The Francis Asbury Society is a ministry with the single focus of Scriptural holiness, also referred to as Christian perfection, entire sanctification, and similar terms. The founding documents state, “The purpose of this society shall be to spread the message of Scriptural holiness to the ends of the earth in accordance with the Great Commission.” Commensurate with this distinct purpose, the Society is critically dependent upon persons for whom this Scriptural focus also resonates; that is, donors, ministry partners, staff, and members of the board of directors.
One such person is the Rev. Dr. Chris Bounds, who serves in a volunteer capacity as chairperson of the board of directors. Dr. Bounds brings to this role a wealth of experience and academic training, along with a personal commitment to Scriptural holiness. In experience, he has served as pastor and continues to serve as a university professor, academic administrator, evangelist, and Bible teacher, as well as on the board of directors of several ministries in addition to FAS. Additionally, Dr. Bounds is a prolific author, having written numerous academic and popular books, chapters, articles, and academic paper presentations. His academic training has prepared him well to serve in theological capacities, with degrees from Asbury University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Drew University.
Dr. Bounds expresses his personal commitment to Scriptural holiness as follows:
“I had not been a Christian for very long when I began to recognize the disparity between my true internal motivations, outward actions and the holiest desires of my heart. While I wanted to love God with all my heart and truly give myself in loving service to others, I knew the frustration of not being able to walk fully in that love. The question arose from my heart: Is there something God could do in my life to liberate the holiest longings of my heart? Is there grace available through the life, death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that could heal the distorted conditions of my life? While as a student at Asbury College and later at Asbury Theological Seminary, I learned with great joy and expectation that there is grace available through the Holy Spirit to do this work. I heard about the work of entire sanctification. I began earnestly to seek the Lord for this work of the Holy Spirit in my life. One night, in the fall semester of my senior year at Asbury Theological Seminary, as I was seeking the Lord for this work in my life, as Dr. Clarence Hunter prayed over me in Hughes Auditorium, the Spirit came and liberated the holiest desires of my heart and set me free from the power and nature of sin. While this experience was not as dramatic as my conversion experience, it has been far more transformative. Since that evening, I have been walking in the victory and power of the Spirit, experiencing greater depths of divine love and growing in Christian maturity. From this experience, I have had my heart oriented in the love of God and neighbor and been enabled to walk in obedience and love.
If you would like to explore further about winning the spiritual war against the flesh, the world, and the devil, Dr. Bounds book, Unholiness, Overcoming the Forces that Attack Your Soul, is available through the FAS bookstore.