ESSENTIALS

IN ESSENTIALS: UNITY, IN NON-ESSENTIALS: LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS: CHARITY!

Our desire is to focus on The Essentials, the major doctrines or core beliefs of the Christian faith. We believe we are at our best when we are focused on what we are for, not what we are against!

ONE GOD

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

ONE LORD

Jesus is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

ONE SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily. John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8-11; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

ONE BOOK

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth and authority for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without error. Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21

ONE SALVATION

Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We cannot earn this by self-improvement or good work. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin’s penalty, which is death. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ. John 1:12,14:6; Romans 5:1,6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9;Galatians 3:26;Titus 3:5

ONE CHURCH

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15

ONE HEAVEN

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in His presence is Heaven. Heaven is a real place where all believers in Christ Jesus are exalted to be where God is forever. John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15

IDENTITY VALUES

JESUS HAS CALLED US TO LIVE THESE OUT AS HE FORMS OUR CHARACTER INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY!

We are devoted to PRAYER; it is essential to being led by God’s Spirit!

Prayer is the foundation of everything we do.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15

"Prayer does not equip us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work". -Oswald Chambers

Prayer cannot be an afterthought. When we believe that JESUS is Lord we will continually seek His face together as His church. We awaken to His leading and His will as we come together in fervent prayer. The church awakens with compassion when we pray with each other through joys and sorrows.

We are freed by MERCY; with a new identity in grace we stand forgiven and unashamed!

Mercy is the lens through which we see ourselves and others.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Because we have been shown great mercy, we are a people who lead with compassion rather than judgment. We recognize that our worth is not found in our performance, but in the finished work of Jesus. This freedom allows us to be authentic about our brokenness, knowing that God’s mercy is new every morning and sufficient for every need. As a church, we extend this same grace to one another, creating a safe place for people to heal, grow, and walk in their true identity as children of God.

We are fueled by JOY; the light of God’s face energizes our hearts!

Joy is experienced when we look into the eyes of others who are happy to be with us.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

“For God, who said, ‘let light shine out of darkness’, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

When we spend time in the presence of the Lord and remember how much He delights in us as His children, we become recipients of His joy and peace. In the same way, when we spend time in community with other believers who truly love being together, we experience relational joy! This relational joy fuels us to become the healthy, growing church that God intends.

We are shaped by GRATITUDE; it renews our perspective and restores our souls!

Gratitude is the practice of recognizing God’s goodness in every season.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ... Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:4,6

When we choose gratitude, we shift our focus from what we lack to the abundance of God’s provision. Gratitude is a powerful tool that guards our hearts against cynicism and restores our souls by reminding us of God’s faithfulness. As a church, we celebrate the small wins and the big breakthroughs alike, knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. This posture of thankfulness transforms our outlook, allowing us to serve with joy and live with a peace that surpasses all understanding.

We are unified in LOVE; with sincere devotion we honor one another!

We will create an atmosphere of love in all that we do.

“Dear children, let us not love (only) with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Biblical “agape” love is anchored in truth and sacrifice. We strive to create an atmosphere that genuinely loves and welcomes everyone with Christ-like acceptance. We are a church who spends time connecting with and serving one another, not just on Sundays. One of the reasons we love each other well is that Jesus taught us how attractional this can be to the community around us.

We are lifted by HUMILITY; selfless attitudes edify a healthy church!

Humility is the posture of putting others before ourselves.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3

Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less. It is a selfless attitude that recognizes that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of honor. We must be aware that critical spirits and attitudes are massively destructive to our community. When we lead instead with humility, we create a culture where others are edified and the church is strengthened. By laying aside our own agendas and preferences, we make room for God’s Spirit to work through us, ensuring that Christ remains the center of all we do. This humble stance allows us to learn from one another, serve without seeking credit, and grow together in a spirit of true unity.

We are compelled to be SALT + LIGHT; we love the people we live around!

We seek to be salt and light with “our one” where we have relational influence.

“You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world…In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-14 & 16

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.” Acts 17:22-23

As salt and light, we will engage those around us who are seeking Jesus! This means our actions, attitudes, and tone must be full of grace all the time. We also respect people’s space and their need to ask any questions as they come to understand Jesus, faith, and the church at their own pace.

We are rooted in GRACE + TRUTH; this tension shapes how we approach our world!

We will honor Christ and His church with love and integrity.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” - John 1:14

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but theunfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” Proverbs 11:13

We will live in the tension of grace + truth in all of our relationships. We will be people of character who mean what they say and say what they mean with gentleness and respect. We strive to have honest and honoring conversations with everyone. When we live with integrity and love, it shapes a culture that is healthy and honors the Lord.

We are compelled to be SALT + LIGHT; we love the people we live around!

We seek to be salt and light with “our one” where we have relational influence.

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.” Acts 17:22-23

We are mobilized by SERVICE + GENEROSITY; we get to give to Jesus and His Kingdom!

Because God gave us spiritual gifts and financial resources, we GET TO respond through service and generosity.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

We always desire to bring our best with the motivation of honoring the Lord. We also understand that sacrifice often requires that we give up things we love for things we love even more. It’s an honor to both give our best and sacrifice for Christ and His church. We truly love when we see ourselves as spiritual contributors not spiritual consumers.