Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs with responses from Jonathan Fawcett, pastor of Immersion Church.

WHAT IS CHURCH?

Church isn’t a building, nor is it a club where membership is earned or paid for. Going to church isn’t a way to God. It gives believers in Jesus Christ an opportunity to recharge for a life of service to God and to others. The church isn’t confined by traditions, rituals, or customs as we may see today. It shouldn’t be treated as an opportunity to rant and rave judgmentally towards the wrongdoings and sin of others. Instead, the church should be a launching pad for serving others boldly in love as Christ served and first loved us. The church is built on the revelation that Jesus is the Christ – the One chosen to save the human race. The good news is that He wants to empower you to help others.

I BELIEVE IN GOD. WHY DO I NEED TO GO TO CHURCH?

You have potential that you may not even realize. Despite what life has thrown at you, where you position yourself can improve your situation, pull you back, or create stagnancy. Believing in God doesn’t mean you are called to go to seminary or pastor a church. It does, however, mean that He has placed a vision in you. Many believe that dropping everything to support the pastor’s vision is true obedience to God. We believe that our vision is fulfilled when your vision is fulfilled. In other words, we want to help you get to the places God has called you. It’s easy to get discouraged and lose heart. When you gather with friends who will agree with you for God’s best in your life, miracles follow.

I DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD. WHY DO I NEED TO GO TO CHURCH?

Our life experiences have shaped who we are. You may or may not have a spiritual background. When I say, “Church,” you probably think of hypocrites (dressed in their finest clothes, smiling through their teeth) meeting on Sunday morning for a time of brainwashing as they listen and believe every word spoken by the man at the altar. Sound terrible. Unfortunately, it isn’t a stretch of the imagination to describe that scene. That is because church has been twisted and warped from its original purpose. It was never intended to be about religious traditions, ceremonies, and sermons. Jesus said, “Traditions of men make the power of God null and void.” Church was intended to encourage others, inspire faith, and pursue Truth. We believe that Truth is Jesus Christ (See next question).

JESUS? HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE!

That has been a popular response. Is it that people don’t like Jesus or could it be that His people have represented Him so poorly? I believe the church has misrepresented God. Context is everything when describing the character of God. Sadly, people have created some of their own Scripture from II Hesitations chapter 6. Let me throw some popular phrases out there:

God is in control or God will use sickness or allow the devil to run amuck to teach us a lesson.
(For an explanation of why these statements are false, see last question.)

Lies! All lies! Those are only two (of many) expressions that have poisoned the minds of millions. It has become accepted because of repetition from the pulpit… or as I like to call, the bullpit (laugh track). Do you look at an apple tree and say, “That’s an orange tree,” or do you call it for what it is? You can judge a tree by its fruit. Was Jesus just a nice man who taught good things? What made Him different? Jesus, Himself, said, “If you don’t believe me for the words that I speak, at least believe me for the miracles that I do.” The Bible records Jesus healing the sick, raising the dead, and confirming what He preached with signs, wonders, and miracles to show that He was the only way to God and eternal life in heaven. If that wasn’t enough, He had the audacity to say that those who believe in Him will do the works that He did and greater.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN SUPERNATURAL HEALING AND MIRACLES?

When is the last time you saw somebody supernaturally healed? Not by doctors and medicine, but beyond the methods of medical practice? I never saw anything like that either until my sophomore year in college. I began hanging out with people that took Jesus at His word. Years later, I can say that I have literally seen many hundreds healed supernaturally. It didn’t just happen at church, but on the streets, in restaurants, at theme parks. I’m not on TV, I’m not asking for your money, and I’m not a special effects technician. Jesus never turned anyone away when they asked for healing. We are the YouTube generation. We have to see it to believe it. People of Jesus’ time needed to see it to believe it too. He is too compassionate to not show you the tangible evidence of His love. It’s His nature. Growing up in a denominational church, I never saw anything like this. Now that I have, can you empathize with me, and imagine the expediency of bringing relief to those who have suffered? If you had the cure to every disease, deadly and mild, known to mankind would you hide it, share it, or sell it? In Christ, we do. It is free and available for every person. For me to not share this gift would be a selfish disservice to the world. Jesus healed all who came to Him. He never turned anyone away (Matthew 4:23-25, Luke 6:19, Acts 10:38). We won’t turn anyone away either.

HOW DOES A PERSON GET TO HEAVEN? ISN’T THERE MORE THAN ONE WAY?

Romans 10:9-10 says: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. If many ways get us to heaven, would that include Jesus? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” If all ways, including Jesus, can get us to heaven, this would mean that we could access heaven through a liar because He said He was the only way. If Jesus is the Truth, then either what He had to say is the most important news that has ever been broadcast for every person with breath in their bodies or He was a fake. After my experience with seeing the name of Jesus bend reality to show His love, I am convinced that He is the only way. His entire life was to demonstrate love towards you, save you from hell, death, and the grave, and give you an abundant life… not just in heaven but right now. So how does a person get to heaven? It isn’t by your works. Nobody can earn or deserve what He paid a price for. Jesus was given over to death and raised to life. He said something when He hung on that cross: It is finished. Your sin, wrongdoings, transgressions, iniquities, bad habits, sickness, disease, infirmities and the accumulation of all of your shame, embarrassment, and burdens have been buried. You can never be too bad or do too much to separate yourself from His love on this earth. On the other hand, you can never be too good or do too much to bring yourself closer. He drew Himself close to you. So what is required of you? Just receive the salvation.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO CONVERT ME?

I don’t want to convert you. I want to disciple you. Jesus commissioned us to make disciples, not converts. Becoming a disciple doesn’t mean we all shave our head, have a secret handshake, dress in robes and pass out literature on the streets. Becoming a disciple means you learn to do what Jesus did and greater. Wouldn’t you want to lay your hands on a sick person, maybe a family member or friend, who is diagnosed with cancer, speak healing over their condition and learn that an untreatable death sentence was healed? It’s only as weird as someone makes it. Are you weird? I didn’t think so. Then don’t be weird. Discipleship isn’t overnight. It takes time. We want to spend time with you. You can see results.

I HAVE HAD BAD EXPERIENCES IN CHURCH. WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?

It’s easy to point fingers and blame churches, church members, pastors and church leaders for our bad experiences. I am guilty and have had plenty of gut-wrenching experiences. No church is perfect but Jesus is. We are opposed to making an idol from any man (this does not mean we don’t enjoy a good American Idol every once and awhile). Too many mimic and copy preachers. Pioneers in church history have contributed to multiplying copycat preachers. This doesn’t mean that their love for people and Jesus isn’t genuine. It just means they just lack the revelation to understand that God isn’t moved by formulas. He is moved only by faith. We want to teach you how to operate in faith with Christ in you. We do this by teaching the Bible from the context of our current standing with God… And our standing with God is great!

IF GOD IS IN CONTROL, WHY DO SO MANY BAD THINGS HAPPEN?

For these topics, I am going to use Scriptural examples to dismantle these proverbial bombs being dropped in churches around the globe. To understand who God is and who we are, we must start with John 1:1-5, 14, Matthew 6:10 and Hebrews 13:8. Jesus is the unchanging Word of God and became flesh to demonstrate the Father’s will and kingdom on earth as it is in heaven so that we could access heaven through Christ and the power of His Spirit. Let’s begin dispelling these rumors.

We hear the phrase, “God is in control.” Then we look around and see chaos, disease, death, violence, human trafficking, corruption and evil on the rise. If God is in control, He is doing a lousy job. Let me offer a wild thought: God is not in control. He created the heavens and the earth. He gave the earth to mankind to have dominion and rule over it, subduing evil and replenishing what is good (Genesis 1:26-31, Psalm 115:16).

There was a time when Israel asked for a king to rule over them. God’s response was, “No. Not yet. It’s not time.” The people persisted, begging for a king. God warned that it would not be good but they insisted. Against God’s will, they were given a king (I Samuel 8). God’s will is not everything that happens and everything that happens is not God’s will. His will is for everyone to come to the knowledge of salvation (I Timothy 2:1-6).

The wrath of God was satisfied for us on the cross. God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus so that we could be reconciled to Father God (I Corinthians 5:20). He has not appointed us for wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9-10). So many believe God uses the devil to teach us a lesson. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8, Matthew 12:22-32).

WHAT NOW?

We invite you to check it out. See if it’s real. If what Jesus taught is true, then it is the most important news planet earth has ever heard. If it isn’t real, then He is crazy, we’re crazy, and there’s nothing to lose. Check out our Facebook page for meeting days and times at www.facebook.com/immersionasu.