vision:
What if church was more than just a convention center to listen to a boring preacher and a mediocre band? What if it was open 24/7 for those who needed a companion to share life with for a while? A place where everybody knows your name and everyone was family?
What if conflicts could be resolved without the use of courts? What if we focused on communication, restoration, and reconciliation in a spirit of love for our worst enemies, so that on the other side we might be friends? What if we could reduce crime and reduce the burden on government?
What if needs could be met without the use of welfare? What if employers and employees could be introduced informally, with talents paired with resources without going through a formal application process for a specifically defined job? What if we could reduce poverty and reduce the burden on government?
What if sermons focused not on sin, but on the greatness of the creator and the goodness of the world he has left? What if Sunday messages were science documentaries? What if sermons were not lectures of what God had done in the distant past, but the mic was left open for anyone present to report on what God was doing in their lives right now? What if there was true worship?
What if conflicts could be resolved without the use of courts? What if we focused on communication, restoration, and reconciliation in a spirit of love for our worst enemies, so that on the other side we might be friends? What if we could reduce crime and reduce the burden on government?
What if needs could be met without the use of welfare? What if employers and employees could be introduced informally, with talents paired with resources without going through a formal application process for a specifically defined job? What if we could reduce poverty and reduce the burden on government?
What if sermons focused not on sin, but on the greatness of the creator and the goodness of the world he has left? What if Sunday messages were science documentaries? What if sermons were not lectures of what God had done in the distant past, but the mic was left open for anyone present to report on what God was doing in their lives right now? What if there was true worship?
small group mission:
The purpose of this group is mutual discipleship, helping people to trust in their creator and to bond over our mutual life struggle. Trust is the highest form of worship, and God is worthy of worship. When people trust God, they stress less about their temporary circumstances. When people trust God, they avoid temptation and can make the decisions necessary to do great things. We grow heroes. We support, nurture, and challenge. It is not enough to simply increase our number of members. Quality is as important as quantity. Discipleship is as important as evangelism.
This is not a church in the modern, institutional sense, but a gathering of believers from around the local area. Some of us may attend other churches. Some may not. We will meet on weekdays and sometimes more than once a week. We do not collect tithes. We are not ritualistic, though we will not stand in the way of a spontaneous prayer, baptism, or communion meal.
This is not a church in the modern, institutional sense, but a gathering of believers from around the local area. Some of us may attend other churches. Some may not. We will meet on weekdays and sometimes more than once a week. We do not collect tithes. We are not ritualistic, though we will not stand in the way of a spontaneous prayer, baptism, or communion meal.
What We Believe:
We believe first in truth and open inquiry. If an issue is unsettled in your mind, there is probably a reason for it. Ignoring doubts do not make them go away. Curiosity is the spice of life and we would love to hear your humbly presented theories, no matter how heretical.
We believe that no one has a complete grasp of all truth and that we are all on a journey of spiritual growth. Therefore, the line between true believers and those merely curious is a fuzzy one. All are welcome.
We believe that the universe was ordered and designed by an incredible intelligence that for lack of a better term we call God. This God is the master of physics and can perform any miracle that the human mind is capable of imagining. Nothing exists apart from him, and therefore trusting in any lesser thing is idolatry.
We believe that God lives within every person, expressing his will through a combination of our conscience, our other instincts, and our reason, and granting us wisdom when we need it.
We believe that God loves every person and is the source of all love. We believe that when we love others and are loved by others, it is God within us loving himself.
We believe that God will ultimately redeem every person and situation. For those things that do not require our involvement, we are powerless to stop him. For those things that do, it will eventually happen that we submit. This happens when we finally trust him.
We believe that no finite mind is capable of understanding itself, let alone managing its own competing impulses. Thus, all have sinned, failing at whatever standard they attempt to adhere to. Spiritual life is impossible without outside help. Even the greatest among us needs a savior. Only that which is itself infinite can truly fill this role. To be true salvation, it must be a free gift. It cannot be contingent on good works or on believing the right things “hard enough.” God saves us for no other reason than that he loves us.
We believe that Jesus is the person God chose to express himself through in a historically special way, raising him up as priest, king, model, and missionary, drawing all men to himself. Much can be debated about the difference between Father and Son, but in all the ways that matter, Jesus is God.
Much more is unsettled. Is God male? Is he a trinity? Is the Bible inerrant? Is the Bible literal history or allegory? Where do hate and sin come from? What happens after we die? Are angels and demons real? How do we balance science and faith? On these, we each voice our own opinions but have no official group position.
We believe that no one has a complete grasp of all truth and that we are all on a journey of spiritual growth. Therefore, the line between true believers and those merely curious is a fuzzy one. All are welcome.
We believe that the universe was ordered and designed by an incredible intelligence that for lack of a better term we call God. This God is the master of physics and can perform any miracle that the human mind is capable of imagining. Nothing exists apart from him, and therefore trusting in any lesser thing is idolatry.
We believe that God lives within every person, expressing his will through a combination of our conscience, our other instincts, and our reason, and granting us wisdom when we need it.
We believe that God loves every person and is the source of all love. We believe that when we love others and are loved by others, it is God within us loving himself.
We believe that God will ultimately redeem every person and situation. For those things that do not require our involvement, we are powerless to stop him. For those things that do, it will eventually happen that we submit. This happens when we finally trust him.
We believe that no finite mind is capable of understanding itself, let alone managing its own competing impulses. Thus, all have sinned, failing at whatever standard they attempt to adhere to. Spiritual life is impossible without outside help. Even the greatest among us needs a savior. Only that which is itself infinite can truly fill this role. To be true salvation, it must be a free gift. It cannot be contingent on good works or on believing the right things “hard enough.” God saves us for no other reason than that he loves us.
We believe that Jesus is the person God chose to express himself through in a historically special way, raising him up as priest, king, model, and missionary, drawing all men to himself. Much can be debated about the difference between Father and Son, but in all the ways that matter, Jesus is God.
Much more is unsettled. Is God male? Is he a trinity? Is the Bible inerrant? Is the Bible literal history or allegory? Where do hate and sin come from? What happens after we die? Are angels and demons real? How do we balance science and faith? On these, we each voice our own opinions but have no official group position.