“Here's the deal. Guys, if we don't repent of sins, there is no faith. You cannot have faith without repentance. So faith is not simply raising your hand at the end of a sermon, of a good sermon. I mean, that can that can be a good thing. Faith is not filling out a card. Faith is not walking an aisle to the front because a group of friends did it and you just didn't wanna be left out. Faith is produced from repentance.”
“Sometimes we just get the belief part. Like, believe, just believe, just believe. But it's repentance that opens up the gift of faith within us. It's repentance that begins to produce faith in us. Is it possible that you've been coming to church for many, many years, but you've never repented? You've you've you've just held on to your autonomy. You've held on to your opinions in a way where the Lord has no say in that area of your life. And it's time to say, no. I am agreeing with what God says. I'm agreeing with God's path. And what happens is he begins to release faith in your life. And faith is ever increasing, ever developing.”
“But where it can work in a negative way is when we think we're smarter than God. And and we think that what God has revealed and what God has declared is irrelevant or not applicable to me or old fashioned or not up with the times. And so then we begin to form God in our image instead of letting God form us in his image. And that, my friends, we need to repent of.”
What happens during a typical service, and how long does it last?
A typical service includes 3–4 worship songs, a message from Scripture, communion, and prayer. Services last about 65–75 minutes. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/)
What is the worship format, and does it vary by service?
Both Sunday services (9:00 and 10:45 a.m.) are described with the same format: about 65–75 minutes, including 3–4 worship songs, a message from Scripture, communion, and prayer. The church describes its worship as contemporary and also includes weekly communion, liturgical prayers, and recognition of the historic church calendar. The website doesn’t mention any differences between the two services. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/) (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
Can someone attend while exploring Christianity or questioning their beliefs?
Yes. CIL Church welcomes newcomers and says, “we have a place for you,” with a team ready to help you feel at home. You’re welcome to come as you are, and the church invites people who are looking for a church to experience its community. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/) (https://cil.church/blog/)
Is registration required, or can someone simply arrive?
You can simply arrive—registration is not required for a Sunday visit. Services are at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m.; when you arrive, the church invites first-time visitors to stop by the “New Here Start Here” desk. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/)
Where should a first-time visitor park, enter, and check in children?
The website doesn’t specify where visitors should park. The church is at **1004 Drakes Creek Rd, Hendersonville, TN 37075**. Enter through the lobby and stop at the **New Here Start Here** desk; the team can help check in your children through the secure process and show you where to go. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/)
Which service times have children's programs for each age group?
CIL Kids offers Sunday programs for **nursery through 5th grade** at **9:00 and 10:30 a.m.** On Wednesday, **Awana** is for children **ages 3 through 5th grade**, from **6:00 to 7:30 p.m.** (https://cil.church/cil-kids/)
Do children need advance registration, and can visiting families participate?
Advance registration isn’t mentioned as required. Visiting families are welcome, and CIL Kids offers age-appropriate environments for infants through 5th grade. On your first visit, the team can help you with the secure check-in process and show you where to go. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/)
- **The Bible and God:** The 66 books of the Bible are inspired by God and the supreme authority for faith and practice. There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. - **People:** Humanity was created in God’s image, but all people fell into sin and face death apart from faith in Jesus Christ. The church also affirms male and female as distinct, complementary genders; defines marriage as the exclusive union of one man and one woman; and teaches that sexual intimacy belongs within that marriage. It says everyone should be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity, and rejects hateful or harassing behavior. - **Salvation:** Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection are the basis for believers being declared righteous; the Holy Spirit regenerates them. - **Baptism and communion:** Water baptism is a symbolic act of immersion representing new life in Christ. Communion is a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death, and is offered weekly. - **The future:** Jesus will return personally and visibly. CIL believes in the resurrection of the dead and God’s judgment of all people.
How does it practice baptism and communion, and who can participate?
CIL practices **believer’s baptism by immersion**: it is a symbolic act representing new life in Christ, and the church offers baptisms periodically during the year. The stated participants are believers; the website does not specify additional requirements such as age or membership. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
**Communion** is offered every Sunday as a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death. In a sermon, the bread and cup are described as representing Christ’s body and blood, and the church remembers his death, celebrates his resurrection, and proclaims his return. The website and sermon don’t give a specific eligibility rule for communion, so they don’t establish whether participation is limited by membership or another condition. ([01:08:18 from November 09, 2026]) (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
At CIL, women can serve as pastors, co-pastors, elders, and members of the Leadership Board. Examples include Beth Allison as CoPastor, Deborah Jackson as Operations Pastor and elder, Faith Gregory as Children’s Pastor, and Cathy Lackey as an elder. Women also serve on the Leadership Board, including Rachel Bork and Rhonda Gregory. (https://cil.church/staff-and-leadership/)
What are its stated policies concerning LGBTQ people?
CIL Church does not state a policy specifically naming LGBTQ people, but its beliefs say God creates each person male or female; marriage is “one man and one woman”; and sexual intimacy is intended only between a married man and woman. It also says every person must be treated with compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity, and rejects hateful or harassing behavior toward anyone. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
Which recent sermons would help someone understand the teaching?
The recent sermon on **Hebrews 6:1–3, “Spiritual Foundations,”** is the clearest one to start with. We cover repentance and faith, water and Spirit baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection, and judgment—the foundations named in the passage. ([39:59 from November 09, 2026]) ([46:17 from November 09, 2026])
How does the church talk about sin, confession and forgiveness?
CIL talks about sin as a serious human condition: it teaches that humanity fell into sin and is spiritually dead apart from faith in Jesus. It describes salvation as God’s grace, received through faith in Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection make believers righteous. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
In a sermon, we describe repentance as turning from sin and changing our thinking and direction to agree with God, rather than treating faith as a one-time gesture. We model this with a prayer: “Jesus, I repent. I turn to you… You are my standard. You are my truth.” ([46:17 from November 09, 2026]) ([01:07:22 from November 09, 2026])
The sermon connects forgiveness with Christ’s mercy: after the congregation repents, it says, “mercy is over us. Not judgment,” and remembers Jesus’ death and blood in communion. ([01:08:18 from November 09, 2026]) The sources emphasize repentance and receiving God’s grace and mercy; they don’t describe a separate formal confession practice.
We also encourage honest, truth-seeking conversation: we teach that the Holy Spirit is present in small groups, Bible studies, and everyday conversations, where people can encounter truth and grow in understanding. ( [01:02:12 from November 09, 2026]) In those relationships, we call for compassion, kindness, respect, and dignity toward every person. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
The supplied material doesn’t address doubt by name. It does, however, present questions and new information as things to work through with Scripture, while encouraging believers to keep growing in understanding through Bible teaching and conversations in the church community. Pastor Aaron Allison teaches that believers should let God’s Word shape their views and keep seeking deeper understanding, rather than treating their current understanding as the last word. ([01:02:12 from November 09, 2026])
On suffering, the church points to Jesus’ suffering and death, remembered in weekly Communion, and to the hope of his resurrection and return. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/) Pastor Aaron also acknowledges persecution as a real possibility, teaching that God can give grace for such trials. He connects suffering and grief with the hope of resurrection, saying Christians have reason to grieve differently because they look toward eternal life. ([54:08 from November 09, 2026]) ([59:04 from November 09, 2026])
CIL connects faith with work by encouraging people to use their gifts and skills in service to others and the community. It describes service as a way God can use those abilities to “change lives and enrich our community,” and supports local and global partners through outreach and missions. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/) (https://cil.church/community-outreach-missions/)
In a sermon, Pastor Aaron Allison also framed faith as an ongoing way of life: repentance and faith mean learning to see and apply things under Jesus’ lordship, rather than only for personal benefit. He pointed to commissioning people for ministry and missions as examples of setting them apart for the work God has called them to do. ([48:24 from November 09, 2026]) ([56:16 from November 09, 2026])
The sources focus on service and calling rather than giving specific guidance about faith in a secular workplace.
Is an answer based on an official statement or an interpretation of sermons?
The church website is the source for **official statements of belief**; claims drawn from a sermon are **the preacher’s exposition or interpretation**. For example, CIL’s website officially describes water baptism as a symbolic act representing new life in Christ and says the Holy Spirit’s manifestation gifts continue today. (https://cil.church/who-we-are/)
In the sermon, Aaron Allison adds explanations—for instance, that water baptism does not save and that “baptism of the Holy Spirit” may refer to an experience beyond salvation. Those are sermon teachings, rather than wording from the website’s formal statement. ([51:09 from November 09, 2026]) ([52:42 from November 09, 2026])
Are there groups or introductory gatherings open to newcomers?
Yes. CIL offers **2:42 Small Groups** for connection, growth, sharing, and serving, along with women’s and men’s groups and a Young Professionals group for ages 23–34. The group page lets you explore groups and their meeting times. (https://cil.church/know-his-love/)
For a first visit, newcomers can stop at the **“New Here Start Here”** desk in the lobby, where the team can meet you and help you get oriented. (https://cil.church/plan-your-visit/)
