We are so blessed to have you inquire and learn more

about The Father’s House.

In 1992 Richard and Jolly Coleman came to Chattanooga with a dream in their heart to plant a church. Not just any kind of church, but a church that reaches out to every believer and offers them the best of all worlds, mixing the old with the new, Today, The Father’s House has become a spiritual oasis for many. It is the perfect place for families that have come from a mixed religious background.

What is The Father’s House –  St. Michael’s Church

We are a 21st Century Church that is rooted in the Ancient Faith. We are congregation of Spirit-filled believers that hold to the Ancients Creeds of the Church as our statement of faith. In practice we worship enjoying the three powerful streams of worship, Charismatic, Evangelical, and Sacramental. (Psalms 46:4)
We believe that every individual needs a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. God has called us to be a witness of His Kingdom as we live a life  of His love and victory.  We live this life through three powerful truths that the early church practiced, 1.) empowered by the Holy Spirit, 2.) fed by the power of His word, and3.) strengthened by His sacraments.(Acts 2:42) We have a mandate to take this message of faith, hope and power to our world. (Acts 1:8) You will discover our worship to be exciting and relevant.
Thank you for inquiring about us and we hope that the following terms will you to get better acquainted with who we are and what we are called to do.

A LOVING AND CARING COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS.

One of the most valued distinctions that we have earned over the years is that we are one of the friendliest churches in Chattanooga.  We often hear, “I felt like I came home.”  There is a place for you in the Fathers House. God has called us to live out the Christian life in community and not by ourselves.  We find strength in worshiping, growing, and serving together.

A BRIDGE CHURCH

Our unique blend of worship connects with people from all types of church backgrounds. We honor the sacraments of the church, maintain openness to the Holy Spirit and preach the uncompromising Word of God.  It is truly a blending of “Treasures new and old.”

Our worship team brings you into His presence using some of the great old hymns of the church as well as contemporary praise music.  It is a worship experience taht you will want to be a part of.

A CHURCH THAT TEACHES PRACTICAL LIFE PRINCIPLES

At the Father’s House you won’t be preached at, but given powerful, practical life changing principles.  You will learn valuable lessons from God’s Word that will bring you into victorious living for today’s hard hitting and unforgiving world.

Non-denominational - Transdenominational

We have chosen not to identify with any one particular denomination.  Denominations have a tendency to divide and label people as well as build walls.  We draw on the good and true ideas from all the denominations.  We are simply Christians.  We truly reach out to anyone who desires to serve God.  Many define religion or a church by a world wide or national denomination to which they belong.  Ignatius, one of the early church fathers, describes the church as a local group of believers who worship at His altar and celebrate the Eucharist (Holy Communion) led by their Bishop.  The Father’s House is a place for every believer to call home.

Here are some other terms and descriptions that define our Church:

• Evangelical- We are an outward focused church, believing that a key purpose of the church is to help people find God by introducing them to Jesus Christ.  Our purpose is found in this simple statement, “Touching Heaven, Changing Earth.”  We are called into His presence for worship then sent to our world to make a difference as we touch people’s lives with the message of the Kingdom.
• Self Governed- Our church structure is not hierarchical.  Our governmental structure is by consensus as exampled in Acts 15.  We have a Pastor’s Council and a Parish Council that carry out the work that has been entrusted to them.  The New Testament use of the word elder is presbyteros.  It is where we derive the word Priest.  As scripture clearly states and shows, God has a man set apart to lead.  We do this because, to the best of our understanding, this was the way churches were originally governed and led by Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.  We believe in the priesthood of every believer, meaning that every believer is a minister.  This form of leadership is still the most effective way for a church to have a positive effect upon the local community.
• Inclusive- Are you interested in learning more about Christianity?  If so, you are welcome, whether you are Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist.  Write down five questions you have about Christianity, bring them, and we’ll try to answer them.  Genuinely seeking God is always welcome here.
• Discipling- We believe strongly that the Christian life doesn’t stop with your conversion.  Instead, a Christian learns to become more and more like Christ through the process of discipling, which involves Bible study, prayer, personal mentoring, service, and fellowship.  If you want to grow in your faith, come talk to us.
• Convergent- In the Twentieth Century churches had developed into three main types.  They are the sacramental churches which emphasized Communion and the liturgy, the evangelical churches which emphasized helping people find God, and the Spirit-filled churches that emphasized the gifts of the Holy Spirit.   A convergent church pulls the good and true from each of these streams to become a complete church.  We are a twenty-first century church that is rooted in the ancient faith.
• Church Catholic- We are part of the Church Catholic.  This simply means that we are a part of the universal Body of Christ.  We embrace the traditions of the early church model and creeds.
• Spirit-filled & Spirit led- We prefer this terminology to “charismatic” or “Pentecostal,” since that has a tendency to identify with a particular group.  We are like the early church believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit and trusted in His guidance.  We believe that the Holy Spirit still works in the lives of believers today.  The Holy Spirit with His gifts and fruits was given to the church to empower her to be a witness.  The Holy Spirit is still working in our lives today, He has not changed.  (Hebrews 13:8)  We expect His presence in our midst as we worship.
• Full of Grace- We are called to be like Christ and be Holy even as God is Holy.  However we know that the only way that can be accomplished is by His Grace. (Peter 1:14).  This takes the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
• Bible-centered-  The Bible contains all things necessary for salvation and a Godly, victorious life.  Teaching and studying the Bible is a large part of what we do.  Why?  Because the Bible is filled with Kingdom principles for a successful life.  It teaches us what is required of us to live in a relationship with God.
• Liturgical- Liturgy is the work of th epeople in worship that brings  shape and structure.  This structure is not meant to be a hindrance to the work of the Holy Spirit, but only act like a river bank for the river to flow.  There are many accepted forms of liturgical worship.  We have chosen to accept the Book of Common Prayer as our standard of worship.  We are always open to the Holy Spirit operating in our midst and expect His presence in every service.
• Healing-  In the New Testament the concept of healing is “to make whole.”  We believe that the Holy Spirit is still active and allive in the Church to restore us to our original wholeness.  This includes healing of the body, soul, spirit, attitudes, and the will.  We believe in the laying on of hands and annointing with oil.  “These signs shall follow them that believe.”  (Mark 16:17-18)
• Sacramental-  We are a church that believes in the importance of the Sacraments of the Church in our life.  The two principle sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion.  The word “sacrament” means a divine grace imparted through visible sign and symbols.  Scripture as well as the early church practice demonstrate the value and power of other sacramental actions such as: Holy Matrimony, Anointing with Oil, etc.  The Eucharist (Communion or the Lord’s Supper) is the central part of our worship because, in this Sacrament, we come into the very presence of our risen Lord.  In His presence we find grace to heal our souls and impart life to our lives.
• A Balanced/Spiritual Community-  We are called to touch our 21st century community with the unchanging ancient faith of the Church.  We want our community to know both the love of God and His call for them to believe in Christ for the salvation of their souls.  WE desire that each person learn how to grow into the likeness of our Lord Jesus.  We also want people to experience the whole life found in His Church and a spirituality that balances individual devotion and corporate worship, with service to the community.  Balance is a crucial part of the spiritual life.  It is essential that personal growth in grace, for example, be balanced by service to others as an expression of that reality.  We want each person to know the gifts that God has given them and the many ways that they can make a difference for the Kingdom of God in our community and the world.
• Missionary-  Our founding Pastor, Richard C. Coleman, spent eleven years as a missionary in the Philippines.  There is a call on this church to reach our world.  Over the years we have built up a network that enables us to reach out beyond our doors to the world.  We continue to build that network and interact with other groups that we may work together to fulfill the Great Commission.  We are a dynamic, loving, and disciplined community that is bringing the power of the Kingdom of God into the world.  We would love you to explore the possibilities of how you can become a vital part of reaching the world with us.  Short-term mission projects are an excellent way for you to get some hands-on experience.
• Breaking the Mold-  In Brian McClaren’s book, A Generous Orthodoxy, he talks about a new church “emerging” from the old denominations.  In that sense we are emergent, taking from what is good in every expression of the faith both new and old.  We respect and embrace the great traditions of the Church found in the Creeds (Apostle’s, Nicean, Athanacian), the liturgy, vestments, and the Sacraments.  We also embrace the new, convergence worship, as an open table to all believers, and a spirituality that balances individual devotion and corporate worship, inner spirituality and service to the community, structure and freedom for the Holy Spirit to invade and change us.  We want to be a dynamic, loving, and disciplined community that brings the power of the Kingdom of God into all of our world.

What Do We Believe?

1. The Word of God, both Old and New Testament, contains all things necessary for salvation, Godliness, and doctrine.

2. The Apostle’s Nicene, Creeds of the Early Church are sufficient statements of our belief.

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The four basic statements are:

1. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God, “containing all things necessary for salvation” and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

2. The Apostles’ Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of faith.

3. The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself — Baptism and the Supper of the Lord — ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s words of institution, and the elements ordained by Him.

4. The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.

This definition establishes the essential character of The Father’s House – St. Michael’s Church, and is understood to be the essence of the Apostolic Tradition as we seek to express it as a Communion dedicated to the convergence of Scripture, Spirit, Sacrament and service within the historic context of the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

Accordingly, the core elements of The Father’s House - Saint Michael’s Church are:

1. A restored dedication to the sacraments, especially the Lord’s Table (Holy Eucharist) and Baptism.

2. An identification and connection with the historical church,
particularly the church of the first five centuries.

3. A love for and embrace of the whole church and a desire to see
increased unity and cooperation.

4. The blending of the different practices of the different streams is
evident, yet each church approaches convergence from its own
views and emphases.

5. An interest in a harmonious mixture of structure, sign and symbol, biblical
preaching and Spirit-led worship following the broad shape of historic
Christian worship known as “the shape of the liturgy”.

6. A comprehensive commitment to the Great Commandment (Mark
12:29-31) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

7. An unflinching resolve to recognize and promote the priesthood of all
believers (Ephesians 2:10).

8. A vigorous devotion to train a generation of young people to fulfill
their God-given destiny (Psalm 78:4).

WHAT WE BELIEVE:

1. We are Word Centered. The Word of God is primary in our life and practice and contains all things necessary for doctrine and salvation.

2. We are Spirit Filled. We believe in the current work of the Holy Spirit in our life today. He is a part of our worship and the one who empowers us for service.

3. We are Sacramental. As it was in the early church, sacraments were an integral part of the Christian life and practice. The two principle sacraments that Jesus was involved with are Baptism and The Eucharist (Holy Communion). Scripture and early church history also shows us the value of other sacraments that were a part of early church life.

4. We Hold to Enduring Ancient Faith and Beliefs. The early church creeds; the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds are sufficient statements of Christian belief.

5. We Hold The Church as The Body of Christ. We believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. This is the universal church that was birthed on the Day of Pentecost and still exists today.