We exist to help people follow Jesus
Our story
Ridge Church began in the spring of 2009 when 13 people from around the east Tennessee area began to pray and ask the Lord where He was working and how they could join in. Through the process of prayer and many conversations, Ridge Church was planted in Oak Ridge Tennessee, officially launching in April of 2009 in a hotel ballroom.
Since those early days, God has grown the Ridge exponentially, helping others follow Jesus in Anderson County and beyond through gospel-centered teaching, church planting, worship and a heart to impact communities. Ridge Church is seeking to multiply disciples all throughout the east Tennessee region with a mission to see a Ridge Church family church in 12 strategic communities in East Tennessee by 2030. "For our good and His glory."
our Vision
Ridge Church exists to help people follow Jesus by helping them become fully engaged disciples of Jesus. The Ridge is a church where "it's ok to not be ok." Instead of being a place you have to hide behind a mask, we are a place where you can be yourself and bring your questions, doubts and issues. We believe that no one is exempt from the love Christ. His grace, mercy and love are for us all, the saint and sinner alike. Come and see for yourself.
sunday services
Sunday gatherings at the Ridge are casual, relaxed and modern. The music is exciting, and engaging. When we say come as you are, we really mean, to come just as you are. We want you to feel like you've come home.
for the kids
At Ridge Church we give you the option of worshiping together with your family or your kids (infants through 5th grade) can attend Ridge Kids. Ridge Kids is a safe, fun, relevant experience for your children where they will leave with a smile on their face and knowing more about Jesus. This isn't baby sitting. We really believe your kids will love Ridge Kids.
message & music
The teaching at the Ridge is authentic, applicable, bible centric and is given each week by one of our pastors. The music is engaging, energetic and relevant. Whether you have grown up going to church your whole life or seldom attended a church, you’ll be able to get something from the worship service at Ridge Church.
Discipleship pathway
The journey of discipleship is not always a straight line. Sometimes it feels more like a chaotic scribble on a scratch pad. When it comes to following Jesus, it's not one-size-fits-all. Our discipleship pathway exists to help you find your place at the Ridge. There is no speed at which you need to move, as everyone grows at different speeds. Welcome home.
KNOW is our fist step in our discipleship pathway and the place where we encourage everyone to begin life at Ridge Church. Our desire is for you to know Jesus, to follow him and do life with him.
Sunday Gatherings: This is the first step along the pathway and that is to gather together with the church family. It's where we learn scripture, worship together, pray for one another and learn how to follow Jesus together.
Basecamp (coming soon): In this step, you will learn the basics about Ridge Church; our story, what we believe, how and why we do the things we do and how to be more part of life at Ridge Church. This happens via video and takes less than an hour to complete.
In the GROW step, you start to do life together with others at Ridge Church. Growing is how we learn to follow Jesus and grow in our faith. Spiritual growth is best in the context of community with others, and so in this step, you begin to do more life with others at the Ridge.
Baptism: If you are a follower of Jesus and have yet to enter the waters of baptism, we encourage you to take that step. In baptism, you will experience new identity, new family, and the new mission that we have in Jesus. Baptisms can take place any Sunday you choose at Ridge Church, but we also do them at specific times of the year, such as Easter Sunday.
Community Groups: Groups are the way we gather during the week to be the people of Jesus in our communities. We eat together, pray for one another, and share life together. It is in these ordinary rhythms of life that we become more like Jesus. We have groups for women, men, couples, students and even elementary students. Life as a Christ follower is lived best in the form of community with others. We truly are better together.
Discipleship Courses: Throughout the year, we offer different courses & seminars on various topics ranging from spiritual formation, spiritual disciplines and other life specific topics.
Practicing The Way: Each year, throughout the year, we teach through several spiritual disciplines where we learn more in-depth how to be with Jesus, become more like Jesus and do what Jesus did. These teachings happen in the context of our weekly gathering at various times of the year.
In the GO step of the discipleship pathway, you begin to live out the ways of Jesus where you live, work and play as you follow Jesus.
Serve: As the people of Jesus, we believe we are called to serve one another and serve our community. Through sacrificial love to others we are actively participating in the Kingdom of God. There are many ways and places to serve others at Ridge Church.
Neighborhood Mission: Through one of our many partners in the city, you can serve others. You can mentor children, coach a local team, volunteer time at one our of schools, serve single, new and newly expectant parents or a host of other activities through one of our neighborhood partners.
Go Global: Through a partnering mission agency, you can go on one of our yearly mission trips to one of several countries to help serve in a variety of capacities.
Our Beliefs
In short, we believe...We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the local church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
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The Holy Spirit inspired human authors to write the books of the Bible. God Himself chose every word of Scripture. The Bible is God’s love letter to all of humanity and is the final authority in every issue it communicates. It is complete Truth, and we can trust it for all matters in this life and eternity.
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Jesus Christ is God’s Son and an equal of the Father. He has existed from the beginning of time, yet lived on earth during the first century A.D. Throughout His earthly life, He was completely God and completely human at the same time. After living a perfect, sinless life, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for every human being who has ever lived by dying on a Roman cross. After three days in the grave, He defeated sin and death by rising from the grave. He then ascended to Heaven and will return to earth one day to reign as King.
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Our disobedient nature has eternally separated us from our Creator. No matter how hard we try, we can never earn our way back into God’s presence. Our only hope is to trust Jesus as God’s provision for our disobedience. When you make that decision, you step into the eternal and abundant life Jesus promises for all believers.
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Scripture teaches that God created everything we can see (and even everything we can’t see) out of nothing. Although it might be difficult for the human mind to comprehend, the Bible teaches that He is one, yet has existed since the beginning of time as three distinct and equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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The Bible tells us that the church is the body of Christ in the world today. The New Testament tells us the church is a local body of baptized believers. The head of the church is Jesus Christ. The biblical purposes of the church are worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship and ministry to others.
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God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, the dead will be raised and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.
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The Holy Spirit is a full and equal part of the Trinity. He works in the world to make all people understand their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus from the moment they decide to follow Him. The Spirit is our power source for life, ministry and spiritual growth. To tap into that power, we must continually yield to the Holy Spirit.
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God made you to exist forever. Heaven is a perfect place, and since none of us are perfect on our own, we are all headed for an eternity of separation from God. That’s why God sent Jesus: to pay the price for our sins so that we can spend eternity with Him. What you decide about Jesus Christ in this life will determine where you will spend eternity. If you reject Him, you’ll be eternally separated from God in Hell. If you accept Him, you’ll spend it eternally connected with Him in Heaven.
What does the Ridge believe?
Listen and watch as we walk through 8 weeks in a teaching series called Belief: What we Believe talking through the 8 convictions and we beliefs we hold as a church as we seek to be a spiritually healthy church for our community.
core values
Our core values are meant to be both corporate and personal. Corporate for us as a body as believers, and personal for us as the individual believer, living out our faith in the day to day.
Our desire for each individual that attends Ridge Church and our church as a whole, is to love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. We reinforce this value through the delivery of the Word in various settings throughout the church and through personal bible engagement.
We desire for each individual at Ridge Church and our church as a whole, to see their lives as a "living sacrifice" to be poured out as a drink offering in sharing all they have been given by God. This includes our time, talents and resources. Living generously is a mark of a believer who is maturing and being discipled.
Our desire for each individual at Ridge Church and our church as a whole, is to make an impact in their communities where they live, work and play as we seek to deploy the church.
our lead pastor
Bobby is the founding and lead pastor of Ridge Church. Born and raised in nearby Clinton Tennessee, Bobby grew up in the east Tennessee area, serving in various churches with a continuing and growing love for the people of small towns in rural areas. In 2008, God gave Bobby and his wife Denira, the vision to plant a multiplying church in in Oak Ridge Tennessee.
In 2009, with the a core team of 11 others, Ridge Church was launched.
Over the years, Bobby has coached church planters and pastors from around the world with the Ignite Network to lead multiplying churches while also helping lead various aspects of the Ignite Network. Over the years, Bobby has spoken at conferences such as Exponential and regularly writes for Church Fuel and Ignite Discipleship.
He and his wife Denira have been married over 17 years and have two children, Isaiah and Emersyn.
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