Our Vision
| Who We Are
Our Vision and Discipleship Process
We are a group of people who believe the gospel (which literally means “good news”). We believe and take it to heart that we are sinners saved by grace. We are growing in our understanding that we are far more sinful and depraved than we ever really want to admit, yet at the same time far more loved, accepted and adored than we ever could have imagined. And we believe that the more we understand those two truths, the more we are transformed. We begin to be overwhelmed at the love and kindness of God. Therefore, the rest of life begins to change—our ability to forgive, our love for others, our priorities, our schedules, our attitudes, it ALL changes—when we become completely consumed with the love and grace of God.
Embrace the Gospel
The first step in our discipleship process is to embrace the gospel. This means understanding the truth of God’s saving work on our behalf through the person and work of Jesus Christ, having a heart-response of faith and love toward God for that work, and making that “good news” our ongoing hope and joy. This is what every person does as he or she begins a relationship with Christ, and it is what every person must do on a continual basis to remain in Christ. The gospel is the power of God to save us and to keep us. Embracing the gospel is the main goal of our weekly gathering as a body on Sundays.
Embody the Gospel
As we begin to desire God, the next step is for us to make the gospel a part of who we are. We call this embodying the gospel. It’s the process of becoming more and more like Jesus as we apply the gospel to our lives. It means continuing to grow in our understanding of and amazement at what He has done for us on the cross, and then living out that same sacrificial love with our fellow believers. Within the life of our church, this step in the process means partcipation in a Life Group and possibly a personal discipleship relationship.
Engage the World with the Gospel
The third step in our process, and the third aspect of our vision, is to engage the world with the gospel. This was the “great commission” that Jesus gave His disciples before He left them—to go make other disciples wherever they went. When the gospel becomes part of who we are, then it will be natural to share it with others. As we realize more and more that the grace of God is our only hope, we will also increasingly see it as the only hope for others in the world around us. Our families, our jobs, our neighborhoods, our circle of friends—we begin to see these places as our mission fields and God’s calling on our lives.