THEOLOGY

Who god is

We believe that God is a beautiful Trinity.

God is not static, but dynamic, filled with life and beauty in deep relationship. God is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three persons know one another, love one another, act in harmony with one another, and glorify one another (Mark 1:9-11; John 17:4-5). Because the Father, Son, and Spirit are always loving and serving one another, God is full of infinite joy.

We believe that God is a passionate Creator.

Out of great love, God created the world and everything in it (Genesis 1-2; Nehemiah 9:6; Revelation 4:11). God is endlessly creative, as evidenced by the diversity and beauty of creation, most amazingly expressed in the creation of humanity.

We believe that God is a faithful Provider.

Not only does God create, God also sustains and holds things together (Colossians 1:15-17), faithfully providing for those in need. We believe in God as a loving Heavenly Father who wants to give good gifts to God’s children. (Luke 11:13; Luke 12:32)

We believe that God is a loving Presence.

God is Spirit (John 4:24) and, though invisible, makes God’s presence known. We believe that God’s presence guides us, fills us, teaches us, and helps us in times of need. (Exodus 33:14; Psalm 50:15; John 16:13)

We believe that God is a grace-filled Redeemer.

God loves humanity so much that God would send Jesus into the world to be the sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16). Only by grace have we been saved, not because we are worthy in ourselves or have done anything to merit approval before God (Ephesians 2:4-9).

We believe that God is a persistent Seeker.

God is a missionary God. At God’s heart is the impulse to reach out, embrace, seek out, and save those who are broken and lost. Our understanding of the missionary nature of God and the church flows from the "sending" language of scripture. Abraham was sent by God to a foreign land. Isaiah was asked by God, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6) Jesus was sent by God on a mission. "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me" (John 6:38).

We believe that God is an empowering Sender.

God sent his Son, filled with the Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17), into the world to be our redeemer (1 John 4:9). Through Jesus, God sent his followers out to preach, teach, heal, and bless (Luke 10:1-9). God has poured out the Spirit on the church in order to accomplish the church’s mission. Jesus commissioned the disciples: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21).

What god has done

God created the world and everything in it.

(Genesis 1:1-27) Everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Because this is true, we don’t have to be in control of the world. We can enjoy life, work with purpose, and love one another.

God entrusted to humanity the stewardship of the earth.

(Genesis 1:28-31) Because this is true, we have responsibility to live in such a way that cares for creation and brings honor to what God has created.

God established order and intended design for all of creation.

(Genesis 2:4-25; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:3-14) Because this is true, there are boundaries for how we should live which are meant to bring good to our lives. Life is a discovery of who we are and why we have been created.

God continued to love and pursue relationship with humanity when the design was broken by humanity’s rebellion.

Humanity turned away from God and did not trust in God’s goodness and love (Colossians 1:13-14; Galatians 3:13-14). We were created to share in God’s glory, but “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Still, God pursues us in unfailing love and faithfulness (Psalm 139). Because this is true, while every human is “broken” in our relationship with God, our relationship with one another, and our relationship with creation, God desires to heal these relationships and restore us.

God entered into our human experience through Jesus.

Jesus is God’s answer to human brokenness. Born to the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25), He grew up, taught, healed, and blessed, revealing what life is like in the Kingdom of God. Then He suffered on our behalf, dying on the cross. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for all of humanity’s sin, reversing the effects of our rebellion. Because this is true, we can be restored to the intended design for which we have been created.

God raised up Jesus from the grave, defeating sin, death and despair.

(Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:6-7; John 20:1-18) Because this is true, we can experience victory through life’s struggles and defeats, knowing that ultimately we share in Christ’s power and life.

God poured out the Spirit on the church.

(Acts 2:1-13) Because this is true, we are no longer condemned, but we are a new creation. The Holy Spirit, which has made us alive in Christ, now lives in us, His church; and he gives us access to the power of God to overcome sin, despair, and the fear of death. God gives spiritual gifts through the Spirit in order to carry out God’s work on earth. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30; Ephesians 4:11)

God sent the church out with a mission of disciple-making.

(Matthew 28:18-20) Because this is true, we are sent and empowered by the Spirit for the mission of making disciples, helping others to know the good news of Jesus, be baptized, and learn how to obey his commands.

God has promised that one day Jesus would return to set everything right.

That day will mark the end to the sin, suffering, evil, and brokenness of the world (Matthew 24:44; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:10). Because this is true, we can have hope as we endure suffering and work for a more peaceful and just world. One day Jesus will be the judge of the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:1-8; 2 Timothy 4:1), and all those who put their trust in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection will enjoy being in God’s presence forever in the new heaven and the new earth. Because this is true, we don’t sit as the judge of anyone.

God has revealed who God is through the Bible.

Through the Bible, we learn who God is, what God has done, who we are, and what we are called to do. We believe that the written Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Through it God helps us to hear and know the eternal Word, Jesus Christ, who was present at the beginning of creation as God spoke the world into being (Genesis 1:3-26). We believe that God has spoken most fully to us through Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2). “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus continues to speak, and His followers know His voice (John 10:27).

WHo We are

We are created in the image of God.

We have been fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:14). Because this is true, we can love ourselves and learn to see ourselves as God does.

We are broken.

The image of God in us remains, but we have been broken and separated from God (Genesis 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 5:12; Psalm 14:2-3). Because this is true, we don’t have to act like we are perfect or judge others for their imperfections.

 We are redeemed.

We believe that the gospel is the power of God for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). We have been saved for the purpose of glorifying God and participating in the mission of God to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 8:36). Because this is true, we can live as free people who are no longer slaves to our sins.

We are family.

God is gathering a family, one that would love one another and learn together how to love God with all of our hearts (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1-2; Ephesians 2:19-22). Because this is true, we can be assured of our place in the world, no longer afraid or alone.

 We are servants.

We are servants of the King (Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:5-8). Just as Jesus did not come into the world to be served, but to serve others, so now are we called to serve others rather than serving ourselves. Because this is true, we find our purpose in laying down our lives to serve others.

We are priests.

God has made each person a priest, someone who can help others to connect with God in a deep and loving relationship (1 Peter 2:9). Because this is true, we are called to live holy (set-apart) lives, to work in the world for God’s kingdom, and to serve others (2 Corinthians 7:1).

We are missionaries.

Each of us has a mission to fulfill and a people to reach (Romans 8:28). Some are called to go, while others are called to stay, but we are all called (John 20:21; Matthew 28:18-20). We all have different gifts that have been given according to what God calls us to do (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Because this is true, we work together to complement one another’s gifts, and we seek to be faithful missionaries for Christ in the places where we live, work and play.