Five Stones Church

DNA

Five Stones Church exists to see people set free, transformed, and fully alive, through the power of Jesus Christ.

A man with a beard standing on stage in front of a large screen with his name, Tom Watson, and his title, Lead Pastor. He is wearing a gray jacket over a white shirt and appears to be speaking or preparing to speak.

Pastor Tom Watson

For over 15 years, Tom and Debra dedicated their lives serving at Daystar Church
in North Alabama in whatever capacity they could. In 2019 God began to stir
something in their hearts. It was a dream to someday start a life-giving church. 
Their prayer was simple. “Where do you want us, Lord?” What do you want to do?
Following a period of prayer and fasting, Tom and Debra felt that God was preparing them for the journey of starting a life-giving church. 

They traveled across the state of Alabama waiting for God to show them the place, visiting all 67 counties! But not one town pulled at their heart. Then came Chattanooga.  In early January 2020, on a marriage vision retreat, Tom and Debra stood on the Walnut Street bridge overlooking the Tennesee River. It was at that moment they knew. God was calling them home.

This leads us to this moment of Five Stones Church. Thousands of years ago a shepherd boy defied the odds and faced down a giant oppressing God’s people. Using an unorthodox method he pulled five stones from a riverbed and with God’s help he took down the giant and set the people free.  Today giants like hopelessness, poverty, and despair can feel like they are holding people down. It can seem as though it’s impossible to break free to realize that with God all things are possible and even those who are far from Him can be set free! We want to help everyone discover what it’s like to become fully alive and living out the God-given purpose for their life the way He designed it to be.

Meet our Lead Pastor

Our Values

A red rectangle with a maroon circle in the top left corner containing the number 1. Inside the rectangle, white cursive text reads, "We take down Gants."
A quote on a red background with a brown circle in the top left corner containing the number 2. The quote says, 'We do life together' in white, cursive font.
A red rectangular background with white italicized text stating "We do church like a party" and a maroon circle with the number 3 on the top left corner.
A quote that says, "We exist for those who aren't here yet," on a red background with a large number 7 in a circle at the top left.
A quote on a red background that reads, "We are irrationally generous." with a number 6 in an orange circle in the top left corner.
A quote card with a maroon background and a red-orange circle in the top left corner containing the number 4. The quote on the card reads, "We honor up, down, and all around." in white, stylized text.
A quote card with a red background displaying the quote "We always bring our best" in white cursive text, encased in quotation marks, with a dark red circle in the top left corner containing the number 5.

They are not just what we do, they are part of our DNA.

Our Beliefs

  • The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).

  • There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).

  • Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5).

  • Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary's womb; therefore, He is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35).

  • Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).

  • For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (John 6:44, 65; Matthew 19:28; Titus 3:5).

  • We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).

  • Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9).

  • Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ's character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life (I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).

  • The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).

  • Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20).

  • Given at Pentecost, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).

  • The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible’s lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; I Peter 4:10).

  • The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' Great Commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23).

  • Water Baptism: Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).

    The Lord's Supper: A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).

    Marriage: We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God (Matthew 19:4-6).

  • Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit. (Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; I Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29).

  • It is the Father's will for believers to become whole, healthy and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall, many may not receive the full benefits of God’s will while on Earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ’s provision in order to better serve others.

    • Spiritual

      (John 3:3-11; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10)

    • Mental and Emotional

      (II Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).

    • Physical

      (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; I Peter 2:24).

    • Financial

      (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).

  • Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).

  • Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; II Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; I Peter 1:4).

  • After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).

  • Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)

Where is Five Stones?

Three women smiling and talking together in an indoor setting, with one holding a red booklet or tablet. They are casually dressed, wearing caps and accessories. The background shows a bulletin board and some wall lights.
A blank white page with faint gray gridlines.

Chattanooga

7660 Goodwin Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Sunday Services
9:30 & 11AM

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Online

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Sunday LiveStream
YouTube & Facebook - 9:30AM
fivestonesfamily.com/online - 9:30AM

Services
YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts - Monday 8AM