CHURCH HISTORY
Pastor Beard moved to Nashville, TN, in December 1990 and began a Bible study in his small condominium. He invited a few friends over, luring them with delectable meals of Cajun cuisine and afterward captivating discussions about God. In a short period of time, the Bible study grew rapidly. He discovered that so many just wanted to learn the Bible without the trappings of “church as usual.” From that very humble beginning he moved to a local church that was gracious enough to share space with him. The Living Word Community Church was birthed November 1994 under Bishop Ralph Houston with three members.
After meeting at a church for a year followed by another year at a local high school, Living Word Community Church purchased a 10,000 square-foot tin building. It was there the congregation experienced phenomenal growth. In four years, Living Word Community Church grew from about 80 members to about 600. Years later, the church relocated to 409 Franklin Road in the heart of beautiful Brentwood, TN. This 100,000 square-feet facility housed 47 classrooms, a commercial kitchen and full gymnasium and about 1400 members and growing.
Awaiting the move to their final church home in Antioch, TN, in February 2006 the church moved the worship services and administrative offices to 5253 Granny White Pike in Nashville.
MISSION STATEMENT
Living Word Community Church encourages its members to share the love of Christ with the Nashville and surrounding communities through volunteerism, evangelism, and ministry. As a ministry, we actively participate in blood and bone marrow drives in and around the city as well as in any activity that strengthens the Body of Christ. In addition to the local community support, financial and volunteer assistance is provided for missionary endeavors within the United States and in other countries. Regardless of our special interests, spiritual gifts and talents, there is a place for our members to advance the Kingdom of God.
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12
OUR BELIEFS
LIVING WORD COMMUNITY CHURCH
Doctrine / STATEMENT OF FAITH!
WE BELIEVE…
In the one and only true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfection to Him we owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. The Eternal God reveals Himself in the form of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.
WE BELIEVE…
Man was created by the special act of God, in His image, and that he is the crown of creation. In the beginning, man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God (through Adam) and brought sin into the human race. Because of this, man is spiritually depraved and alienated from God, passing on to his posterity a nature and proclivity toward sinfulness and therefore condemnation that can only be reconciled and redeemed by Christ through His blood.
WE BELIEVE…
In the absolute inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, that they were given by God without contradiction or error to men who were inspired by God to convey them. The Bible has God as its author, salvation for its end, truth without any mixture of error for its matter and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and Christian opinions should be tried. We also believe, that the Church as we know it here on earth has no authority to establish any doctrine or practice that is not consistent with these Holy Scriptures.
WE BELIEVE…
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the Believer. In its broadest sense, salvation includes: redemption and faith, regeneration, sanctification and glorification.
WE BELIEVE…
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers who conform to the image of Christ, is given by God to anoint the believer for sanctification and evangelism and that the holy charisms of the Holy Spirit are active in the Body of Christ today and will be until the coming of Lord.
WE BELIEVE…
In the Holy Christian Church, though imperfectly represented on earth by various institutions. Her unity is spiritual, her culture diverse and traditional, and her mission eternal. We also believe the identity of the Body of Christ on earth is primarily perceived through the local Church which is sovereign and autonomous.
WE BELIEVE…
In the scriptural calling of the five-fold Ministry; Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, that they are functional within the Body of Christ, and that they are gifts to the Church for the equipping of the Saints for the work of the ministry that the Body of Christ be edified.
WE BELIEVE…
All who profess Christ will be buried in the waters of Baptism as a result and sign of their confession of salvation. Christian Baptism is the immersion of a Believer in water, given by the authority of Jesus Christ, being done so in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience to the Word of God (however, Baptism is not salvation), symbolizing the Believers death to sin, the burial of the old life and the resurrection to walk in the newness of life through Jesus Christ. Baptism is also a prerequisite to participation in the Lord’s Supper, which is also an act of obedience to the Word of God. Through the taking of the bread and fruit of the vine, Members of the Church memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
WE BELIEVE…
In the priesthood of the Believer, all born-again Believers have equal access and stature to God their Lord. We believe in the spiritual unity of all who are born of God, confess Him with all who believe and accept Him according to His Word, even if we do not share in their ritualistic beliefs, practices and doctrines. We desire to share fellowship and Christian love with all born-again Saints of God.
WE BELIEVE…
It is the duty of every follower of Christ and of every Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make “disciples of all Nations”. Also, that it is the duty of every Child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with the Gospel of Christ.
WE BELIEVE…
All who are called by the name of Christ should depart from iniquity, improper deportment and even the appearance of evil in any form.
WE BELIEVE…
God is the source of all of our blessings, temporal and spiritual, all that we have and all that we are we owe to Him. We have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the Gospel, and a binding stewardship in our possessions.
WE BELIEVE…
In the literal second coming of Christ, the literal rule of Christ on earth, the resurrection of the regenerate to eternal life and the unregenerate to eternal damnation, and the ultimate victory of the eternal Kingdom of God.
OUR VISION
To proclaim to a dying world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of all!
To show forth the love of Christ by winning the lost, pursuing the un-churched, redeeming the backslider and empowering the “in name only” Christian – for service to God and the Body of Christ.
To be a community church that will bridge the gap between all races, rival denominations, and churches, while becoming a catalyst for the unification of the Body of Christ.
To really reach out to our Youth and teach them “God’s Plan of Salvation” in language that they understand and accept, in ministry that is sensitive to their needs, wants and desires, and challenging to their way of life. To make it meaningful, relevant, and clear.
To be a center of Christian education of unsurpassed quality, truth, and holiness, while demonstrating the relevancy of our Christian faith through contemporary, creative and credible expressions of that faith.
To reach out to our fellow man by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, educating the ignorant and housing the homeless.