Fellowship Asheville

The Bible

We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, error-free in the original writings, and the supreme authority of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ. We further believe that there is but one method of Bible interpretation: the literal method. The literal method recognizes the fact that the authors of Scripture meant what they said. Therefore, the literal method consistently applies the rules of grammar, literature, history, and culture to Scripture in order to unlock and understand the author’s meaning. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Hebrews 4:12)

God

We believe there is but one living and true God, who is one in essence, while eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though each person of the Godhead possesses one and the same nature, each functions differently in respect to God’s dealings with his creation. (Deuteronomy 6:4)

The Father
The first Person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to his own purpose, pleasure and grace. He has decreed all things that come to pass for his own glory. He graciously involves himself in the affairs of people, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to him through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:9, John 5:19-24, Ephesians 1:3-6)

The Son
Jesus Christ is both the eternal Son of God and virgin-born Son of man. Fully God and fully man, he surrendered nothing of his deity during his earthly life. Having led a sinless life, he satisfied the Father’s justice concerning sin by his death. We believe in his bodily resurrection, his physical ascension, and his visible return to this earth to establish his earthly kingdom. (John 1:14-18, I Corinthians 15, Hebrews 2:17-18, Romans 3:24-26, Revelation 20:11-15, Colossians 2:9)

The Holy Spirit
The third Person of the Trinity executes the will of God in the world. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the salvation Jesus Christ secured through his death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to live a lifestyle pleasing to God, endowing it with special gifts which equip believers to accomplish distinct ministries, planned beforehand by God the Father. (1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 2:10, John 3:1-8, John 16:4-15, Ephesians 1:13-14, John 15:16, Galatians 5:16-25)

The Problem of Sin

We believe that humankind was directly created in the image of God to enjoy his fellowship and to fulfill God’s will on this earth. Man and woman fell into sin by a voluntary act of personal disobedience to the will of God; consequently all people are spiritually dead and subject to the certainty of both physical and spiritual death apart from Jesus Christ. The fall of mankind was a once-for-all historical fact. Its spiritually deadening effect spread to everyone. All are born with a sinful nature and sin habitually in thought, word and deed. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7;3:3-4, Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-23, Ephesians 2:1-3)

Salvation

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient sacrifice. All who
believe in him are declared justified by the Father on the grounds of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by grace through faith have been regenerated by and baptized in the Holy Spirit. They are thereby the children of God forever and members in the one true church, the Body of Christ. This salvation results in righteous living and good works as the believer submits his life to the Word of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:6, Titus 3:4-7, Acts 4:12, John 1:12, Romans 3:21-26, I Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9, Hebrews 10:10-12, I John 5:11-13, Galatians 3:26, John 1:12, 3:16, 5:24)

The Church

We believe that all who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true church and are directed by the Scriptures to associate themselves in local, visible churches. The local church is the only visible representation of Christ’s invisible church and consists only of regenerated believers. The local church is autonomous in its relationship, and elects its own members to the biblical offices of elder and deacon. The twofold purpose of the church is to lead people to Christ and mature them in the faith. (Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:41-47, 4:1-16, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Matthew 16:13-28, 28:18-20, Ephesians 2:19-22, 24, Matthew 24:36, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, John 14:1-3, Matthew 24-25, Acts 2:9-11)

The Future

We believe that the next great event of human history will be the personal return of Jesus Christ. This is the BLESSED HOPE, for which all those who love Jesus Christ yearn. Though the time of Christ’s return is a mystery known only to the Father himself, we believe that it is as sure as Jesus’ first coming was fact. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting in the presence of God for those who believe. (Matthew 24:36, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, John 14:1-3, Matthew 24-25, Acts 2:9-11)

Baptism

Baptism is an essential “first step” for a believer who seeks to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. In taking it, he reveals that a coup has taken place in the secret recesses of his soul. The government of self has been toppled and overthrown. In its place, a new authority now reigns and rules. It is Christ, the living Lord! We at Fellowship uphold the act of baptism as a sacred, uncompromisable injunction of the Scripture. Every believer, serious in his or her faith, will also be serious about baptism. It is the “badge” of our identity with Christ. In many ways, baptism is to Christianity what a ring is to marriage. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. And the picture portrayed in baptism declares a variety of scriptural truths:

It proclaims Christ’s death and resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

It serves public notice to the world of one’s new life in Christ. (Matthew 10:32)

It pictures a believer’s death to sin and his resurrection to a spiritual life and lifestyle and the certainty of both through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:3-7, 10-11)

Our method of baptism is the method of immersion. We believe this was the method used in the New Testament and vividly signifies our death, burial and resurrection from death to new life in Christ.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is primarily summed up in the command of Christ, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” It is first and foremost a memorial of Christ and His redemptive death, and secondly an expression of our fellowship with one another. (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
We believe the Lord’s Supper is open to all who meet the prerequisites outlined in Scripture. They are: first, that one personally know Jesus Christ as Savior, and secondly, that they have a cleansed life.
We corporately share the Lord’s Supper in the Sunday worship service on the first Sunday of the month and other times as deemed necessary by holidays or sermons. (Psalm 24:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

Leadership

Fellowship accomplishes the task of leadership through teams. Every ministry is directed by a team of people who share a common passion for ministry.

Elders
Fellowship is governed by a team of Elders, highly qualified and selected to lead the church. This type of government is clearly presented in Scripture. The Elders have overall responsibility for oversight and direction of the church. They are to seek, in all matters, the mind of Christ (who is the Head of the Church) through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. They must be able to teach and exhort the church in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict the truth. Elders are to lead by example and will provide instruction for the maintenance of healthy relationships within the church. (Hebrews 13:7, 17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, 2 Peter 5:2-3, Titus 1:9, Galatians 6:1, Acts 6:1)

Church Restoration

As a church, Fellowship is committed to the whole person. That commitment does not lessen when a person begins to behave in a manner contrary to scriptural principles. If a member of Fellowship persists in blatant rebellion, then restoration will be pursued according to the pattern of Matthew 18. Church restoration is designed not to execute judgment on fallen saints, but to awaken people to their sin and assist them in returning to their former, spiritually healthy condition. (Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 12:14-20, 1 Corinthians 5:5)