The Gospel is all about Jesus, and Jesus changes everything! Everything we are or do is about Jesus. We are sinners who have been shown unbelievable mercy; we were strangers, now invited into the fellowship of the trinity. The Gospel as the core of our culture and identity influences everything from our hospitality for a neighbor, our love for the city, our care for the poor, as well as our openness to confess sin and receive forgiveness from one another. Jesus conquered death in His resurrection and offers true life in abundance (John 10:10).

We believe that when Jesus said it was better for him to go away He really meant it (John 16:7). When Jesus ascended to the Father he sent His literal presence to reside in us through the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides in all believers at the moment of their salvation. The Spirit’s work is to enliven and quicken the soul and to bring to mind the heart of Jesus as we are being sanctified. The church is also filled with the manifest presence of God through the Holy Spirit. As God’s people, we experience edifying power through the Spirit’s gifts, delivered to us for the common good and upbuilding of the church  (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

We believe scripture is one of the primary ways that we hear God’s voice for our lives and is also one of the primary ways we regularly commune with him. In a world full of ever-changing beliefs and amidst an unrooted culture, God’s word stands firm. God’s word is not only trustworthy but vital for us in following Jesus and living as God intended for us.  The Bible is the authoritative word of God to his people. We don’t stand above it but humbly submit by sitting under its authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17). For these reasons, we regularly preach verse by verse through books of The Bible and value growing in our biblical literacy.

It was never good for man to be alone. One of the earliest gifts God gives humanity is the gift of companionship with others. When it comes to following Jesus, we aren’t meant to go it alone. The Church is made up of individuals but by God’s design, our lives are all interconnected. We value authentic relationships with each other and pursue an openness marked by confession, forgiveness, care, and shared stories. This happens in our missional communities, over dinner tables, and in seasons of suffering. As we live our lives together on purpose we are preparing for an eternity of unbroken fellowship with Jesus and each other (Hebrews 10:23-25).

When Jesus walked the earth, His ministry was marked by Gospel proclamation and Kingdom demonstration; He had a very clear sense of the mission he was on (Luke 4:16-21). In the same way, before he ascended, he commissioned the church to carry on this mission (Mark 16:15-20). Through the Holy Spirit’s presence and power, we participate in God’s ongoing mission to redeem our broken world and to push back the kingdom of darkness. Taking our lead from Jesus’ work and by the Spirit’s empowering presence, we walk in this mission until the day Jesus returns.