Our Beliefs

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient sacrifice, offering the atonement of sins for all mankind through his death, burial and resurrection. While salvation is available to all, it is only experienced by those who respond to his gracious gift by faith apart from works. 

For those who do respond we are regenerated and baptized by the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God, given a new nature and placed into the universal body of Christ, making us eternally secure in Him. 

As a result of our new relationship with God through His Son Jesus, we are now called to a life of submission to the Holy Spirit, manifesting spiritual fruit, and walking in good works that God has prepared beforehand for us to do, partnering with him in the renewal of all things and in his original intent and design for us (John 14:6; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 4:12; John 1:12; Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:10-12; I John 5:11-13; Galatians 3:26; John 3:16).

We believe the Scriptures, the Holy Bible consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, enduring and authoritative Word of God. Being “breathed out” by God, it is without error and fully trustworthy, faithfully revealing God’s character, His works, His will, and His redemptive purposes in Christ. We affirm that Scripture speaks truthfully according to its literary forms (e.g., poetry, prophecy, wisdom, narrative, symbolic imagery, etc.), which God uses as means of communication. The Holy Spirit, who inspired the biblical authors, also illuminates the minds and hearts of believers, enabling us to understand, trust, and obey God’s Word. Therefore, Scripture stands as the final authority in all matters of faith, godliness, and life, and teaching of Scriptures will have a preeminent place in our church (2 Timothy 3:16–17, 2 Peter 1:20–21, Matthew 4:4, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18, Acts 17:11, Luke 24:27, Hebrews 1:1–2, 2 Timothy 4:1–2, Psalm 19:7–9, John 17:17, Nehemiah 8:8; Luke 1:1–4; Revelation 1:1–3, 1 Corinthians 2:12–14; John 14:26, Psalm 119:18; James 1:22).

For all who have placed their faith in God through His Son Jesus Christ, the Spirit joins them to the universal Church, the redeemed people of God and the Bride of Christ. As members of His Body, believers are called not merely to personal faith but to participate together in God’s ongoing work of renewing and restoring His world. This shared identity necessarily leads each believer into meaningful commitment with a local church community, where we worship together, encourage one another, and bear witness to the Kingdom.

The purpose of the local church is to bring glory to Christ by proclaiming the gospel, cultivating maturity in His people, and partnering with God in the cultivation and expansion of His Kingdom here and now, living as a foretaste of the new creation. In all of this, the Church displays the beauty of its Bridegroom to the world.

Through Christ, every believer is part of the royal priesthood, with direct access to God and a shared calling to offer worship, intercede for others, and serve through the gifts of the Spirit. Church leaders are called to equip the whole people of God for the work of ministry so that every member participates in building up the Body, bearing witness to Christ in the world.

The members of the local church are to live their lives in humble submission to other Spirit-led believers, and to the appointed leaders of the church, subject to processes of accountability prescribed by the Scriptures and set forth in the church governance documents (i.e., board manuals, etc.). Fellowship Memphis is an autonomous local assembly that is led by Jesus Christ, who gives direction as the head of this body through a body of appointed elders and leaders (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:41-47; I Corinthians 12-14; Matthew 28-18-20; Ephesians 2:19-22; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 4:11-13).

We believe that the next great event in human history will be the return of Jesus Christ to reign and to bring to fullness the Kingdom He inaugurated through His life, death, and resurrection. This is the blessed hope of all who belong to Him. While Christ’s return is a clear promise of Scripture, we affirm that this hope does not lead us to passive waiting, but compels us to Spirit-empowered faithfulness in the present, living holy lives, making disciples, doing justice, loving mercy, and bearing witness to His Kingdom.

At His return, God will renew all creation. Those who have received God’s gracious gift of salvation in Christ will be raised to everlasting life in the new heavens and new earth, dwelling in the fullness of God’s presence forever.  Those who have not will face the eternal reality Scripture calls hell, forever separated from the life, joy, and goodness of God. (Matthew 10:28; Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17; John 14:1–3; Matthew 24–25; Revelation 21–22)

We affirm that the doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection, the atoning work of Christ on the cross, and salvation by grace through faith make up the essential, distinctive nature of Christianity. In regards to these essential doctrines there can be no conflicting opinions of those who call themselves true followers of Christ. However, we do acknowledge that there are peripheral, or non-essential doctrines, that are important, but not critical to the follower of Christ as it relates to our salvation. 

Some of these doctrines include differing understandings of the timing and sequence of events surrounding Christ’s return and the culmination of all things, the specific function of women in ministry, the extent and use of certain spiritual gifts, the relationship between election and free-will in salvation, etc. While our church will be diligent to establish positions as it relates to some of these non-essentials, we will not allow these peripheral doctrines to cause division within the church. We will accept into our body those who have differing views on the non-essential doctrines, but will not allow those of a different opinion to fracture the church. While we celebrate diversity along all lines (racial and theological), we will ultimately pursue the unity of the church in love.