Who Are We—Our Identity
A people gathered where every person can join in with God's larger story...
of His restoration of a creation riddled with brokenness.
What we do—Mission Mandate
Inviting every person to become a part of God’s larger story
(of bringing a better future into all aspects of our life).
What We Value We focus as a church solely on the mission of developing people who are becoming more like Jesus and on-mission with Him. We do this to honor God (worship).
҉ For those who want to check things out and “dip their toes in the water”…
Welcoming — We desire to be a safe people where anyone can consider the claims of Jesus (regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, belief system, life experiences/choices—anything!).
We invite every person to join in with God’s larger story of His restoration through Jesus of a creation riddled with brokenness. We proclaim in both words and deeds the good news about Jesus who brings shalom (wholeness, completeness, peace, healing) out of brokenness in all aspects of our lives. We live out the expression of this wholeness through the unity of our church.
Building Deep Friendships — We aspire to building deep friendships.
In the midst of an increasingly disconnected and fractured society, we seek to build relationships that really matter.
҉ For those who are ready to “immerse themselves more fully”…
Transforming — We seek to become more like Jesus so we can help transform the world around us—where we live/work/play.
We desire every person to be transformed by Jesus in embracing a new self—with a new power for change—living with new purpose for that which matters now and in the future. Through transformed lives, we hope to see downwards trends of negative societal statistics such as substance abuse, crime, homelessness, divorces, abuse, illiteracy, etc. as well as less mental/emotional health issues.
Loving — We love our community through acts of service and mercy.
Since God has already shown us His extravagant, unselfish, sacrificial love, we seek our community’s welfare by caring for the marginalized, disadvantaged, and poor. As an apprentice of Jesus, our desire is to always be a catalyst for creating community.
Sending — We send every follower of Christ out into our community as an ambassador of the good news within their sphere of influence.
We come together—to be scattered—to come back together. We desire to be a church where, because of reliance on the Holy Spirit and the power of the gospel, there is no way for anyone to control those sent out as to how and where the Kingdom expands. We hope to be a church where it’s about growing Jesus’ Kingdom—not our kingdom—where we live/work/play.
A Vision for Our Church—Vision is a picture of a desired future. It is a sense of ‘what could be’ rather than ‘what is.’
Where every person can join in with God's larger story of His restoration of a creation riddled with brokenness.
Where real people with real needs doing real life encounters the real Jesus.
Where every person is embracing a new self—with a new power for change—living for that which matters now and in the future.
Where every person is becoming the person God intended for them even before they were born.
Jesus transforming our lives—transforming our worlds.
A Vision for Our Community— ‘What could be’ rather than ‘what is.’
• Where our community is permeated by God-shalom as evidenced by: taking care of the marginalized, disadvantaged, and poor; robust proclamation of the power of the gospel to heal brokenness; the unity of the Body of Christ in our community; and downwards trends of negative societal statistics such as crime, homelessness, divorces, abuse, illiteracy, etc.
• Where every follower of Christ in our community is seen as an ambassador of the gospel within their sphere of influence and where disciple making is a way of life that happens inside and outside the church.
• Where, because of reliance on the Holy Spirit and the power of the gospel (not programs, methods or titles), there is no way for anyone to control how and where the Kingdom expands.
• Where the church has a bias toward freedom, innovation, community impact, and risk-taking for the glory of God.
How we do it—Strategy
Guiding people into becoming more like Jesus and on-mission with Him. Our desire is to mirror Jesus’ ministry strategy: ‘People are the method.’
We are called to reproduce, not recruit. We want to be strategic and intentional to…
- Consider and believe in Jesus (Listeners) Establishing a public presence where we live/work/play where curious people can consider the claims of Jesus, where people can begin a healing of that which is broken, and where people can take the first step of faith in their Jesus journey.
- Become Like Jesus (Apprentices/Learners) Calling people into learning at a deeper level what it means to follow Jesus by learning and embracing certain Life-Rhythms of Jesus and by growing in how we perceive and interact with God, our self, in the home and with God’s family, and in the world around us.
- Go and Do with Jesus (To make disciples) Sending to make disciples intentionally (SCMP--Share, Connect, Minister, Parent) where we live/work/play and to break new ground for the gospel.
Why we do it—Motives/Philosophy of Ministry
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
- Mission-Focused: As a church, we focus on mission (developing reproducing disciples who are becoming more like Jesus and on-mission with Him) in order to honor God (worship) where we live, work and play. Thus, all of our activities will be strategic and intentional towards this end including a focus on growing people (versus managing programs), being permission-giving based on personal calling (consistent with our mission), and, being energized by a shared imagination of ‘what could be’ (versus shared preferences).
(Jesus) “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And, surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
(Jesus) “A loveless world is a sightless world. If anyone loves Me, he will carefully keep My word and My Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving Me means not keeping My words.”
John 14:23-24a (Mes)
- Faith: We believe the gospel, share the gospel, and rely on the power of the gospel to bring relevance to every person in every life situation. A Resilient faith that brings shalom (wholeness, completeness, peace, healing) out of brokenness in all aspects of our lives.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:19 (NIV)
“So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.”
2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)
- Hope: Because of our faith, our behavior now is shaped by what we believe is coming—Jesus is coming again and new creation will be completed! God has already accomplished in the future what we have not yet reached—and we are stretching out to take hold of it. Thus, we have a Resilient Hope.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
“Seek (work for) the shalom of the city to which I have carried you. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it has shalom, you too will have shalom.”
Jeremiah 29:7 (NJSV)
- Love: God has drawn us into a oneness with Him through His extravagant, unselfish, sacrificial love—thus, we live out this expression of love with others through the unity of our fellowship – Resilient Hope Fellowship.
(Jesus) “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
“We are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.”
1 John 4:19-21 (Mes
Self-Evaluation Measures/Marks—What 'Success' Looks Like
Jesus said to us: “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!” Matthew 5:14-15 (Mes)
CROSS LIT : Let the light in your life be lit by what Jesus has done for us on the cross…
Caring: Am I moving from caring only about my needs/wants to caring more and more about those in my community?
Relationship: Am I moving from isolation to loving community?
Obedience: Am I moving from a focus on religion to being on-mission with Jesus?
Serving/Giving: Am I moving from being a consumer to a generous giver of my time, talents, and treasure?
Shalom: Am I seeing growth in wholeness of all aspects of my being—physically, emotionally/psychologically, relationally/socially, spiritually/value system?
Love: Am I moving from a love of self to an extravagant, unselfish, sacrificial love for all those in my sphere of influence?
Investing: Am I moving from spiritual infancy to parenting the next spiritual generation(s)?
Truth: Am I removing the lies I used to believe and operate under—and replacing them with truth?
