View from East Tennessee

Who Am I? A Mere, Word and Power Christian.

November 1st, 2004 at 12:15 pm (Christianity)

First and foremost, I’m a Christian. More of a Mere Christianity Christian than anything else. Dogmatic on the fundamentals, but sort of laissez-faire on the minutiae that tend to erect denominational walls.

When we lived in Knoxville, Tennessee, we were members of Two Rivers Church, which was a church plant out of Fellowship Church, also in Knoxville. Fellowship was founded by Doug Banister, who, while he was there, wrote The Word and Power Church. This book described Doug’s vision of two rivers — one the evangelical tradition, and the other the charismatic tradition — flowing back into a single mighty torrent of knowledge of, and relationship with, God, as they were meant to be. Two Rivers Church was birthed out of this vision. It is full of great, Godly people, from Pastor Brad Brinson on down, and we miss them terribly.

But we are excited about becoming members of Celebration Church in Blountville, Tennessee. Celebration does not use water metaphors to describe it, but it appears to have the same basic vision. It describes itself as an “interdenominational,” as opposed to “nondenominational,” church. The distinction is one of emphasis, and it’s subtle, but important: it’s not that it doesn’t affiliate with any particular denomination, but that it welcomes all denominations. Again, assuming the fundamentals are in order. And like Pastor Brad at Two Rivers, Celebration’s senior pastor Craig Fry keeps the church anchored while at the same time constantly reminds and encourages the congregation to resist the tendency of Christians to become sour, dispassionate curmudgeons and instead, celebrate the good news of Christ.