About Our Community

About Our Pastors

About Our Pastors

Pastors LaBryant and Phineka Friend are the Lead Pastors of Belong Church ATL. Throughout the years, they have both served in various ministry capacities individually and collectively. It is their foremost desire to express the love of Christ in all of their endeavors and to see people thrive in their predestined potential. 

They are the proud parents of 4 lovely daughters and have shared in marital bliss since 2008.

What started as a step of faith has become a growing community of people finding their place in God and with one another.
And now, the story is still being written—with you as a part of it. 

Belong's Story

Belong's Story

Belong Church launched on Easter 2021 in the middle of a global pandemic. What started online through virtual services and Belong Groups became an in-person community later that year, with weekly gatherings beginning in 2022. Since then, the church has continued to grow into a consistent, life-giving community rooted in faith and connection.

The name Belong was shaped years earlier during Pastor LaBryant’s time at Oral Roberts University—where he experienced, for the first time, what it meant to truly belong. Surrounded by people from different backgrounds, cultures, and stories, all centered on Christ, a vision was formed: a community where anyone could find their place in God and with others.

Today, Belong Church gathers weekly in Austell, GA, as a growing community of people committed to living out one clear vision:

BELONG. BECOME. BELIEVE.

A place where you can belong before you have it all together, become who God created you to be, and strengthen what you believe—surrounded by people who walk with you every step of the way. 

Our Values

God is our priority, not just in what we say, but in how we live. His Presence sets the pace for everything we do personally and as a church.

We are a community built on real relationships, not surface connections. You’ll find people who will walk with you, support you, and grow alongside you every step of the way.  

We don’t wait to give—we lead with it. From our time to our resources, we live open-handed because generosity is how we reflect the heart of God. 

Jesus is our standard in every area of life. We are committed to becoming more like Him—how we love, serve, forgive, and lead.

We believe our city matters deeply to God. Everything we do is with a heart to see lives changed, communities impacted, and Atlanta transformed for His glory. 

Our Beliefs

The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives.

(Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4, 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:16)

God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance, in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.

(1 John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19, 3:16-17; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11)

God is great: He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.

(Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)

Jesus Christ is completely human but, at the same time, completely God. The Holy Spirit in the virgin, Mary, created Him. He is the only plan for bringing people who are far from God, back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life, so that He could be a substitution for us in satisfying God’s demands for perfection. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we could have life.

(Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 28:5-6; Luke 1:27-35; 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1,14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8:1-3; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16)

His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ. Evidence of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, speaking in unknown tongues, gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.

(Genesis 1:2; Psalms 51:11; 139:7 ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:1-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)

The Church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the Gospel to the World. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

(Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)

Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)

Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell into sin. His only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ. Repentance is a commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ. Through repentance we individually receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation.

(Genesis 1:26-31, 3:17; Acts 2:38, 3:19; Romans 5:12-21)

The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift given through the grace of God, and it cannot be earned through our own efforts.

(Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-66, 28:1-6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1, 10:9-10; Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:16, 20; 3:8, 13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:22-28; Revelation 3:20)

Prayer is our ability to communicate with God. Through Jesus’ salvation, we no longer need an intercessor to go between God and us; we can address Him directly. We believe that no monumental thing can be done without prayer preceding it and continuing through it.

(Psalms 145:18; Proverbs 15:29; Matthew 7:11; Luke 18:1; Romans 8:26; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:8)

Baptism is a symbolic act to publicly profess one’s salvation. God commands it, but our salvation is not reliant upon it. We practice full-immersion baptism, symbolizing the process of death and resurrection that Jesus went through for us.

(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38)

Communion (The Lord’s Supper) is a unique time when the elements of bread and juice express, in a spiritual way, the body and blood of Christ. Communion is taken by believers in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

(Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25)

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.

(Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-8; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Jude 7)

The five-fold ministry positions of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are gifts given to each local church and the universal church. These gifts are for the equipping of believers to spread the gospel of Christ. We believe both men and women are sovereignly chosen by God for these ministry positions.

(Ephesians 4:8-13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-30, 14:29-31; Galatians 3:26-29; Philippians 4:3; Romans 16:1-7)

We believe that, as part of Christ’s work of salvation, it is the Father’s will for believers to become whole, healthy, and successful in all areas of life:

‍Spiritual (John 3:3, 11: Romans 10:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
‍Mental & Emotional (Isaiah 26:3; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2)
‍Physical (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24)
‍Financial (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Malachi 3:10)

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish his authority on earth. This will occur at a time undisclosed by scripture. So, we live everyday in expectation of Christ’s return.

(Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64: Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)

Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.

(Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34, 41; Mark 9:43-48; John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27, 11:16; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8)