Our family traits
WE ARE A PEOPLE MARKED BY GRACE.
Grace declares that God's love for you is complete, unchanging and unconditional. You are accepted just as you are! (Romans 5:1-2) Whether you do well or badly, sin or stay pure, you are completely accepted because of the righteousness of Jesus that has been given to you. You can't improve God's love for you. You can't reduce God's love for you. Grace makes for motivated, inspired Christians serving God and each other out of delight and joy, and not out of fear or bondage!
WE ARE A PEOPLE OF THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Christians are not those who simply agree to a creed or intellectually ascent to a set of doctrines, but those who have been, and continue to be, "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). In addition, we are "being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). Therefore, as a community of the Spirit, we experience His presence and expect His power to be demonstrated among us through the "gifts of the Spirit" (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40, 1 Peter 4:10-11) "for the strengthening of the church" (1 Corinthians 14:26) "so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11).
WE LIVE MISSIONALLY.
Jesus has called us to co-labor with him in reaching every tribe and tongue. (Matthew 28:18-20) This starts right where you are; in you're job, in your neighborhood, in your household. We are people who serve, share, give, proclaim, and demonstrate. We are all on a mission.
WE ARE SUBMITTED.
Not the most popular word these days, but submission defines the Christian. At the center of Jesus' ministry was His willingness to submit to the Father. (John 5:19, John 8:28) Jesus lived the ultimate life and he was our model. We live submitted to the Father and to others.
WE LIVE TO GLORIFY GOD.
Glorifying God is what we were created to do. (Isaiah 43:7) We join with God himself in magnifying His glory in all the earth by delighting in Him above all earthly things.
WE WORK IN TEAM.
Jesus has given various gifted leaders to serve His church as a team. Our desire is to honor the gifting that God has given people and to work in team to build the church. Working in team also allows the church to give away its leadership to serve other churches and church plants because the church's leadership is not dependent on one guy. So from pastoring to making coffee, we believe all areas of life should be done in team.
WE RECEIVE APOSTOLIC AND PROPHETIC MINISTRY.
Ephesians 2 says that the church is built ultimately on Jesus Christ, through the foundation laid by apostles and prophets. This refers not only to the original work of Jesus' 12 disciples, but also to ongoing need for local churches to be influenced by apostolic and prophetic ministry in shaping its fundamental values. For instance, Paul worked hard to lay good foundations in new churches and to correct and encourage more established churches. Receiving apostolic and prophetic ministry helps us to keep the Gospel the main thing. Ephesians 4 explains that the ascended Christ gave gifts to the church including apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers.
The specified reason for this is so that they can "prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of he Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of fullness of Christ." UNTIL is the key word. It is clear that the church has not yet arrived at the place of maturity spoken of in the verse. Therefore, these five gifts are still given for the purpose of helping the church become mature.
The specified reason for this is so that they can "prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of he Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of fullness of Christ." UNTIL is the key word. It is clear that the church has not yet arrived at the place of maturity spoken of in the verse. Therefore, these five gifts are still given for the purpose of helping the church become mature.
WE LOVE THE BIBLE.
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments in their original writing are fully inspired by God and accept them as the supreme and final authority for faith and life. As a church we long to know and live God's word more and more.
WE WORSHIP AND PRAY.
We believe that we have been invited into an amazing relationship with God. Like any other relationship, communication is key. We worship God because we love Him and want Him to know how grateful we are. We pray because our faith is relational and we believe God hears and answers prayer. In fact, Jesus himself spent a lot of time praying and we want to follow his example on how to have a good relationship with our Father.
What we believe
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, and the final authority in all matters of faith and instruction for a God-honoring life. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
THE GODHEAD
We believe that there is one living and true God, the creator of all things, eternally existing in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that these are one.
(See Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created by God in his own image; that man sinned and by sin incurred physical and spiritual death; that all humans are born with a sinful nature, and choose sin, and are therefore under just condemnation; that man is unable through his own effort to restore himself to right relationship with God. (See Romans 5:6-19)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully man yet without sin. We believe in his sinless life, his miracles, and his teaching. (See Luke 1:26-35, John 1:18, Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7, Colossians 1:19, 29)
We believe Jesus Christ died in our place and for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, personally appearing to his disciples. (See Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, his exaltation and enthronement at the Father's right hand. (See Acts 2:33, 5:31, 1 Peter 3:21-22)
SALVATION
We believe that all who repent and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are made alive (born again) by the Holy Spirit, cleansed of their sins, delivered from condemnation, and granted the righteousness of Christ and life abundant and unending. These are gifts of grace provided for entirely by the merits of Christ's death and resurrection, not by individual effort. (See Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 9:12, 22, Romans 5:11)
BAPTISM
We believe in baptism by immersion in water for the believer in order to fulfill the command of Christ, a mark of our union with him and his body. (See Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:37-41, 19:1-6)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a tangible experience of God's empowering presence. (See Mark 1:8; Acts 2:1-4, 8:14-17, 10:44-46)
We believe that the Holy Spirit abides within all believers, guiding, strengthening, teaching and setting them apart unto to God. (See John 14:16-17, Romans 8:9-17, 1 John 4:13)
We believe in the present availability of all the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures and manifested in the early church. We believe that the proper employment of these gifts is essential to the growth and maturity of the body of Christ, the church. (See 1 Corinthians 12-14, Ephesians 4:11)
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all who are born of the Spirit are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a family of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and joined together for worship, fellowship, and work. We believe that God has entrusted to the church the task of making the good news of Jesus known to the world and continuing the work Jesus began. (See Ephesians 2:19-22, Acts 1:8, 2:42, Hebrews 10:23-25, Matthew 10:7-8, John 14:12)
THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe in the breaking of bread, commonly called communion or the Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus for the commemoration of his death as an expression of our participation in his death and eternal life and of our union with his body, the church. (See Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP/MATURITY
We believe in the Spirit-filled life and the ongoing Spirit-transformation of character in the believer. We believe that discipleship is life, not just knowledge. As we walk together, we keep the goal in mind of living, thinking, serving, loving and dying like Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (See Ephesians 4:17-32, 5:18-21, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1, Philippians 1:27, 2 Peter 1:5-9)
THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus to the earth to judge the living and the dead. (See Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Timothy 4:1)
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and the eternal judgment of Satan and his angels. (See Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10-15)
We believe in the resurrection of the dead, in eternal life for the believer, and eternal punishment of the unbeliever. (See John 3:16; 5:24; 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)
We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, and the final authority in all matters of faith and instruction for a God-honoring life. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
THE GODHEAD
We believe that there is one living and true God, the creator of all things, eternally existing in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that these are one.
(See Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created by God in his own image; that man sinned and by sin incurred physical and spiritual death; that all humans are born with a sinful nature, and choose sin, and are therefore under just condemnation; that man is unable through his own effort to restore himself to right relationship with God. (See Romans 5:6-19)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully man yet without sin. We believe in his sinless life, his miracles, and his teaching. (See Luke 1:26-35, John 1:18, Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7, Colossians 1:19, 29)
We believe Jesus Christ died in our place and for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, personally appearing to his disciples. (See Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, his exaltation and enthronement at the Father's right hand. (See Acts 2:33, 5:31, 1 Peter 3:21-22)
SALVATION
We believe that all who repent and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are made alive (born again) by the Holy Spirit, cleansed of their sins, delivered from condemnation, and granted the righteousness of Christ and life abundant and unending. These are gifts of grace provided for entirely by the merits of Christ's death and resurrection, not by individual effort. (See Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 9:12, 22, Romans 5:11)
BAPTISM
We believe in baptism by immersion in water for the believer in order to fulfill the command of Christ, a mark of our union with him and his body. (See Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:37-41, 19:1-6)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a tangible experience of God's empowering presence. (See Mark 1:8; Acts 2:1-4, 8:14-17, 10:44-46)
We believe that the Holy Spirit abides within all believers, guiding, strengthening, teaching and setting them apart unto to God. (See John 14:16-17, Romans 8:9-17, 1 John 4:13)
We believe in the present availability of all the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures and manifested in the early church. We believe that the proper employment of these gifts is essential to the growth and maturity of the body of Christ, the church. (See 1 Corinthians 12-14, Ephesians 4:11)
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all who are born of the Spirit are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a family of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and joined together for worship, fellowship, and work. We believe that God has entrusted to the church the task of making the good news of Jesus known to the world and continuing the work Jesus began. (See Ephesians 2:19-22, Acts 1:8, 2:42, Hebrews 10:23-25, Matthew 10:7-8, John 14:12)
THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe in the breaking of bread, commonly called communion or the Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus for the commemoration of his death as an expression of our participation in his death and eternal life and of our union with his body, the church. (See Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP/MATURITY
We believe in the Spirit-filled life and the ongoing Spirit-transformation of character in the believer. We believe that discipleship is life, not just knowledge. As we walk together, we keep the goal in mind of living, thinking, serving, loving and dying like Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (See Ephesians 4:17-32, 5:18-21, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1, Philippians 1:27, 2 Peter 1:5-9)
THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus to the earth to judge the living and the dead. (See Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Timothy 4:1)
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and the eternal judgment of Satan and his angels. (See Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10-15)
We believe in the resurrection of the dead, in eternal life for the believer, and eternal punishment of the unbeliever. (See John 3:16; 5:24; 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)