We are the people of God
We are a community of sinners who have been changed by the Good News of the Gospel. We were enemies of God, enslaved to "the desires of the flesh and of the mind” (Ephesians 2:1-3).
But through the gospel, we have been made new, “obedient from the heart” to Jesus’ teaching (Romans 6:17-18). The gospel shapes a new community as those who were formerly God’s enemies are now reconciled to Him (Romans 5:10) and adopted into his family (Galatians 4:4-7).
The church is not primarily a place, but a people – a community that is continually being renewed by the transforming power of the gospel (Colossians 1:6).
This new family becomes the conduit and vehicle for God’s mission in the world.
As family, we enjoy being together. We disciple, nurture, and hold one another accountable. We live in ways that preserve the honor of our Father’s good name (Matthew 6:9). And we feel love and kinship toward those alienated from God, longing for them to be reconciled to our Father who created them in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:27).
We are sent by the Holy Spirit
We live a life of mission together. We seek tangible ways to love and serve others. We meet the needs of our city through acts of compassion, mercy, and justice. We seek to make God’s invisible kingdom visible and tangible to the people around us.
Living out
We engage the culture around us (going where they are). The gospel frees us to live life among unbelievers – living authentically among non-Christians, cultivating friendship and infuence. Rather than isolating ourselves from people who aren’t like us, we live as a “going” people, moving outward into the world around us for the glory of God and the good of humanity.
Inviting in
We invite others into community (bringing them where we are). Jesus welcomed anyone who was interested in learning from him. He hung out with people who didn’t fit the religious mould. He regularly shared meals, conversations, and life with others, inviting them to encounter the kingdom of God. In the same way, we invite others into community so they can both hear the gospel and see its effects.