Located in the Bible Belt, Northwest Arkansas is home to a variety of Christian churches large and small. Drivers along Interstate 540 can’t help but notice the towering trio of crosses overlooking The Church at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers or the trinity of wind turbines farther south in Springdale at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
Signs of the area’s Christian heritage are obvious, but the religious landscape is becoming increasingly diverse. Followers of the world’s other major religions — Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism — also can find a house of worship to meet their spiritual needs.
From churches and mosques to temples and synagogues, Northwest Arkansas’ multi-faith religious community offers something for everyone.
Christian offerings include many options. Roman Catholics will find a variety of parishes, including the massive multi-cultural congregation of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springdale. The fast-growing parish is the largest in the Diocese of Little Rock, which encompasses the entire state. In Fayetteville, worshippers will find the area’s oldest Catholic parish — St. Joseph — which dates back to the mid-1800s.
The Rev. John Antony Cq, priest at St. Joseph, said the parish is growing rapidly.
“It’s a sign that people are being nourished in their spiritual hunger,” he said. “The same happens in other Christian and non-Christian religions in the area. Northwest Arkansas is a diverse community where religion finds a natural home. Catholics here find a warm welcome in the Bible Belt.”
The area is home to two “megachurches” — the dual-campus First Baptist Church of Springdale and The Church at Pinnacle Hills, as well as the nondenominational Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas in Rogers. These thriving churches offer a multitude of ministries and outreach opportunities.
Quaint country churches dot the rural areas, and congregations of all sizes can be found in every community.
Southern Baptists are dominant, but there are also many congregations of United Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Churches of Christ, Episcopalians and Pentecostals, as well as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
One of the state’s largest Methodist churches, Central United Methodist, overlooks downtown Fayetteville, its white steeple rising far above Dickson Street. The church pre-dates Arkansas’ statehood, dating all the way back to 1832, when the first group of worshippers met in a log cabin. The church is one of many traditional mainline congregations in the area.
For those who prefer a less conventional house of worship, there’s Cross Brand Cowboy Church east of Bentonville near Pea Ridge. The congregation meets in a barn, and it’s not uncommon for a horse or two to be tied up at the hitching post by the front door. Pastor Tim Wallace often uses cowboy illustrations and humor to impart Bible lessons.
“You don’t find only cowboys at Cross Brand Cowboy Church,” Wallace said. “You will find folks from all walks of life that enjoy worshipping in a casual, country environment.”
Benton and Washington counties also are home to growing Jewish congregations. Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville is the first Jewish synagogue in Benton County. It has gained national attention for bucking the trend of declining small-town Jewish communities in America. Many member families were drawn here by job opportunities, and they’ve made a spiritual home for themselves and for future generations.
In Fayetteville, Temple Shalom also drew the national spotlight for its interfaith building project with a local Muslim builder. The new “temple of peace” is on Sang Avenue. Orthodox Jews will find a warm welcome at Chabad of Northwest Arkansas in Rogers.
Hindus, drawn to the area by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its many vendors, have established a home in Northwest Arkansas. The Hindu Association of Northwest Arkansas recently dedicated a temple in Bentonville to serve its growing community. The Indian and Hindu population has increased dramatically in the past few years, bringing religious traditions with them and thus adding to the diversity of the area.
The association’s goal is to promote understanding of the Hindu way of life, as well as to meet the religious, spiritual, charitable, cultural and social needs of its community. Its temple is in a refurbished home now, but hopes are to build a traditional one soon.
Muslims also have options for prayer and worship in both Fayetteville and Bentonville. Daily prayer services are held at the Islamic Center of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, which has been serving the Muslim community of the area since 1994. The Bentonville Islamic Center, established about five years ago, also offers prayer services in its new mosque on Southwest Second Street.
Buddhists also have many options to listen to dharma talks or engage in meditation. The Buddhist Meditation and Spiritual Support Group has been around since the mid-1990s and offers weekly instruction in meditation, as does the Fayetteville Soto Zen Center. Both offer free classes at the Arkansas Yoga Center. Tibetan monk Geshe Thupten Dorjee offers weekly services in Fayetteville, and other Buddhist groups are scattered around the area.