1. It’s about Jesus. (Matthew 22:34-40; John 14:6) Jesus is the head of the Church. As such, he receives all the glory and calls
all the shots. By focusing on Jesus rather
than what divides us, we actively work toward unity among the various
expressions of the body of Christ. The
Great Commandment (to love the Lord Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and
strength) is the center of who we are and how we are to live. Jesus came full of grace and truth, neither
watering down God’s Word in dealing with others, nor requiring sinners to “get
cleaned up” before receiving his love.
We want to be a church that looks like Jesus.
2. Passion for the pre-Christian. (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 4:18-20) Because of Jesus’ Great Commission to the church,
the church is the only organization which exists primarily for the sake of its
non-members. Passion for those far from
God must affect our budget, small groups, worship, Bible studies, and every
aspect of congregational life. We expect
and organize to grow, not only in depth, but in breadth also.
3. Renewal through the Holy
Spirit. (John 14:26; 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 12; Galatians 5:22-26)
We affirm the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, and look to Him to
bring renewal to our lives, both individually and as a congregation. We seek the Holy Spirit’s power to bring
people to faith, to convict people of sin, and to restore the joy of salvation
to sinners. We acknowledge and desire
all the gifts of the Spirit and each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit to be
manifest in our lives.
4. People of prayer. (James 5:13; Matthew 6:9-13; 7:7-11; 1
Thessalonians 5:16-18) God’s plans for
us will always exceed our plans for God, and the chief way for Jesus to
function as the Head of the church, and for the Holy Spirit to renew His
church, is through prayer. Quite often
prayer is not intended by God to be a means to an end, but an end in itself, as
He seeks an intimate and personal relationship with His children.
5.
High view of Scripture.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4; Psalm 1) We accept on faith that since all Scripture
is inspired by God, all Scripture is also without error, and is a living Word
that is always relevant. Not all
interpretation of Scripture is without error, and therefore we uphold the
interpretive functions of studying the original manuscripts, the original
audiences and purposes of a text, and a thorough comparison with the whole
canon of Scripture. We seek to teach and
live the whole counsel of God’s Word, and simultaneously to live out the full grace
embodied by Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the flesh.
6. Passionate worship. (1 Peter 2:9; John 4:23-24; Psalm 98:8-9;
Psalm 105:1-6) Worship in the first
place is for God, and only because God is so self-giving and loving toward His
children does worship also bless the worshipers. Worship involves the whole person – body,
mind, and emotions. Forms of worship are
optional, and to be chosen to best enable those present to unreservedly show
their love for their Lord and Savior, while experiencing God’s presence through
His Word and sacraments (baptism and Holy Communion).
7.
Intimacy with one another.
(1 John 4:7-8) Jesus is often the
only reason two sisters and brothers in Christ find themselves in relationship
with one another – and Jesus is sufficient for a high level of unity. As our love for Jesus grows, our love for
each other grows, despite differences in personality or experience. Christianity is a team sport, and so high
priority is placed on small group opportunities to minister to, love, and serve
alongside other Christians.