Serving Avery County with faithful Gospel witness and community outreach for over 200 years.

Services Sundays at 11:00 AM

9132 Linville Falls Hwy, Newland, NC 28657

Pisgah Church is an independent evangelical church located in Linville Falls, North Carolina that is rooted in the Wesleyan tradition. We are biblically based in our doctrine and worship. We are a short distance away from Newland, Linville, Banner Elk, and Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

Pisgah Church traces its roots to the late 1700's. During this period, church services were held outside. According to stories which have been passed down the generations, circuit riding preachers would often deliver their messages atop a sawed off stump. This method of ministry came to be known as “stump preaching.” According to writings left by Mrs. Sallie Wiseman, itinerant preachers would come from afar off. They would often camp while on their journey and then would spend time with the scattered settlers. Once the word of the preacher’s arrival was sufficiently broadcasted, believers would travel for miles and gather at the top of Three Mile Mountain to hear the minister’s sermons.

The first indoor services were conducted in the old Owl Den Schoolhouse, which was located on the western slope of Old Three Mile Road. As late as the early 1900's remnants of the schoolhouse were still visible. It is unknown when settlers began to meet at the Owl Den Schoolhouse. The floors, seats, and doors of the schoolhouse were constructed from split logs. School was in session for three months out of the year and church services were conducted whenever a minister was available.

In 1797 Francis Asbury, the first Bishop of the Methodist Church in America, visited and preached in Avery County. In 1771, at the young age of 22, Asbury was commissioned by John Wesley, Anglican priest and founder of the Methodist Movement, to preach in the American colonies. On December 24th 1784, Asbury was elected and ordained the first superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A year later he would take the title “Bishop.”

Asbury is said to have traveled roughly 5,000 miles a year on horseback preaching the gospel. There were around 300 Methodists in America when Asbury came to the country, but by his death the number had grown to an astonishing 214,235. It is believed that when Asbury visited Avery County, he preached in the vicinity of Pisgah Church’s current location.

Prior to the construction of the current sanctuary, the congregation met in a one roomed framed structure very close to the current site. The land on which the one room sanctuary was built was donated by Mr. John Wise, who gave the congregation the land to build a church and cemetery on. During this period, services were only held three to four months out of the year, due to poor weather and traveling conditions. It was during this period that the church adopted the named “Pisgah,” taken from Mt. Pisgah as mentioned in Scripture. Major portions of the current Pisgah Church building were constructed during the pastorate of Rev. J. L. McGaliard between 1938-1941. On March 4, 1962, the church board with Pastor Bobby Beck made plans to extend the building, adding three more classrooms.

In 2023, Pisgah Church made the difficult decision to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. In October of 2023, Pisgah Church voted to appoint Henry Volk to be their interim pastor. Henry is a graduate of Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College. Although originally from southeast Indiana, Henry has deep ties to Avery County with family roots in the Ingalls community.

The Apostles’ Creed

The Apostles’ Creed, which was derived from the Old Roman Symbol or baptismal creed, has been a guiding confession of faith among Western Christians for over 1800 year. The earliest roots of the Apostles’ Creed can be traced to credal statements in Sacred Scripture, such as the baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 and an early creed preserved by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. The Creed began to take a familiar shape in the 2nd and 3rd centuries in the form of the Rule of Faith, which we find preserved in the writings of different church fathers.

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only (begotten) Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed, as it is commonly confessed today, was adopted at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. Therefore, the creed is also called The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. The council fathers in 381 expanded the creed adopted by the church in 325 at the Council of Nicea. The creed of 325 was adopted in response to the errant teachings of a priest named Arius, who denied the full equality and eternality of the Son with the Father. The First Council of Constantinople convened to address three prominent heresies at that time: 1). The teachings of Arius, which persisted in popularity after the Nicene council. 2). The teachings of a priest named Apollonarius, who denied the full humanity of Jesus. 3). A theological sect centered in Macedonia called the Pneumatomachians (Greek: “Spirit fighters”) who denied the divinity and personhood of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the creed of 381 expanded upon the language relating to the Holy Spirit, confessing His full equality and divinity with the Father and the Son.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The 25 Articles of Religion

The 25 Articles of Religion are an abridgment of the 39 Articles of Religion of the Church of England. John Wesley edited the Articles of Religion to reflect the Arminian theology held by himself and the majority of Methodists. Wesley included the Articles of Religion in the Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America. The 25 Articles were officially adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Christmas Conference of 1784. The Articles of Religion have been influential among a wide variety of Wesleyan groups, including the Holiness and Pentecostal movements.

I. OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY.

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

II. OF THE WORD, OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN.

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures—that is to say, the Godhead and manhood—were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for the actual sins of men.

III. OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.

IV. OF THE HOLY GHOST.

The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

V. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION.

The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. The names of the canonical books are—

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less.

All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

VI. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth, yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.

VII. OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN.

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.

VIII. OF FREE WILL.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

IX. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN.

We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

X. OF GOOD WORKS.

Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, can not put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgments; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.

XI. OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION.

Voluntary works—besides, over, and above God's commandments—which are called works of supererogation, can not be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

XII. OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION.

Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification: after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here; or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

XIII. OF THE CHURCH.

The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

XIV. OF PURGATORY.

The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping, and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the Word of God.

XV. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.

XVI. OF THE SACRAMENTS.

Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.

There are two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be counted for sacraments of the gospel, being such as have partly grown out of the corrupt following of the apostles; and partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.

The sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves condemnation, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. xi. 29.

XVII. OF BAPTISM.

Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church.

XVIII. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of our Lord, can not be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith.

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshiped.

XIX. OF BOTH KINDS.

The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike.

XX. OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS.

The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both

original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is commonly said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit.

XXI. OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS.

The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to vow the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage: therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness.

XXII. OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES.

It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the rites and ceremonies of the Church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the Word of God, and are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.

Every particular Church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.

XXIII. OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The President, the Congress, the General Assemblies, the Governors, and the Councils of State, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States of America, according to the division of power made to them by the Constitution of the United States, and by the Constitutions of their respective States. And the said States are a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.2231

XXIV. OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS.

The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

XXV. OF A CHRISTIAN MAN'S OATH.

As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle, so we judge that the Christian religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.

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9132 Linville Falls Hwy.

Newland, NC 28657

Telephone: (828) 765-9020

Sunday School 10:00AM

Worship Service 11:00

Holy Communion, 1st Sunday of Every Month

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