FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions About Fairview Church of God
How Did Our Church Start?
What Do We Believe About The Bible?
What Do We Believe About God?
What Do We Believe About What Christ Did For Us?
What Do We Believe About The Christian Life?
What Do We Believe About Communion and Baptism?
What Denomination Is Fairview?
What is Our Style Of Worship Service?
What Should I Wear?
How Do I Become A Member?
How Did Our Church Start?
Fairview Church came from a group of people who met for services during an old brush arbor meeting around 1915. The first actual building was constructed on Burney Mountain Rd. on land donated by Mr. Buster Suggs. The name Fairview came from the view from the location. It was said that a member expressed what a fair view from the church’s location. On July 7, 1947 the building was blown off its pillows by a hail storm. The storm left the building leaning to one side, but the members put saw dust on the floors and held their summer revival in the church.
The members made plans to dismantle the old building and move it to a location that was more central to the community. Land was donated by James Hardin on West Lacon Rd. With the help of the community the church was started. The members met in a grove of trees a short distance from where the church was being constructed. The parsonage was built first and used as a meeting place. The first prayer meeting in the parsonage was attended by nine members.
A year later the new church was completed at a cost of approximately $2500. The first service in the new church was held on Feb. 25, 1948 with Rev. Otto Winton as pastor. Then in the spring of 1957 a tornado blew the church off its foundation.
The church was put back on its foundation with a basement. The church continued to be a part of the community and was enlarged in 1987 and 1994. The present 33 acres on Huckaby Bridge Road were purchased from Jim and Dorothy Sharp in 2003. The first service was on October 23, 2005.
What Do We Believe About The Bible?
We believe The Bible Is Our Rule of Faith
The Church of God movement has maintained a sure belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. As noted preacher Raymond Jackson used to say, "I may jump all over the Bible, but I will not jump out of it." We believe the Bible is the foundation for instruction in the Christian faith. Paul said, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).
The Bible is a moving chronicle. It tells the story of Jesus—"the greatest story ever told." It tells of men and women who found life at its highest and also experienced life at its most dreadful depths—persons such as Jonah, Job, Esther, Joseph, Moses, Ruth, and Matthew.
The stories and teachings of the Bible are not to be creedalized. We would not abbreviate the Bible and its teachings into a sixteen-sentence statement or expand it to a five-volume index of faith. We do appreciate short statements that are affirmations by a group or an individual. We can never suggest, however, that those statements adequately summarize the Bible. Nor are such statements wisely used as a basis to determine orthodoxy or membership in the church. Though we are tempted to make the Bible a list, a prescription, or a proposition, we remind ourselves that it is instead the Book of Life that vibrates with the stories of real persons and the living God.
There is probably only one major rule for the use of the Bible: Read it! We honor the Bible by accepting the fact that Christ is Savior and by worshiping him as Lord of life. He is the Living Word to whom the Bible, the written Word, witnesses (John 1:1–18). As Barry L. Callen has written: The Bible is for us equated with the viewpoint of God. Thus for us the Bible must be accepted as a sure guide for the enlightenment of our faith and for the ordering of our steps. When God speaks, all else must fall silent so that we can listen with our lives!"
What Do We Believe About God?
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God
Genesis 1:1,26,27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
What Do We Believe About What Christ Did For Us?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
What Do We Believe About The Christian Life?
For many years, one of our ministers, Charles Weber, challenged people to "live out of the overflow." He spoke of the Spirit-filled life. With similar emphasis, the late Marcus Morgan has stated that for Christians the challenge is to "realize the full influence of His power and presence in our living." John the Baptist proclaimed: I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3.11, NIV
Jesus himself, at the time of his baptism, "saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove" (Mark 1:10, NIV). Several experiences of the baptism of the Holy Spirit are recorded in the New Testament (Acts 2:1–4; 9:17; 10:44–46; 19:1–7). Jesus sustained the promise just before his ascension, saying, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8, NIV).
The events in the New Testament account are sufficient to indicate believers can experience the baptism of the Spirit. We could say one's life is saturated with the Holy Spirit or immersed in the Spirit. The word sanctification is often used to describe the experience of the Spirit-filled life. Whatever the term used, we believe the infilling of the Spirit in the life of the Christian makes a dynamic difference in the individual's receptivity to the Spirit's leadership and the individual's effectiveness as a witness for Christ.
What Do We Believe About Communion and Baptism?
Ordinances are worship and faith disciplines which have specifically been ordained by Jesus in his instructions to his followers. We believe the ordinances are symbolic of something that is happening in the believer as a direct act of God's Spirit. The symbolic act witnesses to an inner reality. These symbols affirm and remind us of what God has done in Christ.
We serve communion the first Sunday of every month. In most Bible churches communion is served regularly but sparingly in order to keep it from becoming an empty ritual.
The Lord's Supper, often called Communion, is an affirmation of oneness in Christ. In the sacramental churches, it is often called the Eucharist ("thanksgiving"), a reference to the thanks offered over the bread and the cup (1 Corinthians 10:16). The Lord's Supper and Communion are both terms used by Paul in his writings (1 Corinthians 11:20; 1 Corinthians 10:16, KJV). Church of God congregations frequently share the elements of the Lord's Supper. Many have Communion on the first Sunday of each month (including World Communion Sunday), on New Year's Eve, and on Maundy Thursday. The bread and the cup are symbolic of the grace experienced in the life of the believer.
Baptism by immersion is a first step for the new believer. The term baptism means to immerse. Immersion of believers is the only form of baptism that is indicated in the New Testament. Through baptism, the new believer witnesses to a new spiritual dimension in his or her life. Baptism is also a witness to the church that the new believer is a part of its fellowship and work and to family and friends that he or she is now an active participant in the Christian community (Mark 1; Matthew 28; Acts 2:38).
What Denomination Is Fairview?
Fairview is affiliated with the Church of God, Anderson Indiana. We make this affiliation for community, accountability, and missionary support. For more information about the Church of God please visit their website at www.chog.org
What is Our Style Of Worship Service?
The best way to describe the worship at Fairview is inclusive. No matter what your taste or style is we will have something for you. We are celebrative in worship and we incorporate many genres from “old” favorites to contemporary worship. In short, we invite you to come sing along and even clap with us as we celebrate the goodness of God.
What Should I Wear?
You might be wondering if we wear suits, jeans, khakis or capris. The answer is yes. First and foremost, come as you are. Just in case you’re wondering how most people will be dressed, it’s pretty broad. Some will wear khakis and a polo or button up shirt, but others will wear shorts and t-shirts. The same goes for the ladies. . . skirts, pants, dresses, shorts. The most important thing is that we look forward to seeing you, not what you’re wearing.
How Do I Become A Member?
We like the way the Church of God identifies its members. No one person decides that another will or will not be admitted to membership in a local group. Neither congregations nor congregational leaders vote on who shall be received as members. The Church of God believes that when one accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, God places that person in the church (Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 12:18). Salvation is the criterion for membership in a congregation of the Church of God. The first preachers and lay workers of this reformation movement sang lustily about that type of membership:
We reach our hands in fellowship
to every blood-washed one,
While love entwines about each heart
in which God's will is done.
We also like what the Church of God says about maintaining membership in the church. One maintains membership by participating in the worship services and fellowship of the congregation. Amazingly, in a culture that seems to thrive on lists and membership statements, the Church of God has effectively carried on an expanding ministry in about ninety countries and established strong congregations that are involved in both person-oriented spiritual ministries and community-oriented social ministries. We like that.
And so, if you go to a Church of God congregation in Detroit, Michigan, or in Jackson, Mississippi, or in Los Angeles, California, and say, "I'd like to join the church," do not be surprised if the pastor or some layperson says something like, "My friend, if you are a Christian, you are already a member of God's church, and that is good enough for us. We invite you to worship with us. We will help you get acquainted and find your place in the life and work of the congregation."
In some of our congregations, we refer to each other as "brothers" and "sisters" in the Lord. Other congregations encourage the use of first names. These are ways of expressing our commitment and love for each other, both as friends and as children of God. We think you will like that.