God through their music and joy to the hearers in the congregation every week. Come and see and hear for yourself. I AM GOING TO VISIT WHEN MY BABIES ARE OLDER Don't let that stop you! We have a lot of families with babies, including our Pastor. Also, we are in the process of developing a Nursery Ministry for families with babies to be able to allow them to stay there in safety during the worship experience. Don't worry, the leaders in that ministry will have undergone a background check, so all is well. I DON'T HAVE CHURCH CLOTHES There is no such thing as church clothes. Wear whatever you wear every day, we just want you to come and experience our worship. I DON'T LIVE NEAR THE CHURCH Really!!! Would you agree that you visit a lot of places that you don't necessarily live close to? Why not add church to that list if this is the case. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. I HEARD ABOUT MABCBK Awesome! Now move from HEARING to EXPERIENCING it for yourself. Come this Sunday! I hope that these have been helpful responses to some excuses people often used when deciding NOT to attend church. As you can see, we value your attendance so much until we make it our business to have a solution for whatever problem you can imagine. We hope to see you SOONER than LATER!

What Kind of Church is MABCBK?

Mount Ararat is a church that is geared toward “Loving God, Loving People & Impacting the Community” Our goal is to create a worship environment that is spirit-filled and inviting to all. We are known to be friendly, inviting and warm. Come and visit and see for yourself.

What is the Meaning of Mount Ararat?

Mount Ararat is located in Turkey. However, the biblical reference for it is that it is the place where Noah's ark landed after the flood subsided. Still to this day they will not allow the Ark to be removed from the mountain. Our ministry was given the name Mount Ararat by the Late Deacon Samuel Pulliam, who suggested it to the Late Pastor James T. Reeder because our church sits on a hill on Howard Avenue.

Why Should I Visit MABCBK?

You clicked this question, which implies that you are considering visiting. That's why we listed this question, just for YOU! Come and you will see that we can SHOW you better than we can TELL you.

I am Out of State, Can I Join?

We are proud to have members who live in other states. Although you may reside in another state, you can still join our ministry and stay connected with us through our Live-Stream service and our ministries that operate via zoom and other forms of technology. Although you may be FAR in distance, we can make you feel CLOSE in connection. However, we still encourage you to find a ministry that is located near you because being able to gather with others is an important part of the Christian experience. But until that time, we would love to be your Virtual Church Family.

What if I Never Been to Church?

We would love to be your first church experience. MABCBK works hard to make first-time attenders feel welcome, loved, and appreciated. Our focus is not on your church history, our focus is on showing you the love of Jesus Christ. Don't worry about feeling uncomfortable, we can assure you that your first church experience will be worth the visit. We look to see you.

I Drive, Is There Parking?

Yes! We are blessed to be one of few churches in Brooklyn with a parking lot. So come on and park your car and worship with us. In the event that the parking lot Is already filled, you can double park inside the parking lot. All we ask is that if you do double park, please be mindful of others after service and quickly go to your vehicle.

Is MABCBK Near Public Transportation?

Yes we are! TRAIN OPTIONS 3 or 4 to Utica Avenue Take an Uber for a short trip to 425 Howard Avenue Take the C train to Ralph Avenue Walk up to St. Marks, turn left and walk one block to Howard Avenue

Has Service Changed Since COVID?

Yes! During COVID we held our public worship services monthly and our regular services virtually every week. Beginning the first Sunday in April we will return to our weekly public worship at 10:00AM. Pre-registration will no longer be required. However, we still ask that you wear your mask. In the event you do not feel comfortable returning to public worship, you will still be able to tune in to our Live-Stream service on YouTube and Facebook. Hope this was helpful.

What Happens When I Arrive?

When you arrive at MABCBK, you will be greeted by one of our First-Impression team members. We'd love to know you are here and help you find your way. Stop by our Welcome Desk in the front and you will be guided to wherever you desire to go.

How Can I Meet Others and Get Connected?

There are many ways you can create connections with others at MABCBK! One of the best ways is to become involved in a ministry. Working together fosters connection that sometimes become life-long. In addition to serving in a ministry, attending various church events can help you meet others and get connected. Another good way is to walk to someone and say, "Hello, my name is______! I am new to MABCBK and just wanted to meet others who are members."

How Long Is the Service?

Our service (10:00am) run for 90 minutes. We believe in getting right to the Word of God in a timely fashion. Here is our worship script. Call to Worship, Praise & Worship, Video Announcements, Sermonic Selection, Sermon for the Day, Invitation to Discipleship, Tithes & Offering and The Benediction. Not Long At All!!

What Is This Thing Called Sermon Notes?

I am so glad you want to know about this. Sermons are sometimes hard to remember no matter how much you enjoyed listening to it. We solved the problem for you. You can go to our Sermon Notes and you will be able to Fill-In-The Blanks and keep the notes from the message, In addition, you can email them to family and friends. If you want to check it out, go to the "Sermon Notes" icon and click it. TRICK: Although you may see BLANK spaces, whenever you email it to someone, when they receive it, all of the spaces will have the answers already filled in. If you are coming to church, DON'T cheat and email it to yourself before service. LOL

What Version of the Bible Is Used?

Although Pastor often preach and teach from the NKJV, there are other translations that are written in ways that are good to understand. BIBLE VERSION RECOMMENDATIONS New Living Translation The Message The One Year Bible Life Application Study Bible Dake's Study Bible These are just a few. Hope they are helpful.

Where Did Pastor Carter Receive His Education?

Our Pastor earned his BA in Religion at Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA) and his Master of Divinity at Duke University School of Divinity (Durham, NC).