www.ethoschattanooga.com

At the initiation of our Senior Pastor, Mike Chapman, the leadership of our church (Lead Pastors and Elders) made the decision to launch a brand new worship service in 2007. Ethos is one of four worship services on Sundays –  the 9:15 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. worship service in the Central Auditorium, and Nunation worship in the East Auditorium for middle and high school students at 6:00 P.M. being the other three.

However, Ethos will be somewhat different. It will be our first “multi-venue” service. This means that it will happen simultaneously with the eleven o’clock worship service.

The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to answer some of the frequently asked questions about this service so that you will be fully informed.

WHY DID WE DECIDE TO LAUNCH THIS NEW WORSHIP VENUE?

The leadership of City Church made a commitment a number of years ago that we would not be satisfied simply “doing church.” We feel that Christ’s words compel us to be a group of committed disciples who make a difference in people’s lives and in our community.

One of the core values of our church is relevance. We realize that while the Gospel is changeless, the culture around us is always changing. This means the message cannot change, but the manner in which it is presented must. The example of Jesus and the early church is clear on this. Ethos is not simply “another worship service.” It is a service that is strategic in its mission. It is designed to communicate the uncompromising message of Jesus to the emerging culture around us.

IS ETHOS A YOUTH WORSHIP SERVICE?

Nunation is our service designed for middle and high school students. It is a powerful, life-changing worship service that meets on Sunday evenings. Ethos is not a “youth service.” We are committed to families worshipping together, and for this reason middle school and high school students will attend the service their parents attend.

WHERE WILL ETHOS BE HELD?

Ethos will meet in the auditorium of the Student Center. For practical purposes, we have decided to call this auditorium the EAST AUDITORIUM. The worship center will be called the CENTRAL AUDITORIUM.

WHAT WILL THE SERVICE AT ETHOS BE LIKE?

The worship at Ethos will combine a variety of elements. Most of the music will be contemporary, with lighting and graphic elements. The environment will be casual and informal. The mood will be relational and inviting. The message will be on the same topic that is being preached in the Central Auditorium. Shannon Chapman will be the lead pastor/teacher at Ethos. Periodically, Mike Chapman will preach at Ethos.

Being missional is an important value of Ethos. This means that the service will be “outward focused” and “seeker sensitive.” Our prayer and our expectation is that Ethos will be an effective tool to reach many who are unchurched (those who have little or no Christian connection) or “previously church” (those who used to go to church but who have drifted away).

WILL ETHOS BE LIKE A SEPARATE CHURCH?

No. Ethos is City Church. It is “City Church for an emerging culture.” The Senior Pastor of City Church is Mike Chapman, and this includes all of our ministries and services. The Elders are the spiritual authority. Those worshipping at Ethos will have the opportunity to participate in all the many ministries and serving opportunities of our church. The tithe and offering received at Ethos will support the operating budget of our church.

WILL THE WORHSIP SERVICE IN THE CENTRAL AUDITORIUM CHANGE?

We always evaluate everything we do at City Church in regard to the spiritual formation of believers and the presentation of Jesus Christ to the lost. The worship in the Central Auditorium will continue to be characterized by quality, creativity, and spiritual dynamic.

We understand that some of the City Church family may choose to worship at the Ethos, and we may initially see a slight decrease in numbers in the Central Auditorium. However, it’s the total number of people we are reaching and touching each week that matters. We fully expect to see significant growth in both the East Auditorium and the Central Auditorium as the year progresses.

WHY WAS THE NAME “ETHOS” CHOSEN?

The name wasn’t arbitrarily chosen. A lot of discussion with a number of people went into it. “Ethos” is the central idea of a philosophy. It is the core value of a culture. We want to communicate that there is a central idea to all of life, and it is the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. This is why we chose the name Ethos.