Core Values
Our core values serve as a reminder of the significance of people, community, and collaboration versus competition. To us, people matter more than programs. We are committed to the continual evaluation of our existing programming to ensure people are being well served. Restoring the image of God looks different from person to person, and we want our programming to be driven by the needs of people rather than people being driven by our programming.
Every member has a ministry where they live, work, study, and recreate. Our gatherings prepare members to connect with God and others in our communities because the world God cares about is largely out there. The value of collaboration versus competition is also essential to our mission. The movement of God is not limited to what can only be funneled through our church. If someone is already doing valuable
work in the kingdom, then we want to collaborate rather than compete.
We believe there is a greater blessing in the applause of heaven than in the praise of men. The priorities and five essential functions of the Church where these core values are expressed are as follows:
Worship
To participate in vital worship experiences with the Living God through personal daily devotions, family devotions, community groups, and public celebrations (John 4:24; Hebrews 10:25; Mark 12:30).
Ministry
To serve unselfishly, in Jesus' name, meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in the Church, community, and the world. (I Peter 4:10-11; Matthew 25:34-40; I Thessalonians 5:11; Galatians 5:13; Mark 12:31).
Discipleship
To continually grow toward full Christian maturity in attitude, character, and action by learning to obey everything God has commanded in His Word and teaching others to do the same. (Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 28:20; 2 Timothy 2:2)
Evangelism
To share the good news of Jesus Christ with people in our community and throughout the world. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Peter 3:9)
Fellowship
To encourage, support, and pray for each other as members of the family of God and to share our lives together. (1 John 1:7; Acts 2:44-47; Hebrews 10:23-25; Romans 15:5,7; John 13:34-35)
Christ, Community,
Courage.
We believe that the previous core values can be spelled out in what will be known as the three C’s: Christ, Community, and Courage.
Gather in Christ
We believe that preaching Christ and His gospel at all of our gatherings is essential to our worship. We want to follow the example of the early apostles in Acts 5:2 as they gathered within the temple and preached Christ as the Messiah. All of our worship will be making much of Christ.
Grow in Community
We believe and affirm Acts 2:46, that Christ's followers met and broke bread together. All of the gatherings that we have at Grace Community are a time for us to be in a deep community with each other. We want to be a church that shows the outside world what true community and friendship mean.
Go in Courage
We believe in sharing our faith with others, at school, at work, and at our places of play. We affirm the words of Paul in Romans 10:14 that the world around us will not know unless the gospel is proclaimed. Our hope is that as we preach and gather that we encourage each other to share our faith with others.
Statement Of Beliefs
In doctrinal matters, the Church strives for three things: (1) In essential matters, unity. (2) In non-essential issues, liberty. (3) In all things, love. We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God and as the only basis for our beliefs. Our core beliefs declare that there is only one God who has eternally existed in three persons. Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity and came to earth and modeled a perfect life of obedience. His death on the cross and resurrection changed the world and now provide forgiveness of sins to all who come to salvation by faith. Although He was fully God, He was also fully man and is the only mediator between God and man. The Scriptures give eyewitness accounts of this and are authoritative and true. From Genesis to Revelation, the great redemptive movement of God centers on Jesus to save man from himself and the consequences of sin and bring man back to a restored relationship with our Creator. The salvation of mankind is God's initiative and a work of grace as the Holy Spirit takes up residence in all believers. Those who have been rescued by God join a new and lasting family called the Church and continue the cause of Christ.
-Essential Beliefs-
The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation through Christ for its purpose, and truth without any mixture of error for its content. It reveals the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, it is and shall remain to the end of the world the true center of the Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
The True God
We believe that there is one true God, who is living and true. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. He is the source of all life and the Ruler of all things. He exists in a community within himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Equal in all parts but distinct in roles and actions. He is worthy of all praise and honor from His creation and creatures.
Humanity
We believe that humanity is a special creation of God, created in His image and likeness. We believe that God created man and woman as distinct genders to bring forth His glory. We believe that marriage is the gift of God to represent the Gospel by uniting one man and one woman together for a lifetime.
The Fall
Humanity was created in holiness, under the law of God. However, they voluntarily broke that law and as a result, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but by choice. Being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, they are now positively inclined to evil. Therefore, mankind stands under just condemnation, judgment, and eternal ruin without defense or excuse.
Jesus Christ and Salvation
We believe that salvation is entirely of grace and not of works. It is obtained by Jesus Christ our Lord. He willingly took on human flesh, yet without sin. He honored God's law with perfect obedience. He then died upon the cross bearing the sins of the world on himself making atonement and justification for all mankind. He was buried in a borrowed tomb and rose again on the 3rd day defeating death and the grave. He now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for humanity as the perfect and sympathetic high priest.
Justification
We believe that by Christ's death and resurrection he secures the justification of sinners who place faith in him. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life. This is imputed to sinners freely by God and not by any works done by man. Justification brings us, immediately at the time of salvation, into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
Freeness of Salvation
We believe that salvation is a free gift to all who accept it by faith. It is the duty of man to accept this free gift by repentance of sin and obedient faith. There is no sin that could prevent the worst sinner from accepting this gift except his or her own rejection of it. This serves to only magnify their own depravity and need for this gift to restore a right relationship with God.
Regeneration
We believe that sinners must be regenerated/born again to be saved. This is a work done by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation and thus changes the person's disposition to repent and believe the Gospel. Evidence of one’s regeneration is a changed life to obey the Word of God by bearing fruit in daily life.
Repentance and Faith
We believe that for a person to be saved, they must repent of their sins by faith. We believe that God convicts us of our sins and the danger of eternal separation from Him and that by placing faith in Christ we can escape that dreadful fate. This causes man to turn from his or her sin in sorrow and confession, pleading for mercy and accepting the gift and work of Christ on the cross. Thus calling Jesus to be our all-sufficient Savior and sustainer for all eternity.
God's Purpose of Grace
We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God to which He most graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. Election is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man and includes all the means of one's salvation and eternal life. It is a display of God's glory, sovereignty, and goodness. It eliminates the ability for man to boast in salvation and forces all glory to God alone. It promotes prayer, humility, love, and praise. Its effects are felt by all those who truly believe the Gospel. It is also the foundation of Christian assurance.
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the working of God to make man partakers of His holiness. It is a progressive work that spans a person's entire life. This work begins at the moment of regeneration and is aided by the power of the Holy Spirit. It includes active work by the believer such as self-examination, self-denial, prayer, and community within a local church body.
Perseverance of the Saints
We believe that all true believers will persevere to the end. That they are kept by the power of the Holy Spirit and will endure hardships and even seasons of unfaithfulness only to return to Christ and repent. We affirm the words of Christ that none given to him will be plucked from His hand.
The Church
We believe that the church consists of a congregation of baptized believers that are joined together by covenant and faith in the Gospel. A visible local church is one that observes the ordinances of Christ, that being baptism and the Lord's Supper. It is governed by the Scriptural offices of Elders(pastors) and served by Deacons. The qualifications for these offices are laid out in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus.
The Ordinances
We believe that Scripture gives all believers two observable ordinances, these being Baptism and The Lord's Supper. We affirm that Baptism is by immersion of a confessed believer into water. This is to be done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is an outward manifestation and expression of one's new life in Christ. Baptism is also a prerequisite for membership into the global and local church. It also is required for one to observe the Lord's Supper with other believers. We also believe and acknowledge that the Supper is a symbolic act of celebration of the dying love of Christ for all believers. The supper is to be used by the fruit of the vine and bread in accordance to and obedience to the Scriptures. These two ordinances belong to the gathered local body and serve as a mark to believers from unbelievers from the world.
The Lord's Day
We believe and affirm that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution and is to be regularly observed. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and points all believers to the rest that awaits them. It includes exercises of worship and devotion, both public and private. All activities should be a reflection of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is by divine appointment for the benefit of the good order of human society. We believe in the commitment to pray for government officials and to honor them in accordance with the Scriptures. The exception to this matter is for matters that contradict Scripture and the commands of Christ, who is the King and Ruler of all things.
Last Things
We believe that the end of the world is approaching. We affirm that Christ will descend from heaven and rescue the church and punish the wicked. Then a solemn separation will take place for the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous will enjoy eternal life and joy with God in heaven. The unrighteous will enter into eternal punishment and separation from the love of God and will experience His wrath and judgment.