"PEOPLE CONNECTING TO GOD"

 

Connecting with God

Connecting with each other

Connecting with the community

Loving God and loving people (Mark 12:30)

Learning God’s truth and applying it (Proverbs 1:5)

Living with power, passion and purpose (Acts 17:28)

Leading others to faith in Christ (Matthew 28:19)

Our ultimate purpose is to bring glory to God by functioning as the “body of Christ.”  As we do this we also fulfill two specific purposes relating to God's plan for the earth: (1) evangelism to non-believers and (2) encouragement for believers. (Php 1:11; 1Co 12:27; Mt 28:19; 1Co 14:26)

 

NOTE:  Among other things, the church is also known as the bride of Christ and the living temple of the true God. Obviously, the church is not a building, a meeting place, an organization, or a denomination. The church is the totality of all believers in Christ, regardless of denomination or meeting place. The entire body of believers is the church, and as such, the church is the dwelling place of God.

GOALS:

Membership: membership covenant

Maturity: spiritual growth

Magnification: worshiping and glorifying God

Ministry : giving back in service

Mission: sharing the Good News

Multiplication: planting other churches

STRATEGIES (to reach our goals):                  

Prayer: personal and corporate

Relationship Building: small groups and activities

Equipping: teaching, mentoring, laying on of hands

Evangelism: preaching, missions and missions support

Encouraging: love, sharing burdens, prophecy

Releasing: releasing people to use their gifts

VISION:  (L.E.A.P.I.N.G.)

 

Loving Relationships: without this we have failed

Empowering Leadership: leaders focus on equipping/training others

Artistic Expression: relevant to our community

Passionate Worshippers

International Flavor: reflecting our community

Need-Oriented Evangelism/Missions

Gift-Oriented Lay Ministry: every member using her/her gift(s)

VALUES:

Biblically Based

God’s Word is our guide, authority and conscience in everything.  We stand firm where it stands firm and remain flexible where it is flexible.

 

Christ-Centered

Jesus is Lord and head of the Church, and it is for Him that we exist.  Full devotion to Him is the goal of each believer.  If it does not exalt His name and further His kingdom we do not embrace it.

 

Grounded in Grace

We acknowledge our complete dependence of the goodness and grace of God in everything.  We ourselves have benefited from the kind intention of His will; therefore we eagerly extend it to others.

 

Passionate about Prayer

We do not believe that prayer is merely preparation for the work.  We believe prayer is continually an essential part of the work.

 

Love

The Bible says that love is our greatest demonstration of our faith (1Co 13).  We are to show love in personal relationships, in our family, in the church, and in the world

 

Authentic In Our Walk

Authenticity, integrity, openness and sincerity will define us.  “The goal of our instruction is love, from a good conscience, a pure heart and a sincere faith.”  We are responsible for our walk with God personally, in our family, church, and world.

 

Committed to the Lost

We believe that lost people (non-Christians) matter to God therefore they ought to matter to us.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost and has left us here in part to do the same.  Our individual lives and corporate efforts will reflect this conviction.

 

Relevant to Our World

The Bible does not tell us to use only certain styles of music, or to present our message only through words.  The Bible does make it clear, however, that we are to find a way to effectively bring the message “into all the world” in order to make disciples.  We believe this will require careful scrutiny of everything we do - new practices and old - and a willingness to change when necessary within biblical parameters, in order that we, “by all possible means might save some.” (1Co 9)

 

Worship

We do not desire to mandate or be identified by any particular form or practice in worship, but to create a worship environment that resonates with the soul of the worshipers. This will occur in an atmosphere of freedom in which people can express their heart for God while at all times maintaining sensitivity to others.  Worship is one of the most powerful way that God’s presence brings sinners to Himself (evangelism) and brings His Word alive (discipleship)

 

A Welcoming Family

We desire our fellowship to be a caring family that values community, informality, spontaneity, freedom of expression, humor, fun, commitment, and loyalty. In our pursuit of holiness, we will acknowledge our imperfection, and provide an environment in which people are free to risk, fail and find grace and encouragement in time of need.

 

Accountable to One Another

Membership in our body requires a tangible commitment to our purposes and our vision as outlined in our Discovery (membership) Class. Everyone is welcome to attend our church and participate in our times of celebration and encouragement. However, it is our intention to call all believers in our midst into membership.

 

Committed to Community

Belonging to our community requires a visible commitment to being intentionally involved with others in accountable and encouraging relationships. We believe life change happens best in smaller groups. In these clusters of caring people participants share and encourage each other toward spiritual growth. Here people can experience both the benefits of a larger church and yet enjoy the kind of relationships that only develop in small, safe settings.

 

Focused on Ministry & Service

We believe that each believer has received a special gift and should employ it in serving others, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

Innovative & Flexible

We value openness to change and flexibility, believing that such a climate is conducive to personal, relational and spiritual growth. We will be structured to allow for change, freshness, and innovation. We strive to keep tradition in perspective. We constantly ask whether every tradition or practice is optimally serving the biblical purpose for which it was originally designed. If it is, we keep it. If it is not, and if the Scriptures give us leeway on how to accomplish that purpose, then we aggressively work to find a better way.

 

Pursuit of God

We desire all to be in a passionate, relentless pursuit of God's heart, mind, presence, voice, and to follow after Him.

 

Preeminence of Jesus Christ

We believe full devotion to Christ is normative for the believer. We desire to emulate the attributes of Christ and be increasingly conformed to His image.

 

Dependence on the Spirit of God

We acknowledge our need to be completely yielded to and guided by the Spirit. God's purposes will be accomplished here not by our great efforts but by His great work through us and in us.

 

Application of God's Word

We believe the Bible is to be taught and applied to lives with equal passion. We seek to know and live the Scriptures. The best theology is an applied theology.

 

Servant-Leadership Development

We acknowledge the significant leadership authority Christ has put in the hands of the pastor and the elders. We expect all leaders to exercise that authority by modeling humility, selflessness, grace, care for His sheep, and sacrifice that others might advance in their faith and faithfulness, and we desire to reproduce leaders.

 

Children

We view children not only as the future, but as a significant part of the church right now. Our goal is to raise passionate, realistic followers of Christ, and so we believe our children are worth all the time and energy we can invest in them.

 

Training & Discipleship

Intentional participation in relationships with others at different levels of spiritual maturity is essential. While we provide many formal occasions for growth, we place a higher priority on the value of relationships. Jesus mentored His disciples, even as His disciples are called to mentor or be mentored by others today.

 

Relationships

We believe life-change happens best in the context of relationships. We value honest relationships where truth is spoken in love and every member takes responsibility for the well being and reputation of others they know in the body.

 

Diversity

We agree that churches more easily attract others with similar preferences and/or life experiences and therefore acknowledge that simply by being who we are we are necessarily "targeting" a certain segment of our society. Our desire however, is that the Holy Spirit will bless us with a rich diversity of ages, life-stages, religious, racial, educational, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We desire to foster an atmosphere of unity that communicates warmth and acceptance of all that care to join us. It is our hope that the things that ultimately define us are those things that speak to the needs of the entire human race not only specific ethnic or demographic ones. Therefore, we stress such universal concerns as forgiveness, redemption, significance, peace, meaning and truth above styles, tastes and preferences.

 

Unity

We embrace diversity but require unity in the essentials, understanding in the non-essentials and seek in every way to love others as Christ has first loved us. We have a great commitment to the great commandment and the great commission, believing by this alone God will make us a great church.

 

Simplicity

We wish to do nothing "for religious effect" but rather to live, serve and worship in an authentic and natural way.

 

Missions

In response to Christ's directive to spread His Good News, around the world, we use a multi-faceted approach in helping reach today's world. Our church takes a servant approach in equipping and supporting various indigenous ministries that have proven effective in their own culture. We encourage members to serve abroad. In addition we seek to involve our church in projects to communicate the Gospel and share our resources worldwide.

 

The Poor

We are God's extended hands. We must with vision and servant leadership, increasingly learn to minister directly to the poor, sometimes with our money, sometimes with our lives. We must live in fellowship with an awareness of our blessings and corresponding responsibility to others.

 

Healing

We believe Jesus is the divine physician and as such where His people gather in community healing and hope should be normative. We believe that Jesus continues to provide freedom, redemption, deliverance, healing, salvation and hope as best glorifies His name and purposes.

 

Excellence

We believe excellence honors God and reflects His character. We strive for excellence and creativity in all areas of our ministry and lives.

 

Evaluation

The church should evaluate frequently their methods, motives, cultural relevance, how members are growing, and member input on the church’s strategies to implement it’s mission.

 

Balance of Being and Doing

All Christians should know who they are in Christ, and their words, attitudes, and actions should flow from this reality and truth

 

Family

We value God’s plan for the family and desire people to know His Word regarding the family.

 

Morally Pure Lives

The Scriptures emphasize character, integrity, and holiness, and so do we.

 

Socially Responsible

We are called to be salt and light (Mt 5), to help and influence a culture that leaves out God.

 

Every Member is a Minister

Eph. 4 states that the job of the Pastor is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry.  In this way, everyone works together and gives, so that more can be done.

 

Christ-likeness

We desire that through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ love, mercy, grace, truth, purity, power, and integrity would shine through all that we are and do.

What We Believe:

The Scriptures

We believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired (God-breathed) Word of God, without error in the original writings, and the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice.  (2Ti 3:16-17; 2Pe 1:21; Jn 17:17)

 

The Trinity (God)

We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Each has the same nature and attributes, but is distinct in office and activity.  (Mt 28:19; 2Co 13:14)

 

The Person and Work of the Father

We believe the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  For the Father did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  (Jn 3:16-17)

 

We believe the Father in His great mercy chose us according to His foreknowledge to be conformed to the likeness of His Son and to receive a heavenly inheritance that can never perish or fade away.  (Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1)

 

The Person and Work of the Son, Jesus Christ

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God.  He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal the Father and redeem sinful man.  We believe He accomplished our salvation through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice.  We believe our redemption and salvation are guaranteed by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.  (Jn 1:1, 14, 18; Lk 1:35; Ro 3:24-26, 4:25)

 

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of the Father where, as High Priest to His people, He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy.  (Heb 1:3; 3:1; 7:23-25; 1Jn 2:1-2)

 

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe God the Holy Spirit is a person who restrains evil in the world and convicts men of sin.  He also regenerates (gives a new, spiritual birth) those who receive Christ as Savior and supernaturally places them into the Body of Christ, indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts on each one, and fills those yielded to Him. (Jn 16:7; 3:8; 1Co 12:4-11, 13; Jn 14:16-17; Eph 4:30, 5:18)

 

We believe the baptism in the Holy Spirit is for all believers as a definite endowment of power for service and is subsequent to, and separate from, conversion.  We believe that all the spiritual gifts mentioned in scripture are still in operation today such as tongues, prophecy and healing. (Ac 1:5-8; 19:6; 1Co 12)

 

Creation

We believe God created all things in heaven and earth and that they exist by His power.  (Ge 1:1; Col 1:16-17)

 

We believe man was created innocent and in the image and likeness of God but that he sinned, bringing both physical and spiritual death to himself and his posterity.  We believe man has inherited a sinful nature, is alienated from God and is in need of salvation.  (Ge 1:27; 2:17; 3:19; Eph 2:1-3)

 

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift of God and is received by man through personal faith in the resurrected Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death for our sins.  We believe man is justified, that is seen as blameless in God’s eyes by grace through faith.  (Ac 13:38-39; Ro 6:23; Eph 1:4-5; 2:8-10)

 

Sanctification

We believe sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is positional, progressive and ultimate.  Positionally, it is already complete since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God.  Since the Christian retains his sinful nature until death there is need for progressive sanctification whereby he/she grows in grace by the power of the Spirit.  Ultimately, the child of God will be set apart from sin in his/her practice (reflecting his/her true position in Christ) when he is taken to be with Christ and shall be like Him, given a resurrected, sinless, body.  (1Jn 3:2; 2Co 3:18; Eph 5:25-27; 1Th 4-5; Heb 10:10, 14)

 

The Church

We believe the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again persons of this present age.  We believe the Church began at Pentecost and that a believer is placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit.  We believe the Church is distinct from Israel.  (Eph 1:22-23; Ro 11:1; 1Co 10:32)

 

We believe the local Church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purposes of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances, Christian fellowship, equipping for Christian service and fulfilling the Great Commission. (Ac 2:42; 1Co 1:1-2; Eph 4:11-13; Mt 16:18; 28:19-20)

 

The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe Jesus Christ instituted the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, both of which are to be observed by believers until He returns. (Mt 28:19-20; 1Co 11:23-26)

 

We believe by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with his Savior and that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but not baptized.
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection, the elements being symbols of His body and blood.  We believe every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Super but that participation must always be preceded by solemn self-examination.  (1Co 11:28-30)

 

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

We believe in the personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Church.  (1Th 4:13-18; Php 3:20; Mt 24:15-31; Zec 14:4-11; Rev 20:1-6)

 

The Eternal State

We believe the souls of believers in Jesus Christ do, at death, immediately pass into His presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming for the Church, when soul and body reunited shall be with Him forever in glory.  We believe the souls of unbelievers remain after death in constant misery in Hades until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord.  (Lk 16:19-26; 23:43; 2Co 5:8; Phm 1:23; 2Th 1:7-9; Rev 20:11-15)