Forward Church Atlanta

We want to inspire you to trust God because when you trust God, your heart becomes open to connect to his grace and experience his kindness in your life. We want you to know that God is not mad at you, he loves you!

Forward is a relaxed environment with passionate worship and friendly people. Our practical approach to Christian living emphasizes what Jesus accomplished rather than what we can do for God. We place Jesus above all else. We’re on a journey to experience our true identities under this New Covenant that is made sure in the blood of Jesus. It’s the kindness of God that causes people to change their minds and behaviors, we believe by focusing on God’s kindness many will find wholeness through God’s love.

Grace is a way of life. Grace is more than just doctrine, it’s the environment in which we live. Grace is constant and directly from the throne of God. Grace is divine favor. Grace is God’s influence on our hearts. Because God favors his children he continually influences our hearts. Why our hearts? Because we believe with our hearts and all things are possible for those who believe. Grace is God continually influencing you and empowering you to believe all things are possible. All things are possible because he’s already given you all things that pertain to life and godliness. And because all of his promises are YES toward you.

Grace is a way of life, not just the legal explanation of the new covenant. Praise God for the new covenant but grace is the benefit of being engrafted into God’s family. We live in a kingdom of grace, a place where we stand accepted and approved. From that place God goes before us and guards us from behind. It’s like a favor sandwich and acceptance in God is the meat.

From this place of grace we’re free in Christ. We’re free from so many things. Freedom is best understood not by what we’re free from but what we’re free to be. Many come to understand their new covenant identity and choose to stop going to church, stop giving and stop doing other things which were previously done seeking God’s approval.

Freedom is best understood through the lens of righteousness. Yes, you’re free from performance but until that freedom yields to the power of righteousness unto holiness, freedom can promote laziness. True freedom shapes a heart to glorify God in every way, in every aspect of life. True freedom walks in holiness and represents God well. Not as an effort but as a fruit. True freedom takes responsibility for believing God. True freedom not only walks away from works righteousness but it walks toward continual transformation, until our mind and outer lives match what God has done in our spirit through Christ.

Rmns 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

If your understanding of grace is limited to what you don’t have to do, I encourage you to yield to righteousness and let grace become your teacher.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.