What we believe

Christ redeems us, changing our hearts from ugly to loved and turning objects of wrath into objects of love. As such, we seek to see this great truth realized in all areas of life. Primarily, we desire for others who live in the rejection of God to be made new, to experience new life, to be transformed, and experience the overwhelming joy and peace that comes from worshipping the King of the Universe. Additionally, we desire to experience the theme of redemption in even the small things in our lives: to see old things made new, broken things made whole, and dirty things made clean.

My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.  
Psalm 130: 6-7

We often move straight to action mode without undergirding everything we do with prayer. However, to truly fulfill our calling as followers of Christ, it is imperative that we remember that by ourselves we are nothing, and our worth is in the One who gave his life for us. Therefore, we fulfill our calling out of love, and we approach the throne of God in the confidence of the One who allows us to participate in His work. We are committed to being a people of prayer.

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

God did not wait for us to come to him to visit his salvation and blessing upon us, but came to us, even becoming one of us, in the person of Christ. In the same way we cannot sit by and expect people to come to us when they have spiritual or physical need. We seek to reflect Christ in meeting others where they are rather than expecting them to come to us. This is true in sharing the gospel of Christ, loving our neighbors, and serving those in need.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

Those to whom much has been given, much is expected. This truth reflects the fact that we who were spiritually poor h8ve been given the riches of Christ through his redeeming work. Consequently, we demonstrate how much we have been given by God, and we seek to be overwhelmingly generous to others, in and out of the church, with our time, finances, talents, and possessions.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich…Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 
2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:6-7

Jesus’ care for the sick and dispossessed of society indicates that He is holistically concerned with mankind. Our concern as Christians for human flourishing is a picture of the redemption that is ours in Christ. It flows out of our understanding that though we were poor, wretched, and despised as enemies of God, we have been made objects of His affection through the cross of Christ. Therefore, we seek the greater good of humanity in all areas of life, and plan to address the local issues of poverty, lack of education, and injustice. Additionally, we desire to be a spiritually and emotionally healthy people who flourish in pursuing God’s will for us. We desire not to place an undue burden on people, but for them to have gospel-balanced lives; to be a church that offers something, not one that only asks.

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19