Welcome

Welcome to The Movement Church website!


 What to Expect - FAQs

What can I expect when I visit ?

You can expect to find a welcoming, inclusive group of people who are glad that you have come to worship with us. THE MOVEMENT CHURCH is for people from all walks of life - those who love Jesus; those who may have doubts or have been hurt by the church; those who are searching for a church, and even those who have never been to church. We recognize that the world needs love and that everyone has worth.

"You are worth dying for" - Jesus

What should I wear to worship service?

We dress comfortably!  That usually means anything from business casual to jeans and t-shirts.

What time should I arrive?

Our worship service begins at 10:30am.  If you arrive early, free coffee and light refreshments are available during our pre-service time. (10am -10:20am) Our friendly greeters will be on hand to provide assistance or answer any questions you may have.

Where can I park?

Plenty of free parking is available. 

Are children welcome in the worship service?

Yes!  Following the worship portion of the service on 2nd and 4th Sundays, children ages 5-12 are welcome to attend Children's Church. On all other Sundays, the pastor teaches engaging lessons with elements that will also be memorable for children.

What happens during the service?

Powerful Worship - We honor God through songs that sing of His goodness and love while we are led by the harmonious sounds of a praise team.  The words to songs are displayed on-screen so feel free to sing along!

Relevant Teaching - The messages at The Movement are biblical, relevant, and practical. They aim to help us to continue to move forward in what God wants us to do and to understand Jesus’s love for us.

Free Gift

All of our first time guests receive a free gift. This gift is just our way of saying, “Thank you.”  All we ask is that you visit the Blue Table immediately after service.

Our Mission

“The Love Movement: Continuing the love movement that Jesus Started”
(John 3:16, Acts 1:1-11)

Our Motivation: Love
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Our Method: Make Disciples (Reach the Unchurched)
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Our Means: The Church
“…upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)

Our Message: “You are worth dying for”
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Our Mentality: “Love never gives up”
“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)

Service Times

Sundays @ 10:30 am


Our History

In 1881, men and women from most of the major denominations, weary of religious division, denominational hierarchies, legalism and prejudice, began searching for Christian unity. Led by leaders such as Daniel S. Warner and Mary Cole, they began a movement that emphasized several commitments:

  • Trusting solely in the Holy Spirit as their guide.
  • Take the Bible as sole authority and Christ as their only creed.
  • Depend on God’s Holy Spirit to unify them with other Christians, regardless of denominational affiliation.
  • To restore holiness to the church

This small group of Christians became known as the Church of God (with general offices in Anderson, IN). Today, over 8,000 congregations trace their roots to this movement of Christian unity. One of these churches was Oakland Mills Church of God in the Oakland Mills Village of Columbia, Maryland.

On October 6, 1987, Rev. and Mrs. Marc A. Farmer shared the vision God had given them with several Christian families. The vision was to “serve and teach the Gospel to the meek, the brokenhearted, the captive, the bound, and the mourning.”  It was out of Isaiah 61:1-3 and John 12:32 that Rev. Dr. Marc A. Farmer established the church.  The families, who met with Rev. Dr. Farmer, served as a steering committee that assisted with the planning and establishment of the church.  They clearly recognized that Jesus was the foundation and that their purpose was to continue the ministry Jesus started.  As the steering committee began working to establish the church, more families became a part of the vision. The first worship service was held on November 1, 1987, and the stated charter was filed within the same month.  This small congregation remained a faithful witness to the life transforming power of Jesus Christ.

On July 2, 2015, Richard M. Smith along with his wife Camille and children answered the call to continue the work at Oakland Mills, deciding to build on the foundation that had been laid by the late Rev. Dr. Marc A. Farmer.  Through strategic changes, restructuring, passion, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, the church has begun to re-position itself to be the movement that Jesus has called the church to be and to reach people for Christ.  Additionally, the church is focused on emphasizing the specific message that was demonstrated through the life, death, resurrection, and ministry of Jesus Christ to each person no matter who they are or what they’ve done.  That message is expressed in the following words, “You are worth dying for.”

Strategically located between Baltimore and Washington D.C., The Movement Church is able to serve a diverse group of people. We aim to: Teach uncompromisingly, love unconditionally, and live unwaveringly. We want to mobilize passionate Christ-followers to be a part of the movement that Jesus started, give of their lives to make an impact, and influence the culture.

In July of 2017, Oakland Mills Church of God officially changed its name to THE MOVEMENT CHURCH.

We invite you to join the movement.

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