Our Vision:
We want to be a vibrant, Gospel-centered church that is filled with such joy and life that our witness overflows into our community bringing spiritual, social, and cultural renewal.
Values:
The Gospel is the Center. At Fellowship we believe that the single most important message for people to hear is the Gospel. The Gospel tells us that we are weaker and more sinful than we ever before believed, but, in Christ, we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared to hope. This message is at the center of everything we do here at Fellowship. From sermons to small groups to the music we sing in worship, the Gospel message is communicated repeatedly. We believe that when the Gospel hits home to our hearts, it changes everything!
We do not exist for ourselves. Someone once said that the church is the only institution that exists for the good of those who are not yet members. We believe this wholeheartedly at Fellowship. We aim to be a church that makes a difference in our city, reaching beyond the four walls of our building — bringing the gospel in word and deed to our community. We are constantly asking: If we were gone tomorrow, would the people in our city miss us? We are always looking for creative ways to be a faithful presence of Christ in our community.
Community is non-negotiable. One of the clearest ways the Gospel displays its power is by drawing together a diverse group of people into a vibrant Christ-centered community. To foster this, we have built community groups into our DNA. We encourage our members not only to attend on Sundays, but also to connect during the week in smaller groups for discussion, encouragement, and prayer. We believe that engaging with one another in vital Christ-centered relationships brings spiritual growth.
Worship should be deep and wide. We are always trying to strike a balance between the head and the heart in our worship services. We believe that worship should be intellectually engaging with a strong teaching element (our teachings always focus on a biblical text). We also believe that heart knowledge and application of Biblical principles should be the aim of the doctrine we preach. In addition, our services blend both ancient and modern elements. We do not want to be stuck in the past, nor do we want to ignore our rich traditions. We strive to bring the old traditions together with a modern, contemporary service.
God cares about culture. We believe that God is a God of beauty, imagination, and creativity. He created the world and calls us to use our gifts to create things of beauty and imagination in our everyday lives. At Fellowship we see value in supporting the arts and culture in the city of Batesville. We renovated an historic theater because we believe that God is glorified when we make things beautiful. We support the arts through our Gallery Imago and encourage our members to glorify God in the way they engage in their everyday secular work.