Here are a collection of frequently asked questions about T.E.C. 

Have you any connection with Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Spiritualists, or other such sects?
No! We are an Evangelical Christian church, teaching the basic, orthodox truths foundational to Biblical Christianity

Are you a new church?
No! We have been in Tankerton since 1927. We are in fellowship with The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
We also enjoy good relationships with other Christian churches and groups around the Whitstable area. We work alongside several denominations and fellowships.

How did your church start?
Check out our story on the church history page.

Are you after people's money?!
No! We rarely talk about finance or make appeals and no pressure is put on any one to part with their money or possessions. We are a self - supporting church that is a registered charity, so we obviously need money - but those who give do so willingly and anonymously.

Does your church cause families to break up?
No! We teach young people to be loving and obedient to their parents ( and kind to their brothers and sisters! ). We want husbands and wives to enjoy and strengthen their relationships with one another, whether they are part of our fellowship or not.

Are you a bunch of killjoys?
No! The people who make up our church enjoy their sport and leisure pursuits and there is tremendous fun in our activities together. We have no restrictive lists of Do's and Don'ts but do take a stand, for example, against drug abuse, greediness, illicit sex, cruelty, the occult and other evils which we believe damage society and harm young people in particular.

Do you encourage young people to give up their studies or work?
Certainly not! We want our young people to do well! From time to time some may feel that God is calling them to serve Him full-time or to work on projects during a gap year.

Are those who join prevented from leaving?
No! We teach that faith in Jesus Christ is the starting point of the Christian life and should be followed by baptism. We also encourage new believers to understand what is involved in being part of our church fellowship. But no-one is coerced to stay if they subsequently desire to leave.

Do you control people's lives?
No! Many people come to us for counsel, advice and guidance. Our teaching and preaching stress what the Bible says about many practical areas of life. But no - we won't tell peole who they have to marry, what colour their wall-paper should be, or where they must go for their holiday!

Are there any secret rites in your church?
No! All our services and activities are public. Anyone can come. Guests are often invited to our homegroup meetings. There are no secret ceremonies and no information about what we believe is withheld from enquirers. We aim to be open, honest and truthful in our affairs.

I don't have a church background and know nothing about the Bible. How would I fit in?
You would fit in just fine. And there are a lot of people just like you in the church and they are excited because the Bible is coming alive to them. Everything is done in a way so everyone can understand and no one is embarrassed.

How do I join the church?
1. Come and worship God with us.
2. Show that Christ has become your Lord and Saviour.
3. If you are new to these things we will encourage you to attend an Alpha Course.
4. If you wish to commit yourself to what God is doing in this local Church we will talk to you about it and then the Church members will be told that you want to be a member. The Church members can then invite you to join us and you will be welcomed as a member at a Communion Service.

Can I have my baby christened at T.E.C.?
We don't baptise babies, instead we practice the baptism of believers. The New Testament teaches that baptism is for those who have come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ. For this reason we practice Believers' Baptism - that is baptism of those who profess a real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Saviour. And consequently we only baptise those old enough to have a real understanding of the Christian faith - and what Christian commitment means. We baptise by total immersion because we are following the example of Jesus and the early church which baptised in this way.
If you need to know more please don't hesitate to contact anyone on our contacts page.

Do you immerse or sprinkle?
Since we don't have our own facility, "dunkings" must be done in a swimming pool, another local church with a Baptistry or in the sea.

What's the difference between dedication and baptism? Which one do you do?
The answer to this question is rooted in the differences in church traditions regarding infant or adult baptisms.
Some church traditions say that babies should be baptized. Other traditions say that people should be baptized when they are old enough to make a conscious decision. But, many parents who want their children to be baptized when they are old enough to decide for themselves, would still like to have a ceremony where their children are blessed and where they can state their intention as parents to raise their children to know and love God. This ceremony is called a dedication.
If you need to know more please contact the Pastor.

Is there anything for young people at T.E.C.?
You bet!  Check out the 0-18's page for all the regular information and the calendar page for future events. Most weeks there are 9 events attracting about 180 children and teenagers a week!

Can anyone get married at T.E.C.?
Yes! If they want to commit themselves to a Christian marriage.
We believe in and are committed to furthering Christian marriage and believe that a Christian is one who has the Lord Jesus living and ruling in that heart and life.
Marriage vows are so serious and so deep that we believe that if we help people to make those vows we must also help both partners to love Him and then be enabled to love each other through His love.
Anyone can receive Christ as their Saviour and Lord, so yes, we will marry any who want to trust Him in that way and commit themselves to that sort of Christian marriage.
Everybody who is married at T.E.C. goes through a course on Christian marriage relationships before the ceremony.
As minister, if anyone asks me to conduct a marriage ceremony I ask them if they want that sort of Christian marriage.  If they need help to receive Christ in that way then we will spend time with them both before proceeding on those terms.

Does the church teach a 10% tithe?
We teach that in the Old Testament jewish believers had to give a tithe of everything to God, which actually added up to a lot more than 10%.
In the New Testament the believers gave themselves wholly to God through Jesus coming to live in and through them. They then gave willingly and cheerfully and sacrificially out of what God had given them.
We believe that how much a believer gives God today is between himself and God. We do not insist that a member gives 10%. Also do we not insist that all his giving must first be given to TEC to distribute.

What version of the Bible is used in your services?
The NIV (New International Version) is used from the pulpit because of its readability and wide acceptance.

I hear a lot about Alpha, what is it?
The Alpha course is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed, non-threatening manner over ten, thought-provoking weekly sessions.

It's low key, friendly and fun. And it's supported by all the main Christian denominations.
You're not on your own either. More than 2 million people worldwide have found it a worthwhile experience.
So join us on a journey of discovery. There's a course running at a church near you! Check the future events page for details on our next course.
Visit the web site at www.alphacourse.org

How do I become a christian?
If you would like to ask Jesus Christ to be Lord and Saviour of your life then we suggest you read "how do I become a christian?" in the just curious page.