Our Beliefs: A Word about the Confessing Movement 

The Confessing Movement is a witness by United Methodist lay men and women, clergy and congregations who pledge unequivocal and confident allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ according to “The faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and seek to work for biblical renewal and doctrinal faithfulness in the life of our church. Visit their website: www.confessingumc.org

We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.

Our Values 

“Guiding Values” are deeply held CONVICTIONS that become the basis for decisions and directions as we seek to fulfill the vision that God has placed on our hearts!  Following these convictions is how we will become a Praying, Caring, Serving and Sharing Church!  We have articulated eleven:

1.    Scriptural Faith – Jesus followers are people who search the scriptures intently.  A spiritual community that seeks to root its faith and theology in Christ must honor the scriptures as God’s living word to all people, embrace its spiritual wisdom and yield to its authority over our lives. 

2.    Prayer – Jesus followers are hungry to know God better.  They are not satisfied with “religion;” they hunger for “relationship!”  Prayer is the daily pursuit of intimacy with God, familiarity with His voice, sensitivity to His call and sharing time alone revealing our praise, needs and concerns for the world. 

3.    Spiritual Maturity – Whole-hearted, life-long devotion to Jesus is normal and expected for all of his followers.  God calls all to grow into the character and likeness of Jesus, producing a fruitful life to the glory of God, through worship, study, prayer and other Christian disciplines.

4.    Everyone in Ministry – Jesus followers are called to be servants.  Christian service (ministry) that is both inside the church and out in the community is based on God’s shaping us, the Spirit calling us and our obedience to those callings!  Only as we serve do we mature in our life of faith and grow in our partnership with God.

5.    Reaching the Lost – God calls us to an outward, not inward focus.  The Externally Focused Church is always affirming, planning and strategizing around the spiritual needs of those not yet in house with the hope of touching their lives with God’s salvation.

6.    A Mosaic Family– God’s heart is for all nations, tribes and tongues!  Building community that crosses over racial, cultural, generational and socio-economic boundaries pleases God and witnesses to the world a unity that is only possible through Jesus Christ.

7.    Everyone in Life Groups – Everyone needs a safe place to belong and join with                  others in friendship, discussion and personal growth.   That’s why Small Groups are our main strategy for discipling people, caring for one another and bringing about life change.   Character transformation and maturity best happens through a committed band of people journeying together in Christ!

8.    Authenticity – “churchy people” can be perceived and experienced as “plastic,” “phony” and “hypocritical!”  This shallow and superficial world is actually hungry for some depth and realness that is sensitive!  No “quick-fixes” or “cover-ups” here!  Our life struggles are too real to wear masks and fake our way through.  The risk of authenticity is the key to hope, acceptance and true meaning in life.

9.    Innovation – Not the desire to be “novel,” but to always improve and advance  Christ’s mission through creativity, originality, strategy, outcome-based methods and new ideas!

10.  Stylistic Diversity – Ministry and worship must be relevant and timeless.  There are many ways to serve Christ and express our love to God in worship.  “Church Life” should not be bound to any one style or tradition. Our approach must be grounded in scripture, interactive with culture and fruitful for God’s kingdom.

11.  Excellence – Perfectionism is dysfunctional and mediocrity is lazy.  Doing and giving our very best to God, and to one another, is the biblical vision of a life well lived!  Excellence is not the absence of failure but the presence of a passionate pursuit of what is best and highest for God’s glory!