Tucked into the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a city shaped not only by art and innovation, but by something deeper — faith. Long before it was a destination for creatives and seekers, this land was home to people who gathered in quiet sanctuaries, open fields, and mountain clearings to pray, worship, and hold onto hope.
Faith has always been a part of this place. You can still feel it in the steeples dotting the skyline, in the sacred hush of the woods, in the hymns that echo from old churches, and in the hands that serve one another quietly — no fanfare, just love.
A History of Faith — Global to Local
From the earliest days of humanity, people have looked up — for meaning, for connection, for hope. Across time and culture, faith has been both a guide and a grounding force. In biblical times, it shaped nations. In the founding of the United States, it stirred movements for both justice and freedom. And here in Western North Carolina, it helped shape the early roots of community life — through churches, missions, hospitals, and schools.
But faith is not without complexity. It has built bridges, and sadly, it has been misused to build walls. Even in Asheville’s past, faith has both lifted and limited — depending on whose hands held it. Some used it to heal. Others, to control. But through it all, one thing has always endured: love.
What It Means to Have Faith (Beyond Religion)
Faith is not just about doctrines or denominations. It’s deeper than religion. Faith is choosing to believe that good can grow in hard soil. It’s trusting in something greater, even when the path isn’t clear.
To have faith is to live with hope. To give grace. To plant seeds of kindness whether or not we ever see the harvest.
And most of all — it’s to love your neighbor.
This is the kind of faith that transcends differences. That welcomes, serves, uplifts. That isn’t about who’s in or out, right or wrong — but about what is good, true, and beautiful in each of us.
As the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22–23:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
These are the markers of true faith — not loud arguments, but quiet strength. Not judgment, but mercy. Not fear, but freedom.
What Love Really Is
Real love isn’t easy. It isn’t always soft. But it is always true.
From 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, we’re reminded:
*“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Asheville, we are at a crossroads — not just of culture, politics, or progress, but of the heart. In a time when it’s easy to divide, label, or dismiss, we have the chance to choose something better. Let us choose love over hate, peace over conflict, community over chaos. Whether rooted in faith or simply in shared humanity, the invitation is the same: to build up, not tear down. When we come together — across beliefs, backgrounds, and stories — this city grows stronger, deeper, more beautiful. Asheville thrives when we love as one. Let’s keep planting seeds of hope, kindness, and unity — and watch what grows.
