VISION: All of us fully alive in Christ
VALUES AND PRACTICES
Thorough theological belief statements can be quite extensive. All we believe, value and practice regarding the whole of the Christian life cannot be listed comprehensively here. In short, we align ourselves theologically with the Nicene Creed (posted below), joining centuries of believers who have clung to it as the simplest and most enduring frame of Christian orthodoxy.
Our values and practices, however, articulate how we as a local church body will practically pursue life together as apprentices of Jesus.
We know values don’t always become habits. We also know the stories we believe drive our behaviors. So, it’s important for us to hold together a simple way of life that aligns our core values and beliefs, so they can become core behaviors - proof we are being transformed as disciples of Christ.
This simple frame, or operating system, as we sometimes call it, unifies the ministries across our church. From the cradle to the grave we are translating this frame into every life stage to help us all become fully alive in Christ.
LOVE GOD:
We value nurturing a real relationship with God because we believe Jesus promised we could be filled with his Spirit. Therefore, we practice a simple “rule of life” that helps us plug into this reality every day.
LOVE EACH OTHER:
We value the work of being shaped by Jesus through transformational discipleship. We believe Jesus’ way of spiritual formation was measured by his disciples' character transformation, which happens best in bonded relationships built around his presence, his way, and his Word. Therefore, we practice making disciples in spiritual families, or “house churches”, so the next generation can become fully alive in Christ.
LOVE THE WORLD:
We value Jesus’ mission to remake the world - he is making all things new. We believe the gospel is relational. Jesus gave his life to restore our secure attachment with God, and he has called us as his followers to share this good news, sent as co-missionaries and ministers with him, wherever we may be. Therefore, we practice living as missionaries and ministers where we live, work, and play - even to the ends of the earth.
Thorough theological belief statements can be quite extensive. In short, we align ourselves theologically with the Nicene Creed. We hold to the Nicene Creed - joining centuries of believers who have clung to it as the simplest and most enduring frame of Christian orthodoxy.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.