It was during my college years
while a student at Alabama
Christian College
I did not contemplate nor did I
even think that such a digression would ever occur again in the church of the
Lord during my life time. But I was wrong. It has and it continues to spread
across our nation. I will only mention one example of what I am writing about
and that is the Fourth Avenue Church of Christ in Franklin , Tennessee
In 1833, a congregation of
seventeen Christians was organized in Franklin
following preaching by Tolbert Fanning, Absalom Adams, and Alexander Campbell.
Joel Anderson and Andrew Craig were other early leaders in this church, one of
the oldest in the American Restoration Movement. After Campbell ’s second visit in 1851, a brick
meeting house was erected here on Indigo
Street [as it was called then] on a lot given by
Thomas Hardin Perkins. The first service was held September 5, 1852. That
building, used as a hospital after the Battle of Franklin, stood until it was
ruined by a cyclone [tornado] in 1927. The second church building, which
featured stained-glass windows from a 1914 edition, stood here for 50 years.
The present structure was built in 1978. With the foundation of a rich
heritage, today’s 4th Avenue
Church continues to strive to glorify God and be the hands and feet of Jesus as
its members serve the Franklin
community
Worship:
We believe God’s desire is that
worship be our genuine, passionate, and Spirit-filled response to Him. We
are committed to planning relevant and diverse worship experiences that
inspire, convict, teach, heal and draw people into the very presence of God.e night of music!
Join us
in the Worship Center
|
|
Join us at 5:15
for a delicious meal and then at 6:33 we will all gather in the
Don't
miss an exciting evening at
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The Katinas are a contemporary Christian music group.
The family of five brothers hails from American
Samoa, and moved to Washington state, after the death of their
mother in 1988. The group's members sang in church as children, and began
playing fairs, soon moving up to nationwide slots opening for R. Kelly, Jasmine Guy,
DC
Talk, and Amy
Grant.[ Sam Katina – keyboard/vocals
Joe
Katina – drums/vocals. James Katina – bass guitar/vocals. John Katina – vocals.
CORE BELIEFS
The Kingdom: We believe the Kingdom is made
up of all who believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and
accept Him as Lord and King, regardless of traditions. We will be
supportive and work together in unity with other congregations in our community
for the cause of Christ.
Community Partnership— Our next
community event will be held in a partnership with First
Missionary Baptist
Church , Fellowship
Bible Church
and Faith Community Church First
Missionary Baptist
Church Natchez Street Columbia
Ave.
The Franklin Christian
Church band is leading worship tonight at Fourth
Avenue Church of Christ. Come ready to praise and study the Word.
6:30-7:30PM.
Baptism: We believe baptism is a one-time
faith response to our acceptance of Christ as Savior and a pledge of our
devotion to God. We are devoted to teaching and encouraging believers to
be immersed in Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“This is illustrated in a sermon
on Baptism and Christian Unity by Mike Williams, minister of the Fourth Ave.
Church of Christ in Franklin ,
Tennessee David Lipscomb University
in Nashville .
Dr. Williams' sermon answers the question, How shall we treat those who wish to be members of the Fourth Avenue Church of Christ who come to us from other religious bodies? Some are immersed members of other denominational bodies, some were baptized by sprinkling or pouring, some were baptized in infancy and some who believe they are saved but neither have been or do they want to be baptized?
Speaking for himself and his elders, the preacher says, "We accept all believers in Christ, no matter what their religious heritage and welcome those seeking to know Christ for the first time. Our role as God's people is not to judge others and to be divisive, but to serve as a community of healing and unity. We have chosen to emphasize what we have in common with other Christian groups, rather than debate our differences. We're trying to be Christians only, and believe that no particular group is designated as the only Christians. And so, as a result, we welcome and encourage all believers to join us on our journey with God. Believers immersed in other traditions because of their faith in Christ Jesus are, therefore, welcome to join us and be a part of our family....If they choose not to be immersed, we welcome them on the journey...”
Of those who have never been baptized he says, "We will encourage all believers–all believers in Jesus Christ to join us...we will not make this issue the line in the sand." He goes on to specifically say that will accept those baptized as an infant and notes that several such are already in their membership.” (Lessons to Fortify your Faith, John Waddey)
“Patrick Mead, preacher for the 4th Ave. Franklin
"Just agreed to serve as mentor to a preaching major
at Lipscomb this fall. The first and only female preaching major in their history.
I'm stoked. Freedom is sweet but it isn't free. Let's do this..." (Gregory
Tidwell, Facebook)
You
may listen to Patrick Mead play his guitar in a special assembly as seen on
YouTube: http://youtu.be/LazxnIycJpE
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