Our Story

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">Our Journey</span>

Our Journey

The Story of Christ Fellowship

Christ Fellowship was born from a clear calling. After twelve years of helping plant and serve at Shoreline Church, Brandon and Beth—together with the Elders of Shoreline—sensed God leading them to step out in faith and plant a new church in Knoxville. This was not just another decision; it was the fruit of prayer, discernment, and a deep conviction that more churches are needed where people can encounter Jesus and live as His disciples.

The Kennedys are deeply thankful for the time and opportunity God gave us in His sovereign plan to be at Shoreline. Our arrival there in 2012 had two clear purposes: (1) to learn how to plant and lead a church, and (2) to be sent out to replicate, make disciples, and multiply churches. That is the very calling we have embraced and are now walking toward as we pray and prepare to start a new church in Knoxville.

Yet the story goes back even further. The Lord began laying the foundation and stirring a desire to lead and pastor a congregation from the earliest days of ministry. From serving at First Baptist Sevierville beginning in 2006, through the years at Shoreline, Brandon and Beth can trace God’s steady hand of preparation. Each season shaping them for this moment, until His timing was clear: take a step of faith toward pastoring and planting a new congregation.

Our ValuesOur Beliefs

From Prayer to Planting

Through prayer and discernment, on April 7, 2024, Pastor Brandon Kennedy gathered a core group of families for a Bible study. They came together to pray, seek God’s guidance, and dream of what could be. Those early days were filled with expectancy and hope, but also with the honest uncertainty of a new beginning. The road ahead was not guaranteed to be easy, but one thing was certain: God was with us.  

By August 2024, God’s faithfulness became unmistakably clear. Christ Fellowship entered into a partnership with First Baptist Church of Bluegrass and Pastor Andy Long. Their generosity and Pastor Andy’s Kingdom-minded vision opened the door for Christ Fellowship to have a place to gather. It was a tangible reminder that when God calls, He also provides.  

Looking back, we see these moments as more than milestones—they are markers of God’s provision and direction. Looking ahead, we believe Christ Fellowship is just getting started. What began with a handful of families around a Bible study is becoming a vibrant fellowship of believers, sent out to advance the gospel in Knoxville and beyond.  

We are a fellowship of believers practicing the ways of Jesus to advance the Kingdom of God.

Our Vision

Why Christ Fellowship

The origin of Christ Fellowship is not an original idea or name. Instead, it is a picture of a historical, theological reality deeply rooted in the New Testament that depicts the true nature and beauty of the church. The church was not man’s idea; it was Jesus’ idea. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares,

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Here, Jesus establishes the church as His own, indicating its divine origin and purpose. Paul explains in Ephesians 5:23 that Christ is the head of the church, reminding everyone that the church isn’t the result of entrepreneurial vision or human ingenuity. Instead, Christ is the head of a living organism who leads his new covenant people (Col. 1:18; Eph 3:20-22), providing life and true flourishing in Him (John 15:5), and protecting His people against all odds to fulfill the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 12:27, Paul writes, 

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." 

This imagery of the church as the body of Christ stresses the intimate connection between Christ and his followers, highlighting the unique picture that the church is a ‘fellowship of differents’ and mutual dependence. Viewing the church as Christ's Fellowship underscores its communal nature, where believers are bound together by their shared faith in Christ despite their differences. As a result, this fellowship is a visible manifestation of Christ’s presence as the community of Jesus, who practice His ways where they live, work, play, and eat in the spirit of the Great Commandment to advance the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, we pray that our name, “Christ Fellowship,” will capture and shape our identity, vision, and mission as a church. That Christ Fellowship embodies the truth of the Gospel, the centrality of Christ in the church’s life, and reimagines the fellowship of believers found in Acts 2:42-47. We seek to glorify God by practicing the ways of Jesus to advance the Kingdom of God.

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