Who Are We?
We Are More Than A "Church"
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (NLT)
"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit." We are more than a church, we are a family; brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God."
Our aim is to "love one another" in such a way that "all people will know" that we belong to Christ (John 13:34-35). We aim to love sacrificially and unconditionally, patterning our love for each other the way Christ loved us (John 15:12). Our aim is to "bear one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2). When we bring our troubles to the church family, we respond by serving one another. We "pray for one another so that you may be healed" (James 5:16). We aim to "encourage one another and build one another up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We strive to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave" (Ephesians 4:32).
We are more than a church. We are a family who aims to please God by loving one another, carrying each other's burdens, serving one another, praying for one another, and forgiving one another as we have been forgiven.
What Can I Expect?
We understand how difficult it can be to visit a church for the first time. That's why we aim to make the transition, whether you're visiting us for the first time, or have never been to a church, as stress free and comfortable as possible.
What to Expect:
A friendly smile and a welcome home greeting.
Whether you're in jeans, or feel like "dressing up," you'll fit right in.
A mixture of hymns and praise that uplifts God and is God-centered. Messages that are Scriptural and applied to our daily lives. Teaching that challenges and promotes growth as believers.
Love; prayer; forgiveness; acceptance
What Not to Expect:
Perfection
Judgment
A spectacle of your visit
At the Heart of WHAT We DO, WHO we ARE and AIM to be.
God
God is the creator of all things and ruler of all things (Genesis 1). There is only one true God (Isaiah 44:9-10). God is a personal God, one who is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), truthful (Numbers 23:19), and holy (Isaiah 6:3). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5) but He also offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4). We believe God reveals Himself in three-persons who share His nature: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God in human likeness (John 1:1-4; 14). We believe Jesus to be the Savior of all mankind from their sins (John 3:17). Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), and He offered Himself as the atonement for sin, drying on a cross (Matthew 27:32-61; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42). On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave, demonstrating His power over sin and death (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). "Salvation exists in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we should be saved" (Acts 4:12). We believe that one day Jesus will return again (John 14:3).
The Holy Spirit
We believe one of the functions of the Holy Spirit is a "mark" which signifies our sonship (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit will "reprove", or convince one of their sin and need for Jesus Christ (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit is a guide into the "truth" of sin and of Jesus (John 16:13). It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ is made known to man (John 16:15). The Holy Spirit is a comforter and our advocate (John 14:26) who prays on our behalf (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit provides believers with power for life, clarity for understanding Biblical truth, and guidance for holy living.
Man
We were created in the image of God, to be like Him in character (Genesis 1:29). But as the result of sin (Genesis 3), man has been marred by an attitude of disobedience. We believe we are all born sinners with sinful, selfish natures (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 7:14). Unless we are born again by the Spirit of God, we will never see the kingdom (John 3:3). In this state, we are unable to do good in order to please God (Romans 8:8). Because we are born sinners, we must experience a second, spiritual birth.
Because of this, we believe every human being, regardless of race, faith background, orientation, or sin-history, is deserving of grace, love, kindness, and forgiveness.
Salvation
Salvation is the free gift of all to ALL mankind, those who chose to receive it (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). All one must do is accept what Jesus has done on the cross (Romans 10:13). We are saved from sin's penalty, marked by the Holy Spirit, and enabled then to live a life of obedience to Him.
God's Word
We believe the Bible to be the very words of God Himself, given to human writers, who under the direction of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is profitable for instruction in Christian living (2 Timothy 3:16). And because it is the words from God's heart to mankind, it can be wholeheartedly trusted.
The Kingdom of God: The Church
The Kingdom of God touched earth when Jesus was born (Luke 2). The Kingdom was inaugurated when Jesus died on the cross. The Kingdom was given power on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). We believe the Kingdom of God is not a kingdom we are waiting to be a part of, but one that we live in and enjoy right now, by faith in Jesus Christ (John 10:10).
We believe in the unity of the church. All those who believe in Jesus Christ and claim Him to be their Savior, are all part of the "body of Christ" - His Church (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27) of which Christ is the head (Colossians 1:18). And therefore, through faith, a part of His kingdom.
The Last Days
Jesus is coming back (2 Peter 3; John 14:3). It is a day unknown to anyone but God (Matthew 24:36). We do know that when Jesus does come, He will come as judge (Revelation 22:12; 2 Timothy 4:1). While some argue over the "how" and "when," we believe the fact of His imminent return to be the central issue.
Therefore, we aim to live holy and godly lives in preparation for this day (Revelation 22:11; 2 Peter 3:11). Through the enablement of the Holy Spirit we "who does right continue to do right, and let the holy person continue to be holy."
Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
We desire to be servants:
“For the Son of Man came to serve not to be served……” (Matthew 20:28).
We desire to serve our community when we can, where we can, and how we can with what we have!
We desire to be that “city on a hill.”
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14).
It won’t be perfect.
It won’t be simple.
But God calls for our best!
