The Power - "Unified by the Holy Spirit" We understand that when we are yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit and living together in unity (Psalm 133; Ephesians 4:3-6), the Holy Spirit will equip us for every good work and with every spiritual gift to effectively be the church God has called us to be (1 Corinthians 12). Therefore . . . We want to be a church where there is only one rule . . . that there are no rules that artificially limit presenting the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person, everywhere, a church that lives out the responsibility to all those who are not yet here. We want to be a church that is powered, protected, and provided for through prayer, one that glorifies God, follows Jesus, and is guided by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
The Partnership - "we will partner with God" With Jesus as our example (John 5:17, 19-20), we realize that it is only through God's Word and His power working with us and in us that we can join Him in helping people experience His grace and the salvation available in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). This is a joint venture whose success depends on our working with God (Romans 1:16). Therefore . . . We want to be a church full of hearts consumed and compelled to tell the most incredibly Good News of all time, that all persons matter to God, are precious in His sight, and are so loved by God Himself that He came to show them the way to real life in Christ, His Son. We want to be a church of excited persons who have redefined "Church" so it is not as a one-hour, once-a-week quota to be met, but is a radical call to a twenty-four hour, seven day a week lifestyle to be experienced, where nurture and accountability combine to produce unparalleled spiritual growth in the life of the Christ-follower, where serving in a soup kitchen for the homeless or caring for the needs of a single parent becomes second nature, where real friends who love each other lavishly, confront each other lovingly, and support each other undeniably, give to one another out of their poverty, share all they have and all they are with one another in spite of their fears.
The Product - "to transform people . . . " Our focus is to see the life of every person transformed, taking each individual from where she is and helping him become the person God created him to be (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:2-13). Therefore . . . We want to be a church where every teaching is a practical "how to" lesson in helping persons do their best to hold hands with Jesus every day and in every circumstance, where heaven is not a goal, but a very welcomed by-product of this life of "hand holding" with Jesus, where faith is real and useful in everyday living, where everything is either relevant to helping persons live the real life offered by Jesus, or it is simply not done.
The Process - "from unbelief or immature faith to be fully devoted disciples of Jesus" Some people we will meet inside the church and outside in our communities will not have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Others may have an immature or undeveloped faith (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) or have neglected their relationship with Him (1 Timothy 4:14-16). No matter where we are or who we are, there is always room to grow in our faith (Philippians 3:12). This is a continuous process enhanced by the training of disciples, the mentoring of new believers, the coaching more mature believers, the development of leaders, and as we share God's love, grace, and forgiveness through ministry and service in the church and through missional involvement in our communities. A "fully devoted disciple of Jesus" is someone who has taken up his or her cross daily (Matthew 10:38; 16:24) and obediently follows Jesus in every area of life: spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, financial, and vocational (John 14:23-24). Even the process of becoming a fully devoted disciple is a partnership in which God participates with us (Psalm 138:8; Philippians 1:4-6). Therefore . . . We want to be a church family that intentionally loves, aggressively protects, and regularly builds up one another, a place where encouragement, forgiveness, and honesty in all things are practiced, and where gossip, slander, and deceit are never tolerated. We want to be a church that is the center of community life ministering to the whole heart and spirit of persons by providing prayer, counseling, and support groups for those recovering from divorce, addictions. and abuse. We want to be a church of persons with hearts so full of love for Jesus that we are eager to serve rather than be served, a church of impassioned servants who are grateful for the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others, a church of people who are aware of anxious hearts, walking cautiously in through her doors. We want to be a church where guests are genuinely welcomed personally by many who would forego a chat with their friends to sit with guests, answer their questions, and help them feel loved and welcomed home. We want to be a church where children and youth are real persons who are encouraged to ask any question, empowered to seek honest answers, and energized to claim true faith that will last forever, a church that equips parents to instill lifelong Biblical values in their children so they too will choose a life lived for Jesus. We want to be a church of small groups where every person, no matter how small, knows and is known, where believers gather and hold things in common.
The Purpose - "for God's glory." God does all the work through us so He should receive all the credit (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our best opportunity, though not our only opportunity to express this fact, is in corporate worship (Hebrews 10:24-25) as we celebrate His constant presence in us and His power working through us to help us accomplish His vision for His church (John 4:23-24). Therefore . . . We want to be a church where the music and ministry melts the hardest of hearts and touches the deepest parts, where worship is a witness, changing the minds of disbelief and drawing Christ-followers ever closer to God, where multiple means are used to quench the longing of those thirsting for a fresh and relevant revealing of God's reality and presence in their lives.
