Who We Are

The ancient church father St. Augustine offers a helpful framework for a church’s shared beliefs: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.” The essentials are the anchors that hold us together. The non-essentials, while important, are best approached with liberty—honoring the dignity and diversity within the body of Christ. As for the essentials, the clearest expression of our core beliefs is the same one the Church has affirmed since its earliest days: the Apostles' Creed.

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic (universal) church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

These are the core beliefs the church has considered essential for 2,000 years, and the core beliefs we hold as well. 

The Gospel story, which spans the full biblical narrative, can be summarized in 4 major archs: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Renewal. We are invited to become part of this story through following the way of Jesus. 

Creation
God’s creation was an uncorrupted place of human flourishing through union with God and one another.

Fall
Humanity rebelled against God, rejecting God's wisdom for our own, resulting in the corruption of creation.

Redemption 
God’s long story of redemption begins with Abraham and Sarah. The Old Testament unfolds as a story longing for resolution—one that finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus completes the promise to bless all nations, making a way for all people to be redeemed.

Renewal
God’s plan is for the renewal of all creation, and the Scripture ends with heaven and earth restored as one.

Theologian N.T Wright articulates the gospel simply as, "The gospel is the good news that the crucified and risen Jesus is Lord. This means that through him, God’s new creation has begun, and we are invited to be part of it."

Most churches respond to this question with something like: “We believe the Bible—all 66 books—is divinely inspired, and therefore completely true and trustworthy.” We fully agree. However, we also recognize that this response often misses the heart behind the question. People aren’t usually asking for a theological statement—they want to understand how we actually approach the Bible. How do we read and apply it? Is it still relevant today? How does it shape our views on faith, morality, and everyday life? For that reason, we believe it's more helpful to describe how we engage with Scripture.

The Bible is Human and Divine Literature
The Bible was written in collaboration with human beings and God's Spirit. God used human means to produce and preserve what He intended to reveal about Himself and His world. 

The Bible is Ancient Literature  
Every book of the Bible was written to a particular people, in a particular time, in a particular place, and none of those people were 21st century Americans. Therefore, we need to recognize and understand the historical and cultural context in which the BIble was written to apply it to our lives today. 

The Bible is Communal Literature
The Bible was designed to be read within a community of people who seek to be transformed by its teaching and message. 

The Bible is Meditation Literature
The Bible was designed to reveal deeper truth and insight when read and re-read over the course of a lifetime. 

The Bible is Transformative Literature 
The Bible does not intend for us to learn new facts and memorize religious doctrines. Rather it invites us to go on a journey of character transformation that leads to wise living.