We are not at liberty to devise new ways to worship the Lord. As it is written, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). We cannot worship what we know not, for it is the Lord who reveals Himself through His Word. This does not mean that our worship should neglect artistic expression, passion, creativity, or entrepreneurial venture, but that our hearts must be illumined by and surrendered to God’s holy word as a prerequisite to offering our adoration, godly fear, obedience, and praise. Without the word, there is no true worship of God, for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Therefore, we magnify God’s word with him, even above his name (Psalm 138:2b) for the purpose of bringing him glory according to his desires and not our own.
Worship
Praise is a small but significant part of the greater invitation we have been given to worship God Almighty. We are not a concert hall, a show, or performance and we do not desire to become a church that exists to entertain believers. Rather, our audience is one, the Lord Jesus Christ. In our singing, we strive to teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16), ensuring that the focus of our worship is upon Christ and the gospel. While there is a rightful place for the expression of our intimate love and devotion, we purpose that the lyrics of our songs be grounded in and oriented toward the glorious truths of Christ's sinless-life, sufficient-sacrifice, and undeniable-resurrection. Our goal is for God to receive all the glory. Moreover, we seek to let all things be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40) for the edification of the body of Christ, the church.
PRAISE
TEACHING
The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and its foremost duty is the faithful proclamation of God’s word. The preaching of Christ, and Him crucified, is the proclamation of the scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15). The power of preaching does not rest in the eloquence or charm of the speaker or in the wisdom of human philosophy, but in the exposition and application of the word. It is written, the entrance of thy words giveth light (Psalm 119:130), and therefore, we labor to rightly divide the word of truth, line upon line, and within context, that we might understand and apply the truth to our lives. In this way, the Bible remains the foundation of our spiritual transformation as we are renewed in the inner man day-by-day.
Though Christ is the center of our worship, and the local church the primary instrument for the mission, we acknowledge also God’s ordination of the family as a fundamental part of his divine design. We encourage families to worship together, both at home and in the corporate gathering. Jesus said, suffer the little children to come unto me, (Mark 10:14), and therefore, we invite even the youngest to participate in worship alongside their parents. We also encourage fathers to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), and for parents to work together to own the responsibility to teach and disciple their children in the ways of of the Lord Jesus Christ.
FAMILY
According to 2 Timothy 3:16, we affirm that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (what is right), reproof (what is wrong), correction (how to fix it), and instruction in righteousness (how to keep it fixed). Simply put, the Bible is sufficient for addressing all matters of life and godliness, and therefore, it is our counselling manual. While formal biblical counseling is available to our members, we believe that much of this counsel occurs organically through the regular preaching and teaching of the word of God, as well as fellowship with other believers. Biblical counseling is integral to the Christian life, and we are committed to lovingly point one another to the whole counsel of God’s word.
COUNSELLING
Church membership is a solemn and serious matter, as believers are called to submit themselves one to another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:21). Biblical membership involves mutual submission to the oversight, doctrine, and discipline of the local church, with each member seeking to be faithful in worship, service, and fellowship. The local church is the place where Christians are to provoke one another unto love and to good works (Hebrews 10:24) and to use their spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. We strive to foster a family oriented atmosphere, where relationships are built upon the common foundation of Jesus Christ.
MEMBERSHIP
As God is holy, so too must His church pursue holiness, and thus, we take church discipline seriously. If thy brother shall trespass against thee... go and tell him his fault (Matthew 18:15), for discipline is first and foremost an act of loving restoration. The goal of all discipline is not excommunication, but reconciliation. When a member refuses to repent, after private and corporate admonition, we are bound to follow the biblical process of discipline. Deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved (1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Restoration, is always the end goal, not condemnation.
DISCIPLINE
We believe that God's plan for humanity unfolds through distinct periods or dispensations, as revealed in Scripture. Throughout history, God has interacted with people in different ways, each age reflecting a unique responsibility given by God. From the innocence of the Garden of Eden to the grace revealed in Jesus Christ, the Bible shows how God’s purpose and His dealings with mankind have progressively developed. We trust in the clear, literal interpretation of Scripture to understand these dispensations and how they reveal God’s unfolding plan for redemption and the world’s ultimate restoration.
Col 1:25-27 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
DISPENSATIONS
At our church, we follow a pastor led model where the pastor serves as the primary spiritual leader, guiding the church’s vision, teaching, and direction (Eph 4:11-12) Following the biblical instruction in 1 Peter 5:2, the elders are called to feed the flock of God and lead with a humble heart, and servile attitude toward others. While the pastor holds this unique role of spiritual oversight, we also believe that every member of the church plays an essential part in leading others, as function according to God’s intended design for them in the body of Christ. Each person’s gifts contribute to the church’s health, growth, and mission, as we all work together to fulfill God’s purpose. The pastor leads by directing and envisioning through the teaching of God’s word, but the church thrives when everyone serves in unity, fulfilling their God-given roles. This does not mean that the pastor is above anyone, but emphasizes his specific responsibility to spiritually feed God’s people and envision them. Moreover, Christ is the head of his body, the Church, and a pastor must give himself to the word of God and prayer, for the body to be directed in accordance to the will of the Lord.