What We Believe
This document is not intended to be a comprehensive statement, nor is it a creed. It is an expression of what's important to us—core values and beliefs.
God
We believe in one God who made the world and everything in it. Each person is responsible to Him for the moral choices we make. The sins which every one of us have committed separate us from the relationship we are meant to have with God, and on our own we are incapable of restoring that relationship.
Redemption
We believe that God loves each person, and He has therefore chosen to save us from the guilt that we have brought on ourselves. Through the death of Jesus, he has taken the burden upon himself and offered forgiveness to each of us. This forgiveness is freely offered to all who believe in Jesus, recognize their sin, and make a commitment to live a new life, responding by being baptized as followers of Jesus.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is true and our source of authority in faith and worship. Compiled over many centuries by dozens of authors guided by the spirit of God, its message is remarkably consistent, direct and ultimately centered around the ministry and death of Jesus. As the Bible was originally written in the language of common people, we believe its message remains accessible to every believer today.
The Church
We seek to emulate the practices of the earliest Christians, following their example and the instruction we find in Scripture. As such, we strive for simplicity and sincerity in worship and strong, loving relationships with one another. We believe that individual congregations should be governed autonomously by local elders because this is the model we see presented in the Bible. We are not affiliated with any denominational hierarchy. We share communion weekly and practice baptism because these are observances that Jesus specifically asked His followers to carry out.
Our Mission
We believe that the mission given to all followers of Jesus is to live as he did, committed to sharing the good news of God's love and forgiveness, and to serve the needs of those around us, particularly the poor and outcast. Not one of us is perfect, but we strive to learn and grow together, encouraging each other in faith.