About Us

The University Church of Christ is a congregation of the church that Christ established—the visible manifestation of the Kingdom of God. As part of the body of Christ, we strive to be compassionate and welcoming to all sinners great and small, yet firm and obedient to biblical teachings. Our reach is universal since we are non-denominational and non-partisan, and we seek to be accepting of everyone, regardless of origin and social status.

As God’s people, we endeavor to worship God in a peaceful, loving atmosphere and in true fellowship with Him and with one another. The Word of God is our supreme authority in life and teaching. While we strive to focus on evangelism of non-believers, we also desire to unite all believers in the body of Christ by obeying God’s will as stated in the Holy Scriptures.

Jesus directed his disciples in John 13:34 to love one another as He had loved them so that all men would know they were His disciples. We work to obey this commandment and to be known as a people who love one another so that others may know that we belong to Christ.

{ Back to Top

Missions Statement and Core Beliefs

UCC exists to teach Jesus Christ as Lord, praise God and trust His Word, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, serve one another in love, and reach out to others. This mission is exemplified through our core beliefs:

We believe in God, the great I AM.

• He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
• He is the sovereign creator of all.
• He made us and sustains us (In Him… we have our very being).
• He is eternal, all-knowing, and all powerful.
• He has granted us freedom to choose.
• He loves us completely, seeks us relentlessly, and calls us constantly.

We believe the Bible is the word of God.

• It is Holy.
• It contains all truth regarding salvation and righteousness.
• It is the lamp and guide for a journey “with and to” God.

We believe that mankind has chosen to separate from God.

• We are a fallen and lost race.
• In spite of God’s limitless love and provision for us, we have sought our own way.
• Using the very freedom God gave us, we rejected God.
• God, who is true to his Word, has accepted our choice.

We believe that God’s love never ceases and that God came to bring us salvation in Jesus Christ.

• God has come to save the fallen in the person of God the Son, Jesus Christ.
• Jesus was hung on a cross, buried in a grave, and raised from the dead to save us from death—the destiny we chose for ourselves.
• In Jesus, our fallen destiny can be fully pardoned.
• The death of Christ on the cross is full and final payment for our sins.

We believe God is inviting, pursuing, and calling us back to himself.

• We must respond and receive (choose) The Gift to be rescued from sin.
• We respond with faith and certainty in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
• We believe and embrace the work of Christ on the cross, not our own, to rescue us.
• We accept Jesus’ new life—dying to self in repentance and baptism.
• We surrender our own cheap freedom and choose the rich provision found in Christ.
• We obey his Word in all things as we walk with Him in salvation.

We believe that Christ will return for us.

• God, the Holy Spirit, is our ever-present companion and aide until He comes for us.
• At the time of his choosing, Jesus will come back.
• He will gather us to himself.
• We will be with him forevermore.
• We are ready and eager for His return.

{ Back to Top

Our Vision

At the University Church of Christ, our vision is to live as God’s family, demonstrating the love of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit in every motive, every thought, and every action.

This vision is fulfilled through our dependency on God in leading and empowering us:

• to continually pursue individual holiness in every dimension of life;
• to participate in the body of Christ, the church, so that we may both give and receive the love, the strength, and the encouragement that comes from communion in God’s family;
• to serve the poor and suffering through sacrificial living;
• to teach the love of Christ both in our community and across the world.

{ Back to Top

History of University Church of Christ

The Church of Christ was first established in Conway in the spring of 1904. It began in the parlor of Mr. & Mrs. J. C. Dawson’s home with just three members. On June 9, 1905, R. H. Johnson of Atkins held the first gospel meeting. Soon after this meeting, the congregation grew to fourteen members. With much faith and sacrifice, the congregation purchased a building located at the corner of Faulkner and Robinson Avenue from the Presbyterians in November 1905, which served as the church’s first permanent establishment in Conway.

In the next fifteen years, the church experienced great growth. On the first Sunday of September 1919, the congregation moved into a new and larger building at Faulkner and Robinson Avenue. The first sermon in the new building was preached by J. C. Dawson. By this time he was a well-known preacher, with a large tent, and he spent his summer months preaching the Gospel in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. This congregation continued to mature and is now known as the Robinson & Center Church of Christ.

In 1962, a small band of Christians from the Robinson & Center Church of Christ formed the College Church of Christ (CCC) as an outreach to the young people attending Arkansas State Teachers’ College. With the blessing and encouragement of the Robinson & Center congregation, the CCC established its first meeting place in the Hill House, which had previously served as housing for the female students from Arkansas State Teachers College. This two story frame house was located on the corner of Donaghey and Bruce Streets, across the street from the college campus.

The CCC congregation grew and, in 1967, a brick house was built on the same location. The building had a worship center/fellowship hall, eleven classrooms, a kitchen, a nursery, a minister’s study, and restrooms. In 1975, the State College of Arkansas (formerly Arkansas State Teachers’ College) changed its name to the University of Central Arkansas. As a result, the College Church changed its name to become the University Church of Christ.

As the University of Central Arkansas continued to grow, so did UCC. On September 6, 1982, the second phase of a building program was completed when a new worship center was dedicated. This annex contained a 275-seat auditorium, a baptistry, and two dressing rooms. Membership at that time was approximately 130. By 1993, the membership had more than doubled to 283, plus college students and children. The congregation decided that the current facilities could no longer support the congregation and purchased twelve acres on Highway 286 at Mattison Road. The former building on Donaghey and Bruce was sold to the University of Central Arkansas.

While construction on the new building took place, the church began to meet for two services in the chapel at Dwire Funeral Home for Sunday morning worship. It was at this time that the church began to meet in small group “house churches” for Bible study, devotionals, and fellowship on Sunday and Wednesday evenings due to the lack of availability of a common meeting place.

The UCC congregation moved into the current facility with great excitement in 1994! The small band of Christians that established the congregation in the Hill House in 1962 has grown in number, in spiritual strength, and in outreach. UCC is now a mature congregation, which consists of approximately 400 members supporting a wide variety of ministry and outreach programs.

{ Back to Top