Misunderstanding Missional Church

I know for some, the missional church seems like the trend du-jour.  As I read through articles, blogs, and books, I’m noticing that there are strong opinions about the missional church from many church leaders.  And while I don’t pretend to speak for every missional leader, I would like to address a handful of these common misperceptions.

The missional church is a new idea
Perhaps the word, “missional” is a recent discovery to our vernacular, but it’s been around for a while (since the 1800’s).  However, the command to “Go and make disciples…” has been around for a couple of thousand years.  And the missio dei, the mission of God, has been around since the fall of humanity.   It’s not a new idea.  It’s a return to an ancient call to be the church Jesus had in mind. No trend here, just obedience.

The missional church believes gathering for worship is unnecessary
The misunderstanding here is the shift in thinking, “it’s all about Sunday” to “it’s all about everyday including Sundays.”  A church that doesn’t worship Jesus is no church at all.  But let’s not limit worship to an hour a week.  That kind of dualistic thinking and lifestyle is a dangerous pool to swim in and doesn’t mesh with Scripture.  The truth is missional churches do worship Jesus by assembling together- it just doesn’t end there.

The missional church is about raking leaves and hanging out in homes
Well…actually…that’s true.  But it’s incomplete.  The missional church intends to advance the gospel abeit through public gatherings, house parties, loving thy neighbor, serving their city, or having coffee with a friend. Whatever it takes to love God and others.  Missional church doesn’t need a leaf-raking church program to help the elderly couple across the street.  They just do it.

The missional church isn’t attractional
Imagination flows heavy in missional church. So does creativity. I’m not sure where the idea came from that missional church can’t (or won’t) have compelling environments.  Perhaps the notion came from the correct rejection of reducing the church to being a big show or a building.  Maybe it has something to do with replacing language like “we go to church” with “we are the church.”  Nonetheless, missional church believes the most attractive environments are created when they are filled with compelling people.

The missional church isn’t concerned about church growth
Any missional church that doesn’t intend “to go and make disciples…” isn’t missional.  Any missional church that intends to be a holy huddle (i.e. us 4 no more) isn’t missional.  Actually, the opposite is true. All missional churches want to reach people far from God.  As many as possible.  And if that’s happening, the Church will grow.  You can’t make disciples without people believing in Jesus in the first place.  But with missional church, it doesn’t end there.   Missional church is about two things: first steps and next steps.   Getting thousands to an event isn’t church growth (concerts can do that), but making thousands of disciples is.  That’s what missional church is committed to.

The missional church is a church model
Cookie cutter approaches are rare in missional church.  What works in one city, may not work in another.  True missional churches know their context.  They’ve studied their culture and the rhythms of the people in their city.  They look at the streams of people who aren’t connected to Jesus (or a church) and ask, “How can we meet them where they are?”   The answer to that question will result is various methods, approaches, and styles.  And the missional church has to continually pay attention to the ever-changing rapids of their culture- which means their methods will change as well.  That said, my hope is that missional churches not just change with culture- but that we change culture.  That’s our challenge.

If you’re a church leader, you may have noticed that some of this describes your church.  Congratulations, you might be missional. The question is whether it’s by accident or intention.

You see, missional churches are simply biblical churches.  The ones who “go and make disciples…”  The ones who are centered on Jesus.  The ones who love God and love people.   The ones who are sent on mission by Jesus to reach the whole world with the greatest news to ever hit the planet- the gospel of Jesus Christ. That should be the mission of all biblical churches regardless of how we’re labeled.

That’s what being missional is all about.

One Church, Under Jesus,

Jason

Tags: attractional church, Church, Jesus, missional, missional church

Who is Jesus?

This week at Project Church we’re looking at the question, “Who is Jesus?”  Here’s a little video from our friends at Vintage21 to wet your appetites.

Tags: Christianity, Jesus, project church

A Divine Conversation

A Divine Conversation
You are in a divine conversation with God.  He talks to you through Scripture, you talk to him through prayer. And when God speaks something into your heart, it will never contradict Scripture.

The Bible is personal and is evidence of a relationship with God.  1 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that Scripture is breathed out by God. That through it, God prepares us for the life we are meant to live. He teaches us what’s right (such as loving God & people). And should we believe in something bogus, Scripture can set things straight, contradict us when we’re wrong, prevent us from following lies, living like idiots, and even from following some nutjob false teacher.  We don’t make Scripture, Scripture is making us.

We worship God. not the Bible. But we love the Bible because it’s God’s letter to us. And because of that, we study it.

There are two ways to look at Scripture:
1) You stand in authority over it.  You sit as judge and jury. You cut and paste what you like.
2) Scripture stands in authority over you because it’s God’s word.  It is your supreme court.  You are shaped by it.

There’s one throne.
Who sits on it?
You or Jesus?

I encourage you to search your heart and see who sits on that one throne. That center from which you live your life.

If Christ is the center of your life, and if Scripture truly contains the very words of God to us, then it changes everything.  We study Scripture not because we have to but because we get to. To not just know about God but to know God. That’s huge!

As you pursue God through Scripture, I urge you not to read it for information- study it for transformation! As you do, you might just find that it is God who’s been pursuing you.

With that in mind, I’ve compiled a starter kit to become a good Bible student. I hope you find it helpful in your divine conversation with God.

Essentials

• Humility (Okay, this isn’t a resource but it is crucial. If we don’t humble ourselves under Scripture, then our studies will be in vain.)
• A good Study Bible (ESV or NIV)  If you get nothing else, get this.
• A good notebook (I prefer a Moleskine) and a writing utencil.

Other Resources

• Word-for-word (ESV, NASB), thought-for-thought (NIV), and paraphrase (NLT, The Message) versions of Scripture.  In that order.
• An Exhaustive Bible Concordance (Helps to dig into the original meaning of words in Scripture)
• A Bible Dictionary (So you can look up words like wormwood)
• A Topical Bible (Naves NIV Topical Bible is a good choice)
• Bible Handbook (Good info about culture of time, geography, etc. paints a picture of the context)
• Commentaries from trusted and theologically-sound writers (Here’s just a few)
• Solid systematic theology books (ones by Grudem, Packer, & Sproul are sound and readable)

Some Free Online Resources

• YouVersion (Great Social Bible Study Tool from our friends at Lifechurch.tv)
  
• BibleGateway (Straight Forward, good for multiple translation)
  
• E-Sword.net (Downloadable resource with concordance, commentaries, and more)
  
• StudyLight.org (Lots of resources like dictionaries, atlases, articles, and much more)
  
• CCEL.org (Christian Classics from Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Edwards, and tons more)
• TheResurgence.com (theological resources from our friends at Mars Hill Church in Seattle)

Where to Start

• Start in the book of John
• Commit to read at least one chapter a day or you can follow a read plan here or here.
• Helpful study/devotional method: S.O.A.P. (by Wayne Cordeiro in The Divine Mentor)

S-Scripture: Write out the verse(s) that stood out to you.
O-Observation: What is this verse(s) saying?  Why did it pop out to you? Write it down.
A-Application: What do you think God wants you to do with this verse(s) today?  Write it down.
P-Prayer: Write out your prayer to God.

The Best Question
When reading Scripture, always be asking this question: “How does what I just read point to Jesus?” That’s the key to studying and understanding Scripture.  Jesus said it was all about him. (Luke 24:27, John 5:39)

Community
Scripture is not meant just for us alone but also for us as a community. None of us know it all, but others can help shed light or ask questions that cause us to dig further.  For Project Church, we have Missional Communities where, among other things, we explore Scripture together.

A Promise
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” - GOD  (Jeremiah 29:13)

Tags: Bible, Christianity, Church, God, Jesus, Scripture

Enemy of Grace

“What an abyss is the grace of God! Who can measure its breadth? Who can fathom its depth? Like all the rest of the divine attributes, it is infinite.”- Charles H. Spurgeon

There are many enemies of grace but one casts a large shadow.

This enemy is shared by both religious people and unbelievers.   It’s a lie that, if believed, will prevent you and I from experiencing the abyss that is the grace of God.  It’s a notion that seems harmless but will rob us from the joy of salvation by grace.

Religious people often believe that they’re good people and thus deserve salvation.  Because they hold themselves in high esteem, it’s easy to cast judgment on those “bad people” who aren’t as good as them.  They take pride when they are good.  They are in despair when they aren’t.

Unbelievers often believe that if the “Good stuff I’ve Done vs. Bad stuff I’ve Done” chart leans toward the good, they will be rewarded. Either in this life in some form of karma or in heaven after this life.

Both miss grace.

While it’s good to be good and do good.  The truth is, none of us are good enough.

However, there is a good God who gave his son Jesus to be good enough for us.

Unless we’re willing to get real before God and can admit how much we’ve messed up in thought, word, and deed, we will never quite get grace.

But those who see how depraved they really are.  How much they’ve blown it. How imperfect they truly are.  They are the ones who begin to understand the great abyss that is God’s grace because they know the abyss that is their own sin.  They are the ones who love Jesus because of the great love he has shown them.   This doesn’t lead to pride and despair.  It leads to joy.  Humble joy.

So what is the enemy of grace?

Self-righteousness.

The good news?

Grace causes self-righteousness to tap out.

Grace wins.

Tags: Christianity, God, grace, Jesus, religion

Truth & Meaning

This Saturday night at Project Church, we are covering two of our values (truth and meaning) in a single message titled, “God’s Epic Story…and You.“

We are going to attempt to walk through meta-narrative of Scripture and explore what that means for our lives.  It should be fun. It should be interesting.

Join us!
Saturday Night @ 6pm
Alternative Fuel Coffee House
Downtown Rapid City, SD | 620 Main St. (next to the Firehouse Brewing Co.)

Also, make check out the trailer for our next message series.

Tags: Christianity, Church, God, Jesus, meaning, project church, Rapid City, truth

SENT: A Movement of Missionaries

Here are some notes from last week’s message at Project Church.

SENT: A Movement of Missionaries >>>

Our Mission: “To Go and Make Disciples Who Love God and People”
This is a collision of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Great Commandment (Mark 12:29-31)

What does it mean to be missional?
Being missional is a posture of being sent.
John 20:21 (ESV): “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’”

Do you know what Jesus’ mission was?

• Jesus tells us in Luke 19:10 that he came to seek and save that which was lost.
• We follow Jesus and HIS mission.
• This is why this church exists: To lead people far from God to live lives following Jesus.
• This is why we are a church where you can belong before you believe.
• This is why we say that we’re a church for doubters, explorers, and followers of Christ.
• We like to think that missions is something that happens “over there.”  Truth be told, the mission is wherever you are.
• Where we are, thousands of people do not have a relationship with Jesus. Thousands.
• If you’re a follower of Jesus, does that bother you?

How does this affect your life?
John 17:15 (ESV) - “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

• C.T. Studd (missionary in China, India, and Africa) “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”
• “It’s about replacing personal or Christian activities with time spent building relationships with people in the surrounding culture.” - Hugh Halter in “The Tangible Kingdom”
• Following Jesus isn’t safe.
• Relationships- Your relational network is your mission field
• Mission fits into the natural rhythms of your life.
• Mission takes place in every nook and cranny of your life.
• If you’re a follower of Jesus, then you are missionaries in your zip code.
• The question isn’t if you’re a missionary. It’s what kind of missionary are you.
• God has you given you burdens and passions.  Maybe you have a special place in your heart for homeless.  That’s a great place for you to serve.  But perhaps he’s given your friend a passion to do something with kids.  Don’t get mad at them because their biggest passion isn’t yours.
• Be thankful that God is spreading us out with various callings.
• Don’t wait for the church to organize mission activities. Just do it. Coordinate something. Call friends and family and just GO!
• Some of us simply need to dwell in culture more.  Make friends who are at a different place on their spiritual journey than you.  Not so you can beat them over the head with the Bible- but so that you can show them love like Jesus would.
• Too often, Christians retreat from “the world”  Some reject meaningful relationships with people who aren’t Christian.  They could never lower themselves to step into a bar or sit in the smoking section. We judge one another if we’re having lunch with someone they don’t approve of- a known sinner.  Funny though, Jesus did too.

How does this affect the Church?

• The church is a body of believers sent into this world.
• Faithful to Scripture: Relevant to culture
• Calling all people into a lifelong pursuit of following Jesus.
• The heart of discipleship is to become like Jesus.
• Reproduce disciples —-> Leaders —–> Churches —-> Movements
• Replace the word, “outreach’ with the word, “dwell.”
• How did God reach the world. Incarnated himself in Jesus.  Same is true with us.  We must dwell.
• Unfortunately many U.S. churches say, “come” to our cities when we’re told “go” into the world by Jesus.
• Being missional means that we see the church not as a place we go only on Saturday night or Sunday morning, but as something we are throughout the week.
• We bring the church to the people instead of people to the church.
• We are a church “for” the city/culture/people where God has placed us- Rapid City, the Black Hills, and the world.
• Evangelism - Not on the street corner passing out booklets and tracts. Not effective. What is effective is building relationships with people and, as a church, creating environments where an explorer can belong before they believe.
• Social Justice -  There are children in other countries who need fresh water and food and there are hungry and lonely children right here in the Black Hills.  There are people who are hurting and need a friend in other countries and there are people who are hurting and need a friend in your neighborhood, your workplace, your school.
• Here are three questions the world is asking: (Dave Gibbons of Newsong Church)
  1. What is my pain?
  2. What’s in your hand?
  3. Can anything good come from Nazareth?

Yes, and his name is Jesus Christ.  And he gave us a mission.  Right before his ascension to the right hand of God the Father, Jesus left his disciples these words which echo to us today.

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me
It’s all about Jesus. This movement of missionaries begins with him. He is our God and Savior. Everything we do is because we love him. We have all the authority we need because he’s the one who’s sending us. We have permission.

Go therefore
GO! This is not a suggestion- this is a charge.  It’s the mission he’s given us. Following Jesus isn’t an outside-in walk it’s an inside-out one. It propels us to a world in need of the grace and truth of Jesus.  The gospel.  “Therefore” implies we go because something has happened. Something did happen. Everything changed with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no greater love.  Churches are sent- they don’t sit.

and make disciples
Here it is: the charge of the church.  To make disciples. Being a disciple is following Jesus and becoming more like him.  Let us not forget the first step in being a disciple- believing in Jesus.  And following Jesus is a series of next steps. Discipleship is so much more than just knowing more about God.  It’s not a program- it’s a lifestyle.  A true disciple loves God and loves people.  A disciple continuously grows.
Reproduce Disciples —–> Leaders —–> Churches —–> Movements

of all nations
This movement begins right where we are and extends to the whole world.  There are people right where we live  who don’t know Jesus.  They have no idea what grace is. This is the gravest of injustices. We must reach them.  The same is true around the world. This is why we must multiply, start new churches, think bigger, and think global from the beginning.

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
We have to reach people with the gospel.  We will not be a church that compromises the truth for the sake of a crowd. It’s in this power that we go and make disciples. Baptism signifies that we belong to Jesus. It’s a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  It’s by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Son, Jesus Christ, and to the glory of God.

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you
Let us remember the nutshell of Jesus’ teaching: love God and others as yourself.  It’s not simply head knowledge- it’s about heart.  Yes, we teach the Bible, theology, life stuff.  But it was never meant to end there.  We love.  In fact, Jesus just commanded that we “Go” so we teach them to do that too.  Being a follower of Jesus means that you are a missionary wherever you are. At home, work, traffic, store, bar, restaurant, church, friends, sidewalk, park, movies, coffee shop, school, wherever you are.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We end with a promise from the lips of Jesus. He is with us. He is always with us and will never leave us.  It’s in his name, by his power, with his message that we go. He won’t let you go. He’s with you always. When you feel like you can’t go on. He’s with you. When you don’t feel good enough. He’s with you. When you screw up or fall down. He’s with you. Wherever you go.

John Piper says it well in the opening lines of “Let the Nations Be Glad”:
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions.”

God help us be a movement of missionaries.

More on Being Missional:

A Fistful of Scripture
Genesis 12
Matthew 4:18-22
Matthew 20:25-28
Luke 4:42-44
Luke 19:1-10
John 17:13-26
1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Acts 17:22-34
Luke 9-11
Jeremiah 29:4-7
John 20:21
Luke 15

A Handful of Good Books
The Forgotten Ways - Alan Hirsch
The Shaping of Things to Come - Alan Hirsch & Michael Frost
Let the Nations Be Glad - John Piper
The Tangible Kingdom - Hugh Halter & Matt Smay
The Radical Reformission - Mark Driscoll
Breaking the Missional Code - Ed Stetzer & David Putnam

Tags: Jesus, missional, missional church, project church

Change the Story

“Change the story.”  This has become a favorite phrase of mine lately.

I think we all see things in our lives, in our communities, in our country, in our world, that aren’t as they should be.   We can respond by ignoring it, complaining about it, or doing something about it.

Project Church is here to change the story.

I’m often asked about why we’re starting a new church.  After all, the last thing Rapid City needs is another church.  But look at the story.  The view of those outside the Church is not so peachy.  Instead of being known for love, we’re generally known as judgmental, self-righteous hypocrites.  Something’s not right.

That’s reason #57 why we’ve started a new church, (Reason #1 is God’s calling).  I could gripe and complain about the state of the Church (and I have).  But the best way to criticize isn’t by bashing the Church, it’s by changing the story.

Can we be known for love?  Can we be an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning? Can we be a church that says, “we’ll love you as is” and help each other live the life we’re meant to live?  Can we be big on Jesus and big on people?  Can we change the way people think about church?

I think so.  I often say church isn’t a building, an event, or a big show.  Church is a people.  Recovering hypocrites discovering authenticity. Imperfect people, like you and me, who are exploring and following the perfect Savior/King/Jesus.  Let’s not pretend we are more or less than we really are and let’s not forget that God is more loving and great than we can imagine.

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Let’s change the story.

Let’s be known for love.

Love someone today.

Tags: Christianity, Church, God, Jesus, project church, Rapid City

If I’m Honest

Last week at Project Church, we began a series on our DNA.  We’re digging in to discover how we can be an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning.

We kicked it off by looking at authenticity in a message titled, “Posers Like Me: Confessions of a Recovering Hypocrite.”

As I wrestled through how (or if) I should teach on authenticity I realized that I needed to take a different angle. Rather than merely teach on what authenticity is, I needed to open up and be authentic myself.  If we, as a church, are going to be a people who take off our masks, I know it begins with me taking off mine.

It was not easy to admit many of these things publicly- but if we’re not willing to be real with God, ourselves, and each other, then we’re just playing church, not being the church. And I, for one, have no interest in playing church.

So, for better or for worse, here are some confessions I shared at our gathering last week:

If I’m honest, I would tell you that I struggle with being authentic.
I care too much about what other people think. I find it uncomfortable to open up and be transparent. Vulnerability and I don’t get along too well. I know who I am- but have difficulty letting other people in. I’m guarded- too guarded.

If I’m honest, I would tell you that I am a hypocrite.
Too often putting a smiley face on when I’m actually struggling. Too often appearing confident when I often feel inadequate. Too often saying the right things but thinking something else. Too often acting self-sufficient when I really need someone to talk to.

If I’m honest, I would admit what I fear.
I fear failure, rejection, and clowns. This means I can’t go in public, have conversations, or go to the circus without a being afraid of something. God, with purpose and humor, seems to find ways for me to come face to face with these fears all the time.

If I’m honest, I would reveal that I don’t always deal with stress appropriately.
This is why I can feel alone in a crowded place. This explains why my weight goes up and down more times than gas prices. This is why I show my displeasure with minor things when it’s the major ones I’m ticked off about.

If I’m honest, I would tell you that my actions are self-centered- and I hate it!
Selfishness calls with comfort. I get stuck in ruts and conform way too much to the me-first pattern of this world. When I put myself in the center, everything is out of alignment. This is the worst of all sins. It’s idolatry. And I am guilty of it.

All that said, my prayer is for a life of authenticity. That a light will shine on all corners of my life. That I not become what I hate- a poser or a fake. That I become what God wants me to be- genuine and real. That Jesus always be central in my life. And while I’m imperfect, I want to grow up and be like him.

Authenticity is the beginning of growth.

Tags: authenticity, Church, genuine, God, hypocrite, Jesus, project church

God’s Epic Story (Updated & Clickable)

I’ve been wanting to make the Project Church Statement of Faith (A.K.A. God’s Epic Story) clickable to make it easier for folks to dig into the Scripture behind the Story.  This turned into quite a project and I’m pumped to announce that it is completed.  I’m posting it here first before it’s posted on our website.  Enjoy!

We believe in God’s Epic Story.

This epic is revealed within the grand narrative of Scripture in a collection of 66 books known as the Bible. Inspired by God yet written by human hands, the infallible words of Scripture are God-breathed, without error, and are the supreme and final authority for life and faith.

In eternity, this story was formed.  It begins with the Author and Creator of all things- the one, true, sovereign God. He exists in community with Himself as Father, Son, and Spirit yet remains one God. He is altogether good, holy, just, wise, powerful, and loving.

In love, the Author created a world of wonder, beauty, and harmony for his masterpiece creation, humanity. Created in His image, human beings walked in relationship with the Creator and enjoyed the paradise of His creation. This is the beginning.  All was as it should be.

Then the story took a dramatic turn. Something had gone terribly wrong.

Sin entered the story through the deception of an evil serpent and the rebellion of humanity. Creation had fallen, paradise was lost, and separation came between humanity’s relationship with God and each other. Life was broken and nothing was as it should be. In the darkest moment in human history, sin bled into the story resulting in shame, suffering, pain, distrust, despair, and pride. Although still bearing the image of God, all of humanity would now live in a fallen state of sin unable to rescue ourselves.

In the midst of this horrific event, hope and restoration is promised by God as He reveals the climax of His story. God would become a man with a mission to rescue his beloved creation and crush the evil serpent. God would write clues of His arrival into the story through various messengers, laws, events, and promises. All of which would be fulfilled through the hero of God’s epic- Jesus Christ.

Jesus entered human history miraculously as he was conceived by the Spirit of God and born to a virgin mother. Fully God yet fully human, he did what humanity could not do. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life teaching us to love God and others as ourselves. But it was his exclusive claim to being the only way to God, as well as his claim of being God, that led to his arrest, torture, and execution on a Roman cross.

He would show his great love for us through his willful yet excruciating sacrifice on the cross.  There is no greater love.

It is on the cross where the hero redeemed and rescued his beloved creation.
It is on the cross where the hero became our sin, enduring the just wrath of God.
It is on the cross where the hero became our substitute and paid the penalty for our sins.
It is on the cross where those who believe in him have right standing before God.
It is on the cross where we are cleansed from the curse of sin- past, present, and future.
It is on the finished work of the cross where Jesus died for us so that we might live for him.

But the story doesn’t end there…He came back!

Three days after being buried in a tomb, he rose from death defeating hell, conquering sin, and crushing the sting of death. He appeared to hundreds of witnesses and then physically ascended into Heaven and is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father.  Salvation is only found by God’s saving grace in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  God’s grace is not earned, it is freely given to all who truly believe. Those who believe will spend a life and eternity in relationship with Him. Those who don’t, get exactly what they want, a life and eternity apart from a relationship with God.

The story continues to be written through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God was promised by Jesus to supernaturally guide our stories, work in the hearts of humanity, and draw us near to Jesus. The Spirit resides within us and works to teach and transform us,  help us when we are in need, convict us of our sin, secure our salvation, and empower us with spiritual gifts to advance the Kingdom of God on earth today.

The mission of Jesus was, and is, crystal clear: to seek and save that which was lost.  And that’s exactly what He did…and what He’s doing.

Through the Church, followers of Jesus are united as one body made up of various expressions of church.  They gather in prayer, worship, teaching, community, and service with baptism and the Lord’s supper being visible expression of the gospel story. The mission of the Church is to be a worldwide movement that advances the Kingdom of God and proclaims the story of God’s amazing grace, the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the ends of the earth- starting in our local communities.

Today, Jesus Christ reigns supreme as King of kings and Lord of lords. This epic will end when the King returns to earth in all his power and glory to gather his people, judge the living and the dead, and usher in a new Creation, a new Paradise, a new Kingdom, where we will worship and enjoy Him forever.

In the end, Jesus wins.

This is God’s story.

This is what we believe.

Tags: Bible, doctrine, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Scripture, story, theology