Adult Ministry
Adult Ministry
Adult ministry seeks to provide opportunities for our members and for the community we serve to grow in faith, to find their place of mission, and to build community. Through engagement with Scripture, theological reflection, communal discernment, exploring our variety of gifts, spending time in prayer and meditation, and developing spiritual friendships, we seek to transform ourselves and our communities with the love of God made known to us in Jesus. Contact Amy Stertz for more information.
Sunday Morning Bible Study
We have a variety of Sunday morning Bible study communities for adults, some defined by age or stage of life, while others are intergenerational communities exploring their faith together. Click here for a list of classes.
Men’s Morning Bible Study
Meets Wednesdays at 8:00 a.m. at City Bakery on Charlotte Street. If you need a small group to encourage you along the journey of faith, you are invited to come join with us as we explore scripture, share stories from our lives, and think about how our faith speaks truth to culture.
Spiritual Formation
Spiritual Formation relies on the activity of the Holy Spirit to mold lives into the likeness of Jesus Christ, exploring the connection between faith and everyday life. The Spirit works not only in the lives of individuals but also in the church, shaping it into the Body of Christ. We cooperate with this work of the Spirit through practices that make us more open and responsive to the Spirit’s guidance, disciplines such as in-depth Bible study, theological reflection, Sabbath keeping, spiritual direction, worship, hospitality, developing spiritual friendships, and spending time in prayer and contemplative silence. We also invite people to “come as they are,” recognizing that people are at different places along their spiritual journey, and that we all need to grow in our faith and practice.
Prayer
Spirituality without a prayer life is no spirituality at all, and it will not last beyond the first defeats. Prayer is an opening of the self so that the Word of God can break in and make us new. Prayer unmasks. Prayer converts. Prayer impels. Prayer sustains us on the way. Pray for the grace it will take to continue what you would like to quit. – Joan Chittister
Prayer is a vital part of how we seek God, connect with God, and care for one another. Sometimes we pray silently. Sometimes we pray out loud. Either way, God is listening.
Labyrinth
The labyrinth offers us a way of journeying, inviting us into a sacred and quiet place. It is a place where we can abandon the busyness of life. It invites us into the presence of the Holy and to reflect on our inner being. To walk the labyrinth is to make a pilgrimage to discover something about ourselves and God. The labyrinth is full of mystery and produces different results for everyone. A person simply brings her or his personal thoughts, spiritual needs, or important questions to the journey.
The labyrinth is not a maze. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. It has a single circuitous path that winds its way into the center. The person walking it uses the same path to return from the center and the entrance then becomes the exit. The path is in full view, which allows a person to be quiet and focus internally.
Pilgrimage
We have just developed a Pilgrimage Team to consider future trips to monasteries and other sacred places.
More information will be coming soon.
Recreation & Affinity Groups
Human beings are created by God to be in community with each other. As Christians, we thrive and mature as we live our lives in relationships with other Christians, including those outside our immediate families.
We have a variety of affinity groups at First Baptist Church of Asheville. These include Christian Crafters, hiking, yoga, Zumba, pickup basketball league, and more.
We would love to help you get connected with one or more of them, whether you are interested in church “membership” or not. If you are interested in one of these groups or in beginning a group based on a common interest, please let us know. Contact us at 828.252.4781 for more information.