The following are our foundations for building a gospel-centered community. These values shape and define us as a church. They are our particular response to the biblical truths that we embrace.
The Gospel. This is our central foundation from which all others flow. We believe that the grace found in the gospel transforms all things: our lives as individuals, our church, our community, and our world (Romans 1:16). Implication: All of our ministries will be gospel driven.
The Church. God’s gospel creates a new community in order to fulfill His redemptive purposes (Matthew 28:18-20). Implication: We will be a church that plants churches.
Mission. God’s gospel calls us into a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Implication: We will encourage, equip, and support the people of Faith to fulfill their calling of mission to non-Christians. Furthermore, we reject an “us vs. them” mentality regarding non-Christians, and instead promote a culture where Christians can say, "This is the place to bring my non-Christian friends. This is what they need to hear, and how they need to hear it."
Authentic Community. Believing God’s gospel means you belong both to God and His people (1 Peter 2:9-10). Implication: We will encourage everyone to attend our worship services, participate in a community group, and serve on a ministry team.
Humility. Those who believe God’s gospel are commanded to forsake pride and pursue humility (Philippians 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 4:6-7; James 4:6-7a; Proverbs 9:8; Micah 6:8). Implication: We firmly believe that humility is the oil that makes the engine of a church run smoothly. Therefore, we will encourage everyone to forsake a self-exalting, self-serving, and self-absorbed mindset, and instead pursue the mind of Christ, which focuses on serving others, glorifying God, and denying oneself.
Expositional Preaching. God’s gospel is authoritatively announced in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:15). Implication: We will preach and teach the whole counsel of God in a way that is relevant to our cultural context.
Christ Exalting Worship. The glory of God is revealed in the Christ of His gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Hebrews 1:1-4). Implication: In our pluralistic age, the content of our songs will be theologically sound, and the object of our worship (Jesus Christ) will be clearly identified. As such, we will only select and sing songs that meet those criteria. This core value allows us to use songs from both the past and the present.
Fervent Prayer. Those who believe God’s gospel are commanded to pray (Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Implication: Prayer will have a prominent role in all that we do.
Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. The God ordained roles of men and women brings honor to God’s gospel (Ephesians 5:22-33; Titus 2:5). Implication: We will embrace, teach, and celebrate the distinct God-given roles between men and women.
The Family. God has entrusted parents with the responsibility to train and nurture their children with the truth of the gospel (Ephesians 6:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:14-15). Implication: We will invest in the God-ordained institution of family as the primary way to evangelize and disciple children and youth.