It’s about Jesus.
Colossians 1:16-18
As Christians, we are recipients of God’s grace.
Grace is when God gives us that which we do not deserve. His grace provides forgiveness, transforms us, sustains us, and enables our service. We are so dependent upon God’s grace that we have no room to look down on others. Rather, we are to minister grace to others. We want our church to be a haven of grace.
2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:5-8; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 3:7-8
Jesus Christ is the head of the church and its only owner.
Let no member think that long service or large gifts impart tenure in an office or control over any part of the ministry.
Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 20:28
While cultures and traditions may change, God’s Word is eternal and absolutely reliable in all that it affirms.
Therefore, the Bible shall have the final say in all the the church believes, teaches and does.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35
God’s Word is God’s tool in maturing disciples.
We purpose to teach believers from the Bible in practical terms how to live the Christian life. We will train them in Biblical doctrine and for Christian service.
1 Peter 2:2; Acts 20:32; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Timothy 4:2
Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thus, we want to be close to Him. We will nurture this relationship each day by spending time alone with God in prayer and in His Word.
John 17:3; Galatians 4:9; 1 Chronicles 16:11; John 5:39; Psalm 119:9; John 17:17; Psalm 5:3; Psalm 55:17
We will emphasize the practice of prayer.
No church rises above its prayer life.
Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:8; Luke 18:1; Matthew 7:7
In the planning process, our priority shall be to pray and make decisions at the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Seek Him first instead of making our plans and then asking God to bless them.
Romans 8:14; Acts 10:19-20; Acts 13:2; Acts 16:6
Evangelism is the primary work of the whole church until Christ returns.
We commit ourselves to intentionally and winsomely sharing the gospel. We emphasize evangelizing those outside the church as well as our won. We are here to reach Greenville, Hunt County, and the world for Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Because people are most effectively reached for Christ together with others of like interests, we shall identify and concentrate on reaching out to people groups within and beyond our community.
Acts 6:7; Acts 10:45; Acts 17:10-12
Our commitment to world evangelism includes participating in missions and supporting those who give their lives to this work.
Missions is evangelism which crosses geographical and/or cultural boundaries.
Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19; Psalm 96:3; 3 John 5:8
We see ourselves, in part, as a support group for recovering sinners.
We purpose to nurture each others’ spiritual growth by encouraging one another and holding each other accountable in our walk with Christ.
Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 10:23-24; Proverbs 27:17; Galatians 6:1; Matthew 18:15-18
We desire to align our actions, words, attitudes, and affections with the nature of God.
The Christian life is a quest for holiness. We will “feed” our inner life to be made strong in the Lord, refraining from anything that weakens our resolve for righteousness, such as pornography or the abuse of drugs or alcohol.
2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:24; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2 Peter 3:11; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16
We purpose to preserve unity by refraining from gossip, a critical spirit, and divisive behavior.
In its normal state, the church exists in a unity produced by the Holy Spirit. Disunity results from our own selfish motives and actions.
Ephesians 4:3-6; John 17:20-21; James 3:13-18
Change and flexibility being essential to church growth, we will regularly evaluate church ministries and programs.
We commit ourselves to excellence in the Lord’s work. It is better to do a few things well than many things poorly. Excellence is worth the price of time, money and energy.
Ecclesiastes 9:10; Romans 12:11; Matthew 9:17
We view the pastor and staff like coaches who equip the church for the work of ministry.
The whole church is the body of Christ, not just the pastor and staff. Thus, we commit ourselves to helping members discover their spiritual gifts and mobilizing every member in service to Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-12; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 1 Peter 4:10-11
It is every member’s responsibility to promote the mission, protect the reputation and ensure the success of the church.
Luke 4:16; Hebrews 10:25; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Ephesians 4:16
Worship involves both joyful celebration and reverent contemplation.
We will do both with the focus on Jesus Christ.
Psalm 100:1-2; Psalm 47:1; Psalm 63:5; Psalm 66:1; Matthew 28:9; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 7:1
We purpose to support and uphold the ideal of the christian home.
A christian marriage involves a man and a woman, both believers, living according to biblical principles, committed to each other exclusively for life, and seeking to rear godly children.
Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Nehemiah 13:23-27; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:3-6; Ephesians 6:4
The Bible teaches that everything in our lives – time, abilities and finances – belongs to the Lord and that we are to manage His resources in His way.
In regard to financial giving, the tithe is the starting place. We owe God a tithe, and offerings are expressions of worship above the tithe. We believe in storehouse tithing, giving the first ten percent through the general church budget.
1 Corinthians 6:20; Psalm 24:1; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Peter 4:10; Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:8; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:19-20