Every person is infinitely valuable to God; we value people and what each person brings to the table. We welcome the curious, disillusioned, and the skeptic. Faith is an adventure to be lived; we are here to help each other on that journey. We intentionally seek to serve one another & the surrounding community in the practical love & message of Jesus. Our decisions together are based on faith, risk, and love. We are a prayerful community, led by the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. We are externally focused, engaging the surrounding community mainly through their established avenues of service. Our commitment to community drives us to plant new families of faith as far as we can reach.
Community: Mature Christian ProfileMature Christians in community are open, available, reliable, and sought for counsel. Positions of leadership are unimportant, and are taken with utmost humility. More importantly, they serve naturally out of a heart of God. Influence in relationship is more important than the institutional structure; the power of love vs. the love of power. They value others enough not to shy away from loving, healthy confrontation, and always seek reconciliation when needed. They are quick to admit their faulty heart and attitudes in situations. Even when things are very hard, there is a solid hope and realism exhibited by them. They do not isolate themselves from those outside the faith community; they realize the importance of bringing the Kingdom to others. Prayer, reliance on the Holy Spirit, and words/ideas which reflect God's Word, are indicative of their nature. As a result, they can easily and gently lead others in understanding their spiritual poverty and need for Christ. They serve where needed, not complaining, and seek communally beneficial answers on all issues. They see themselves less as an individual, and more a part of the family of faith - self is diminished. They may frustrate others since what is important to everyone else is not important to them - they are seeking God. They do not act alone or in isolation, but open themselves up to the grace and direction God offers through the faith community. Patience in the process of spiritual formation is evident in their lives with others. Out of grace they sacrifice themselves for others which sometimes looks illogical. They do not burn out and are very aware of their boundaries. They give freely in all ways.
×Grace is the great distinctive of the Christian faith. Our regard for each other is born out of what we believe to be true of God; the story of Jesus. Therefore, we value authenticity, integrity, love, kindness, gentility, forgiveness, encouragement, serving others in sacrificial ways, etc. We value deeply Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself. We live dependent on God's grace daily.
Grace: Mature Christian ProfileThe mature Christian is deeply rooted in, and understanding of, God's Grace in their lives. This enables them to fail and not be crushed; it bolsters a sense of humor towards themselves and others even in difficult situations. It also drives them away from seeking things that 'puff up', such as position, power, or control. They love God completely; not compartmentalizing their lives, but wholly giving everything over to him. They love themselves correctly; having learned to ask themselves if they want to be healed, or want abundant life. They have learned to respond to the Holy Spirit in order to address their personal issues, and embrace the suffering necessary to experience that life. They also love others as themselves; having learned to look at others with dignity and grace, even when conflict happens. They treat others the way God has treated them, and do not shy away from the negative consequences of sin and its repercussions in relationship. Forgiveness, clear communication, process, truth, the feelings of others, and reconciliation are paramount in their dealing with others. They have learned to ask the question of 'why' for themselves and others to address the idol of self in all situations; they do not make up 'rules to follow' but drive towards the deeper issue of grace in light of Christ.
×We are rooted in the Scriptures; the Story of a loving God pursuing his children. It is a story in four parts, what it was like (creation), what happened (fall), what it is like now (redemption), and what it will be (restoration). The central character is Jesus who saves by his death, resurrection, loving judgment, and timeless teaching. This story extends through his followers in history. It encompasses and speaks to all issues of life, restoring our relationship to God, and bringing freedom & joy where there was once none.
Story: Mature Christian ProfileThe mature Christian in the issue of Story is not only knowledgeable of God's Word, but has allowed it to influence, and guide, all aspects of their life. They see themselves as rooted in the biblical story, which is larger than themselves, beginning in creation, and ending in the hope of restoration. They are not only able to 'quote' or lead a person to certain ideas or verses, but more importantly, are able to apply them in ways that are refreshing and challenging to the soul. Their world view is shaped by the story of God, how they view life, and reality; it is born out of this holistic story. They do not try to impress with their knowledge, but if one listens closely to the mature Christian, they can hear that their words are bolstered with the ideas and verses of Scripture. They no longer dwell on the elementary teachings, but have moved onto deeper issues of the faith. They do not try to impress, but are just 'being'.
×In response to the grace extended through Jesus, we value a lifestyle of holistic passionate worship. We seek to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to him in all areas of life; corporately & individually. One experience of this can be found in our weekly gathering in which we strive to create an open, relaxed, interactive & creative atmosphere. However, our worship extends into every aspect of our personal lives in what we believe, value, how we live, think, and treat others. We avoid busyness, but work hard for the joy that has been set before us in Jesus. Our passion for worship extends to the holistic value of God's creation in its entirety.
Passion: Mature Christian ProfileThe mature Christian in the issue of passion sees all of life as their spiritual act of worship. They have grown past the empty notion that worship is found only in song on Sunday mornings. They value creation, people, and all of life. Their decisions, inner thoughts, and heart life, are all a sacrifice to God. They have come to realize that consistent good treatment of others, and how they interact with the Holy Spirit are more profoundly worshipful experiences than occasional 'worship gatherings'. They make Kingdom Choices, which may seem illogical on a worldly standard, and are based on their calling and Scripture. However, these choices are not in isolation, they are based on God's Word, interaction with the Holy Spirit, and the faith community. Worship and passion for God, as reflected in Christ, is a lifestyle, not an event for them. Their passionate worship in all areas drives them outward to take the good news to their neighbors, family and friends.
×