Authentic Church Launch

It was the day before our baptism service in February of 2019 and we had three people lined up to take the plunge. But then we got the call late Saturday evening that our beautiful church had been ripped apart by a F4 category tornado. Within the hour church members were on site among the debris salvaging what we could and mourning what was lost. What a great loss it was. Our elders remodeled that old building inch by inch and day by day over a years time. Though the building is gone, we now stand on the shoulders of their legacy as that location becomes another building block upon the deep history of FPC Columbus. 

Pastor Steve Blaylock was determined that the baptisms would go on as planned even though our church building had been destroyed. We would send a message to our city that God moves even in the face of tragedy. So the search was on for a horse trough that could be set up in the parking lot for the baptisms. With an unexpected turn of events, a local church leant us their portable baptistry. This was the first of a seemingly endless string of charity as our community poured resources, volunteers, and prayer into our church body. Twelve people were baptized that day in our parking lot with the wreckage of our church building in the background.  

Throughout all the challenges of being displaced and rebuilding a church during a pandemic we continued to see people saved, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit. It has been nearly three years, but finally the time has come. We want to return the blessing to our community. Our doors will be open on Friday, November 12th, at 6:00 p.m. and we invite everyone to come and see what God has done. 

For years our church motto has been “Loving God and Loving People”. Many a first time guests has dubbed us “The friendliest church.” We are genuine in our faith and in how we strive to live, to pray, and to worship. There is no better word to describe all of this, to describe us, than AUTHENTIC. So we present Authentic Church to our community as the new home of our church family and our rich heritage of ministry. Let's pay homage to our past, celebrate everyone that has been a part of our rebuilding process, and rejoice for the launch of a light house in our city that is built on this beautiful apostolic heritage. 

Authentic Church still wants to send a message to our city. We are here. We are here for the lost, hurting, and broken. We are a family of believers united against the darkness of our day, claiming revival, standing in the gap for the very salvation of you and your family. Come do life with us. Revival is here, and we will never stop fighting for our city!