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Raising up a people who glorify Jesus by living passionate
lives of holiness, love and authenticity that impact the world
God’s heart is to form in and through us a
people committed to living out our lives in relationship with
Him and with one another. God reveals himself to us and
transforms us into the image of Christ in the context of these
relationships, where we experience grace and truth as we gather
for worship, fellowship and service.
It is the nature of sin and our brokenness to separate us
from God and from one another. It is the nature of God’s
redemptive work in Christ to restore us to fellowship with Him
and His people.
Together we engage in the process of learning to live into
who God has made us to be when we come to faith. This is not
about learning rules, regulations, and lists of "do’s" and
"don’ts": it is about stepping into the joy and freedom of what
He has accomplished for us by his death and resurrection; it is
about a relationship with a living Savior who will change us and
shape us that our lives may glorify our Father in Heaven.
We are not called to be a closed circle of people embracing
each other, but a forward-moving group of companions bound
together by the same voice asking for our attention.
We hope to share the love that has ransomed us from the grip
of sin and death.
We desire to offer the message of grace through faith, not
pressure through performance.
The love and faithfulness of God compels us to involve
ourselves with others in ways that support, encourage, and
challenge each person, that they may come to faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ and be made new creations.
Raising up a
people We are called to discipleship, which is the process of bringing
people to faith and then coming alongside one another to help each other grow
in Christ. There are many forces pushing against this "raising up"-the world,
the flesh and the devil-so we have to be intentional. We need to do this
growing together. Our goal is not to raise up individuals but a people who are
involved in each other's lives. (Acts 2:47, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians
12:13ff)
who glorify jesus When we come to faith
our life purpose changes: we no longer live for our own fulfillment and glory;
we live to bring glory and praise to Jesus who died for us. Our very lives
begin to reflect His glory as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit. (2
Corinthians 5:15, 8:6, 3:18; 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 1:12)
by living
passionate lives It is so easy to be overwhelmed by fullness of our
lives and the distractions of the world that we settle for lives that are less
than what Jesus desires for us. Often we dream too small, we settle our desires
and longings on lesser things, we serve lesser "gods" and miss genuine life.
Our lives are meant to be filled with passion and zeal for Jesus and His life:
We are part of a greater story. (Philippians 3:10, John 10:10, 1 Corinthians
9:24, Hebrews 12:1)
of holiness, love
and authenticity We are called to be the Lord's set apart people,
growing in love for Him and for others, and living into who He has made us to
be. Holiness is not about learning rules, regulations, and lists of "do's" and
"don'ts"; it is the result of a relationship with a living Savior who will
change us and shape us so that we become like Him, living a life of love, and
are visibly different from the world around us. As we grow in holiness and
love, we will grow in being authentic with Jesus, ourselves, and others about
who we are and where we are on the journey. True authenticity only comes from
knowing Jesus as He really is - not how we want Him to be. He is the light that
exposes us, draws us in, and purifies us. As we grow in holiness, love and
authenticity, we will see true intimacy develop, both with Jesus and with each
other. (Ephesians 5:1-2, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 John 1:7, John 13:35, Romans
12:15, Titus 2:11-12)
that impact the
world We are called to be Christ's ambassadors, proclaiming the Gospel
with our words and deeds so that the Kingdom of God would be made manifest
through us. We are to extend His grace in our community and around the world as
we preach the good news, care for those in need, and set people free.
(Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 2:12, Philippians 2:14-15, Matthew 5:16, 2
Corinthians 5:20, James 1:27) |