We believe action always flows out of identity. As a result, we communicate our values as a set of identities – markers to remember that what we do flows out of who we are.
The invitation Jesus gives us is simple: follow me. The life of following Jesus is called discipleship, and it’s something you’ll hear us talk a lot about around here. For us, it means that our lives are always in the process of unlearning and relearning everything in light of Jesus. We are on a journey that is shaping us to be more and more like him. Our practices, then, both as individuals and as a community, are meant not just to inform us, but to form us.
We believe life is bigger than us, and we are made for more than ourselves. For us, church isn’t an hour on Sunday, but rather a family we share our story with on the road of being transformed. In fact, we believe the best of our lives happens with others in community. You’ll hear us talk a lot about things like City Groups and other opportunities to move beyond ourselves and into the lives of others. After all – this is where all the good stuff happens!
The Church should be a place where people of different races, backgrounds, and socio-economic status share a common faith and a place at the Table. Will we agree on everything? Or course not – but that’s okay. We may come from different backgrounds, but what unites us is a common journey towards restoration in Jesus. We celebrate the miracle of God restoring us not just to God, but also to one another. So no matter where you’re coming from, we’re saving you a seat. You are welcome here.
German theologian and activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said that “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others.” What we see in Christ is the heart of God – a sacrificial, pursuing love that lays down it’s life for the world. In light of this, we want to be generous with our time, our money, our gifts, and our resources – not just to build a great Church, but to build a great city. We don’t just want to believe good news, we want to be good news. Rich or poor, we trust Jesus’ message that true blessing comes in giving, not receiving. At our core, we are always at our most Christlike when we are being generous.