ABOUT RELEVANT

People helping
people reach their
full potential in
Jesus Christ.

Relevant Church is a place where people can find hope, grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, and take their next step toward Jesus.

PLAN YOUR VISIT
Two friends laughing together in a bright indoor space while other people stand in the background.
Two friends laughing together in a bright indoor space while other people stand in the background.
WHO WE ARE

Church isn't
a building.
It's people.

Relevant Church is a place where life change happens. Everything we do is centered on helping people reach their full potential in Jesus Christ.

Whether you're exploring faith for the first time, coming back after years away, or simply looking for a church to call home, you'll find a place where you can belong before you have everything figured out.

We believe everyone has a next step—and we'd love to help you take yours.

REAL PEOPLE REAL LIFE REAL FAITH
WHY WE GATHER

Nobody has
life figured out.

That's why
we gather.

We come together to worship Jesus, grow in faith, encourage one another, and remember that none of us were meant to do life alone.

WHAT SUNDAYS FEEL LIKE

Come as you are.
We'll take it
from there.

Sundays at Relevant are energetic, welcoming, practical, and centered on Jesus. You don't need to know the songs, understand church language, or have everything figured out.

01
WORSHIP
We don't perform. We worship.

Our worship is passionate, modern, and centered on creating space for people to connect with God.

02
TEACHING
The Bible. Clear. Practical. Relevant.

Messages are designed to help you understand Scripture and apply it to the life you're actually living.

03
RELEVANT KIDS
Your kids won't just be watched. They'll be known.

Safe, fun, age-appropriate environments help kids build friendships and discover how much God loves them.

EXPLORE RELEVANT KIDS →
04
COMMUNITY
You can walk in not knowing anyone. You don't have to stay that way.

Church is more than sitting in a room together. It's finding people who know your name, walk with you, and help you grow.

ONE SUNDAY CAN BE A FIRST STEP.
You might
just feel
at home.
OUR VALUES

What we value
shapes everything we do.

R Relentless Sacrifice.

We are spiritual contributors not spiritual consumers. We will always put others above our own agenda.

E Everything Jesus.

We will place our trust in someone, not something because he said he would never leave us or forsake us. His word, the Bible, is our guide to life and godliness.

L Limitless Generosity.

We cannot out-give God.

E Everyone Always.

God did everything short of sin to reach us, so we will do everything short of sin to reach others.

V Visionary Leadership.

We will play hard but work harder, because excellence honors God and inspires people. We will be intentional in our efforts to remain “on mission” in everything we do.

A Authentic Community.

We will peel back the masks because authenticity paves the way for authentic relationships. Relationships are vital because you cannot do life alone.

N Next Step, Best Step.

We believe everybody has a “next step” and reaching your full potential in Jesus Christ relies on taking the next, best step.

T Transformational Environments.

We will embrace our limitations because they inspire our greatest creativity and innovation. In doing so, we create environments; God changes lives.

OUR BELIEFS

What we believe
shapes how we live.

Our beliefs are grounded in Scripture, centered on Jesus, and lived out through the life of the Church.

01 The Scriptures

We believe the entire Bible—Old Testament and New Testament—is the inspired Word of God and that men were moved by the Spirit of God to write the words of Scripture. Therefore, we believe the Bible is without error.

02 God

We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became flesh to reveal God to humanity and to become the Savior of the lost world.

03 Humanity

We believe that all people were created in the image of God to have fellowship with him but turned their back on God through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts.

04 Salvation

We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, God freely offers salvation to those who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for their sin.

05 Christian Life

We believe all Christians should live for Christ and not for themselves. By obedience to the Word of God and daily yielding to the Spirit of God, every believer should mature and be conformed to the image of Christ. Every Christ-follower has Christian duties to honor God and serve others.

06 The Church

We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the head. The Church consists of those who have trusted, by faith, in the finished work of Christ. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by loving him and by making him known to the lost world. The Church has set aside the first day of the week to worship God and serve others.

07 Eternity

We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, and in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe that God will judge all mankind, and everyone will spend eternity in either heaven or hell.

OUR POSITIONS

Where we stand
on key issues.

These positions reflect how Relevant Church understands and applies Scripture in areas that shape life, relationships, identity, and human dignity.

01 Identity

Humankind is created in the image of God, making us the result of his creativity and craftsmanship. From the beginning God created two separate and distinct biological sexes: male and female.

As humans, we are created by God either permanently male or permanently female, in terms of both sex and gender, as Scripture does not permit any difference between biological sex and gender identity or expression. Because humankind has been created by God, any attempt to misconstrue the difference between male and female and/or biological sex and gender identity, is an attempt to self-create and is a result of sin and the fall.

We also acknowledge that there are rare instances where people are born with an indiscriminate biological sex. Yet, these cases do not involve an attempt to self-create nor deny the dignity of how they were born.

Genesis 1:26–27; 5:1; 9:6; Mark 10:6–7; James 3:9
02 Sexuality

Heterosexual intimacy, within the confines of marriage, is the only sexual activity that God approves; everything else is an immoral perversion of God’s creation and is sin.

Whether a person is born with a predisposition toward, or simply chooses to explore alternate forms of sexuality, God’s design is for sexual intimacy to be shared between only one man and one woman, who are married to each other. Biblically speaking, one can either have sex with their spouse of the opposite sex, or can stay single and sexually abstinent.

Sex is designed by God both for procreation and for enjoyment. However, sex not involving only one man and one woman is unnatural and sinful.

Genesis 1:28; 2:24; Proverbs 5:18–19; Song of Solomon 2:16–17; 7:6–10; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, 18–20; 7:3–5; Galatians 5:19–21; Colossians 3:5; Hebrews 13:4
03 Marriage

God has ordained marriage and defined it as a monogamous covenant relationship between one biological man and one biological woman, committed to each other for life, as a new family independent of their families of origin.

For this reason, we only recognize marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. As a result, the staff of Relevant Church will only participate in weddings and the solemnization of marriages between one man and one woman.

Additionally, living together outside of marriage can create confusion around commitment and intimacy, forming patterns that blur boundaries rather than strengthen the covenant foundation God intended for marriage. Therefore, Relevant Church does not support or endorse such arrangements.

Genesis 2:24–25; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:25; 1 Peter 3:7
04 Truth

In order for something to be true, it must not be created by one person; must transcend all cultures; must never change; must not be affected by feelings; must be absolutely based in facts; and must be knowable by all of humanity.

These are the qualities and attributes of the God of the Bible, who ultimately revealed himself (“the” truth) in the person of Jesus Christ, his Son. Truth is not dependent on what is known, felt, or experienced by any particular person.

To speak of “my truth” and “your truth” is more accurately “my opinion” and “your opinion.” While truth can have different interpretations, and people can see truth from different perspectives, there remains only one truth.

Exodus 8:10; Job 38; Psalm 25; John 1:17; 14:6–9; 16:13; Colossians 1:15; Revelation 1:18
05 Right to Life

All human life is intrinsically valuable and sacred at all ages and stages of development, and human life and full personhood begins at fertilization and continues until death.

As stewards of life, we are endowed by God with the responsibility to protect the worth and dignity of human beings from the moment of fertilization until the moment of death.

Therefore, we oppose taking innocent life in all forms, including abortion and euthanasia.

Genesis 1:26–27; Job 31:15; Psalm 22:10; 127:3–5; 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Acts 17:25

Our Leadership

Smiling couple standing outdoors in a wooded backyard

Carl and Julie Nichols

Pastor Carl Nichols is the visionary leader and shepherd of Relevant Church. He and his wife, Julie, grew up not far from Locust Grove and moved here to launch the church in 2010. Under their guidance and unwavering commitment to faith, Relevant Church has grown into a vibrant spiritual community whose impact extends far beyond the church walls. They are not only spiritual leaders but also passionate advocates for justice and compassion. Together with the Relevant Church community, they champion the cause of rescuing and rehabilitating victims of human trafficking.

As Lead Pastor, Carl's primary responsibilities include weekly teaching, leadership development, and providing overall direction for the church. In addition, Carl helps lead the Church Leadership Network, a national leadership development network for pastors and church leaders, as well as a national church planting initiative.

As Executive Director of Culture and Development, Julie works to ensure that Relevant's staff, leadership, and programs align with the church's mission, vision, values, and culture.

Together, Carl and Julie have two sons whom they homeschool. They love traveling and creating memorable experiences as a family. Carl is an avid sports fan, especially of the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Dawgs. Julie enjoys shopping and dreaming big for her family and her church.

NO MATTER WHERE YOU'VE BEEN...

There's a place
for you here.

Whether you're full of faith, full of questions, or somewhere in between, we'd love the opportunity to meet you. Come experience Relevant for yourself.

PLAN YOUR VISIT