MISSION, VALUES, & BELIEFS
MISSION
Living the Gospel of Christ for the redemption and restoration of our community.
VALUES
Prayerful: Cultivating a life of prayer that fosters hopeful expectation of God’s will to be done now in our lives and in the city as it is in heaven.
Communal: Building a transparent community of discipleship that deepens our dependence on Christ and each other.
Faithful: Teaching Biblical truth in an accessible, approachable, applicable, and faithful way that shapes every aspect of our lives toward Gospel action.
Joyful: Celebrating and worshiping our Redeemer in a way that encourages each other to continually grow in faith, hope, and love.
Missional: Equipping and empowering the redeemed to live and speak the gospel truth in love and grace for the glory of God and the restoration of our community.
Compassionate: Embodying Christlike humility and boldness that produces a merciful, tender, and gracious posture toward all people for their restoration.
BELIEFS
We recognize that the Holy Word of God has been so clear in certain matters that we hold these truths to be essential to the Christian faith. In these matters, we strive for unity and clarity. We believe that one who desires to be a member of the church must hold to these biblical positions.
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Bible (The Holy Scriptures), containing the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, are God’s gracious self-revealing of Himself to His people. We believe all of Scripture has God as its final author, is without error, and is true in all that it contains and teaches. The Bible is the sole authority of the church and all who follow Jesus Christ, and is the only sufficient means to know God and His good-news (gospel).
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References | 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 16:12-13; 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21 Proverbs 30:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Isaiah 40:8; Romans 1:19-21, 2:14–15; Psalm 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Peter 1:20–21; John 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; Matthew 22:29, 31, 32; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 28:23
GOD
We believe in the One true and living God revealed in Scripture, who is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal being–the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present. He is eternal, incomprehensible, most holy, most wise. To God we owe the highest forms of love, devotion, reverence, and obedience.
References | Corinthians 8:4,6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12; Exodus 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15–16; Malachi 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23; Psalm 90:2; Genesis 17:1; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36; Exodus 34:6–7; Hebrews 11:6; Nehemiah 9:32–33; Psalms 5:5–6; Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2–3
THE TRINITY
We believe God has revealed Himself in Scripture to exist eternaly in One Being and three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The persons of the Father, Son, and Spirit are One, coequal and coeternal. None of the persons in the Trinity are before or after, none are greater or lesser. This doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion and fellowship with God.
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References | Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; I Corinthians 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Galatians 4:6
God the Father
We believe in God the Father, who reigns with providential care over his universe, his creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purpose of his grace. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in attitude toward all humanity.
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References | Genesis 1:1; 2:7, Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11; 20:1, Leviticus 22:2, Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6, 1 Chronicles 29:10, Psalm 19:1-3, Isaiah 43:3, 15; 64:8, Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13, Matthew 6:9; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19, Mark 1:9-11, John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8, Acts 1:7, Romans 8:14-15, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 4:6, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 11:6; 12:9, 1 Peter 1:17, 1 John 5:7
God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God. The Son took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, existing as both God and Man fully. He was conceived of the mysterious and miraculous work of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfect life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he died and was buried. On the third day he arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe that by his taking on flesh, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ acted as our representative and substitute. He did this so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. On the cross, he canceled sin, appeased the wrath of God, and, by paying the full penalty of our sins and making atonement for us as our perfect substitute on the cross, reconciled to God all those who believe. By his resurrection Christ Jesus was vindicated by his Father, broke the power of death and defeated Satan who once had power over it, and brought everlasting life to all his people; by his ascension he has been forever exalted as Lord and has prepared a place for us to be with him. We believe that salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.
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References | Genesis 18:1, Psalms 2:7; 110:1, Isaiah 7:14, 53, Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:37; 14:33; 16:16, 27; 17:5, 27; 28:1-6, 19, Mark 1:1; 3:11, Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46, John 1:1-18, 29; 10:30, 38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16, 28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20, 28, Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5:20, Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3, 34; 10:4, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8, 24-28, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9, Galatians 4:4-5, Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16, Titus 2:13-14, Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15, 24-28; 12:2; 3:8, 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22, 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9, 2 John 7-9, Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16
God the Holy Spirit
We believe in The Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son. He inspired men of old to write the Holy Scriptures. Through illumination, he enables people to understand the truth of the Gospel. He exalts Christ Jesus. He calls people to the Savior and effects the regeneration of their hearts. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through his church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
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References | Genesis 1:2, Judges 14:6, Job 26:13, Psalms 51:11; 139:7 ,Isaiah 61:1-3, Joel 2:28-32, Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19, Mark 1:10, 12, Luke 1:35; 4:1, 18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49, John 4:24; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14, Acts 1:8; 2:1-4, 38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17, 39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6, Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27, 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11, 13, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1, 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16, Hebrews 9:8, 14, 2 Peter 1:21, 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7, Revelation 1:10; 22:17
HUMANITY
We believe humanity is uniquely created in the image of God, applying to both male and female persons and stretching across all racial and socioeconomic demarcations. Every person is worthy of dignity, respect, and love.
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​​References | Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 3:6; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 2:14–15
The Fall
We believe through the temptation of Satan, our first parents, Adam and Eve, transgressed God’s command and fell from sacred fellowship with God. Therefore, the guilt of their sin and their corrupted nature was passed to all humanity. All humanity, therefore, inherited a sin-stricken nature, with all its guilt and a sin-filled environment. Although sin distorts the image of God in all persons, it does not destroy the image of God in any person.
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References | Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:10-18; 3:22-23; 5:12; Ephesians 1-3,12; Titus 1:5; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 1:10
God's Plan of Redemption
We believe that mankind was created in the image of God. Man rebelled against His Creator, and fell into sin. As a result, man became spiritually dead, totally unwilling and indeed incapable of seeking after God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died in the place of His people, providing full and complete forgiveness of their sins by His death upon the cross of Calvary. No other work can provide for forgiveness of sins, and no addition can be made to the completed and finished work of Christ.
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References | Romans 3:10-23,10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 15:3-4; 15:19; Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 1:20
Salvation
We believe that God, in His grace and mercy, regenerates sinful people by the power of the Holy Spirit, bringing them to new life. God grants to them the gifts of faith and repentance, which they then exercise by believing in Christ and turning from their sins in love for God. As a result of this faith (belief in the life and work of Jesus Christ, based upon the perfect substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ), God justifies and grants Jesus’ righteousness to the one who believes. God’s gift of faith and the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of His people will result in good works. These good works flow from true, saving faith; they are a necessary result of faith but are not to be considered necessary to the gaining of justification, which is by God’s grace through faith alone so that no man can boast.
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References | John 6:43-47; 6:63-65; 10:25-30; Acts 13:48; Romans 5:1; 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-10,12; 2:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; Revelation 5:9-10; 13:7-8 Psalm 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5, Isaiah 6:5, Jeremiah 17:5, Matthew 16:26, Acts 17:26-31, Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 12, 19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18, 29, 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22, Ephesians 2:1-22, Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11
Marriage
We believe God designed marriage and family to serve the flourishing of human society. Marriage is specifically and simply the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to illustrate the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the married couple the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression, and the means for the procreation of the human race.
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References | Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5, 7, 18-22; 3; 9:6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16; Matthew 19:1-9; Ephesians 5:22-33
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
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We believe God has uniquely created mankind, in the beginning, as male and female. Thus we affirm the biblical truth that there are only two genders and those genders that God has freely given through the creation of every person in the womb cannot be changed and cannot be self-conceived. We believe it to be a grievous sin and error to seek to change or alter our gender to something other than God’s intended created order.
We believe that God has ordered human sexual acts to be confined to the covenant of marriage, between one man and one woman. We believe that any other sexual acts are contrary to God’s created order and thus are sinful acts.
We believe that regardless of our sinful condition, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will receive unmerited grace, forgiveness, and love. We believe that there is no amount of sin, and no type of sin, that is too great for Christ to forgive.
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References | Romans 1:26-7; 1 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6
THE CHURCH
We believe the New Testament speaks of the Church as the Body of Christ, which is the company of the redeemed, consisting of believers from all historical and cultural contexts in all times and places. The church is represented locally by a gathering of saints who are members of the New Covenant in Christ. We observe the two ordinances of Christ —Baptism and The Lord’s Supper — and are governed by his Word, and seek to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. We believe God has so ordained through His word certain offices for his church — Elders and Deacons — while in such a church each member is ultimately responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord and head of the church.
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​​References | Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:6; 2:14; 2:19; 1 Timothy 3:15
LAST THINGS
We believe that God has promised in His Word a re-creation of this world and a gathering of His people in the New Heavens and the New Earth. Christ will come again from glory to judge the living and the dead, of this day no one on earth knows. On that day there will be a physical and bodily resurrection of all who have died. In the consummation of the New Heaven and New Earth, the people of Christ will be joined together with Christ for all eternity, and enjoy perfect unity with their God and Savior. In this new creation, there will be no death, no sin, and no evil. However, those who are not in Christ will share in eternal damnation in Hell.
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References | Isaiah 65:17; John 5:25-29, 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 21