+ PRAY FIRST
Prayer is our first response, not our last resort. We pray about everything. Every disciple making and church planting movement in history started with extraordinary prayer.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
+ OBEDIENCE BASED DISCIPLESHIP
We are not interested in comfortable, consumeristic, cultural Christianity. We make disciples who obey God’s word. It is through doing what Jesus said, not just knowing what Jesus said, that we become like Jesus. God spells love O-B-E-Y.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” -Matthew 7:24
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” -James 1:22
“Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” -Matthew 28:20
+ RAISE THE SAILS, THE SPIRIT PROVIDES THE WIND
The Holy Spirit (Pneuma: “Wind” in Greek) alone can create a disciple-making movement. The Spirit is the wind, we raise the sails.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” -Acts 2:1-2
In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. -2 Chronicles 31:21
+ MULTIPLICATION BEATS ADDITION EVERY TIME
We exist to multiply disciples who will multiply disciples for generations to come. Raising up ordinary leaders to reach the world is our goal.
“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful people who will be able to teach others also.” -2 Timothy 2:2 NASB
+ WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SEE PEOPLE KNOW GOD
We share the gospel constantly. To reach people no one is reaching, we will do things no one is doing.
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” -1 Corinthians 9:19
+ RIVER NOT A LAKE
We give away time, treasure and talent to make disciples and start churches locally, nationally and globally. We are irrationally generous. We are about God’s Kingdom, not ours.
“The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed. Those who help others are helped.” -Proverbs 11:24-25 MSG
+ YOU CAN DO IT WE CAN HELP
We believe everyone who follows Jesus is a full time minister and disciple maker. The job of our staff is not to do the ministry, but to equip everyday disciples to make disciples for generations to come.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” -Ephesians 4:11-12
+ DON’T JUST WELCOME, WE CONNECT
We don’t just welcome people, we care for them and connect them. We make it easy for people to feel a part of our community.
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” -Romans 12:13
+ SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING FUN
C.S. Lewis said, “The serious business of heaven is our great joy.” We agree. God wants us to take his mission seriously, but not ourselves. He wants us to have fun and enjoy his creation as we journey with him and each other.
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” -Acts 2:46-47
+ SUFFERING IS OUR FRIEND
Jesus suffered for us. We count it a joy to suffer for him. We don’t want to suffer, but we are willing to suffer to grow and reach others. We are messy, but our message only shows the world how much we need his message.
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” -Philippians 3:10-11
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” -James 1:2-4
what we believe
ABOUT GOD
We believe in one God who eternally exists as three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). God alone is the Creator, Redeemer, and Ruler of the universe. Jesus is the Son of God. He became human to reveal God to us and to become the Savior of the world. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and lives within disciples of Jesus.
Matthew 28:18-20, John 1:1-14, John 14:26
ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Holy Bible was written by men, divinely inspired, and is the record of God’s revelation of Himself to man. The Bible is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It is the supreme standard for judging all human conduct.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrew 4:12
ABOUT MAN
We believe people were created in the image of God as the crowning work of creation. People were originally created without sin, but freely chose to disobey God and thereby brought sin upon the entire human race. Only the grace of God can restore fellowship with God.
Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:5
ABOUT SALVATION
We believe salvation is offered freely to all who will accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation is a work of God’s grace, whereby sinners become forgiven children of God by trusting and following Jesus. Salvation is also the restoring of God’s image through the transformative work of the Spirit. When Jesus returns we will become fully like him at the resurrection.
Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6, John 3:16, Romans 8:29-30
ABOUT THE CHURCH
We believe the Church to be the body of Christ, which includes all who have trusted in Jesus throughout all ages. A church in its most simple form is a group of people who meet regularly to love God, love people and make disciples. Churches are made up of disciples living in unity with each other and other churches. God is glorified when the church is unified.
Acts 2:42-48, Matthew 18:15-19, John 17:23
ABOUT BAPTISM
We believe Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This symbolizes a believer’s faith in the risen Savior as well as the believer’s death to sin. We believe baptism should immediately follow a person’s commitment to trust and follow Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 6:3-4
ABOUT THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience, which helps Christians to experience, recall, celebrate, and give thanks for Jesus’ death by receiving the bread and cup.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
ABOUT END TIMES
We believe God, in His own time and way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. Jesus will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth after the gospel has been preached to every tribe, nation and tongue. The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all of humanity. The righteous, through faith in Jesus, will be given resurrected and glorified bodies and live with the Lord forever.
1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 24:14, Revelation 7:9-10, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, Acts 3:21.