Who We Are

Value 1: We value healthy relationships. We are a community of God's people. This means that we are all about healthy relationships between ourselves and God and with other people. We call this concept fellowship, which points to a sharing of life. We share our lives with God who shares his life with us, and we share our lives with each other. We look out for one another and seek the best for each other. Therefore, we call on others to enter into a relationship with God and become part of God's family by trusting in Jesus, and we encourage and equip believers to deepen their relationship with God and live harmoniously with others.

Value 2: We value the Bible. We believe that the Bible is God's Word. As such, we believe that the Bible is without error in all that it teaches. It is the authority for our lives. It is useful for the believer in helping him or her to live a life that pleases God. The Bible is the source for our teaching and doctrine; it shows us where we go wrong, how to get right, and how to live righteous lives. Therefore, all that we believe, teach, and do must align with Scripture.

Value 3: We value prayer. We believe that prayer is essential to the Christian life. By prayer, we communicate with God: we praise and adore him; we thank him; we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness; and we come before him with our requests. We believe that God does answer prayers and wants to do so. With prayer, we align our will with his. It is by prayer that we display our trust in him. Therefore, we seek to be a people of habitual prayer in both our personal and congregational lives.

Value 4: We value the Great Commandment: Love. We believe that Jesus has summed up God's will in two related commandments. First, we are to love God. This means that we are to make him the top priority of our lives by loving in him in response to his love for us; we are to worship him; and we are to be obedient to him. Second, we are to love others. This means that we are not self-centered or self-focused but others-focused. We are to live humble lives looking out for the well-being of others as God defines that well-being. Therefore, we seek to worship God with all that we are, submitting ourselves to him and serving him by serving others in ways that show them his love.

Value 5: We value the Great Commission: Make Disciples. We believe that Jesus has given his people a mission, and that mission is to make disciples. All that means is that Jesus-followers are to make more Jesus-followers. We do this in two ways. First, we share the gospel and invite people to respond to God's offer of salvation (evangelism). Second, we teach, train, equip, and encourage people how to live the way Jesus wants them to live and to grow in Christlikeness (discipleship). Therefore, everything that we do as a church must be a part of completing this mission.

Value 6: We value service. We believe that "getting saved" is not the end of the Christian life, but the beginning. God created us with good works in mind, and he has gifted individuals in various ways so that we can help one another to grow to spiritual maturity. God wants us to use our gifts, talents, and resources to serve him and to serve others as an outflow of our love for him and our love for others. Therefore, we help people to discover their gifts, equip them to serve through appropriate training, and enable them to find a place where they can serve with joy.