Live with open arms - be a way home.
We can’t save anyone - that’s God’s job. But every one of us can be part of the reason someone feels the pull of home - back to their Heavenly Father. So we live with open hearts and open arms toward those who are far from God and those who are still finding their way. Every person matters to God, and every story is one where God is drawing people in. Like the apostles and elders reminded the church in Acts 15, we’re not here to put extra roadblocks in the way of people coming to Jesus.
We remember that Sundays are often when newcomers walk through our doors. So we welcome them however we can - helping them feel noticed, safe, understood, and hopeful.
And church isn’t limited to Sunday morning. We’re Christ’s body everywhere we go - at work, at school, in small groups, and in our neighborhoods. So in everyday ways - through a kind word, a loving act, a brave conversation, gracious forgiveness, a generous gift, or any simple expression of love - we want to help people find their way home.
We remember that Sundays are often when newcomers walk through our doors. So we welcome them however we can - helping them feel noticed, safe, understood, and hopeful.
And church isn’t limited to Sunday morning. We’re Christ’s body everywhere we go - at work, at school, in small groups, and in our neighborhoods. So in everyday ways - through a kind word, a loving act, a brave conversation, gracious forgiveness, a generous gift, or any simple expression of love - we want to help people find their way home.
Let Jesus shape you - change (and keep changing).
For each of us, Jesus has a vision: real change. When we come to Him in faith, He forgives us, saves us, and makes us new - bringing us from death to life and filling us with His Spirit. And as we keep walking with Him, He keeps shaping us, smoothing our rough edges and forming His character in us - if we’ll let Him.
That kind of transformation isn’t always easy. Sometimes it stings. Sometimes our old selves push back. But we want to be people who stay open and surrendered to the Spirit’s work.
We want to look different five years from now because of Jesus. And we want to stay alert - ready for whatever He wants to change in us next.
That kind of transformation isn’t always easy. Sometimes it stings. Sometimes our old selves push back. But we want to be people who stay open and surrendered to the Spirit’s work.
We want to look different five years from now because of Jesus. And we want to stay alert - ready for whatever He wants to change in us next.
Stay rooted in Scripture - be grounded in God's Word.
For each of us, God has given a steady anchor: His Word. Scripture doesn’t just inform us - it forms us. It tells us what’s true when our feelings are loud, it gives us wisdom when our world is confusing, and it keeps bringing us back to Jesus when we drift. When we stay rooted in God’s Word, we don’t have to be tossed around by every trend, fear, or opinion.
That kind of grounding takes intention. It’s easy to live on spiritual leftovers or a verse here and there. But we want to be people who open the Bible, sit with it, and let it read us - so our minds are renewed and our lives are shaped.
We want God’s Word to be the loudest voice in our lives, more and more over time. And we want to keep asking, “What is God saying?” - and then have the courage to live it.
That kind of grounding takes intention. It’s easy to live on spiritual leftovers or a verse here and there. But we want to be people who open the Bible, sit with it, and let it read us - so our minds are renewed and our lives are shaped.
We want God’s Word to be the loudest voice in our lives, more and more over time. And we want to keep asking, “What is God saying?” - and then have the courage to live it.
Keep your hands open - be generous.
God is incredibly generous with us, and He calls us to reflect that generosity with open hands. But we’re often tempted to clench our fists—holding tight out of fear and greed instead of living with contentment and courage. So we practice opening our hands on purpose, loosening our grip on money and possessions.
We believe open hands do two things:
And this isn’t just about finances. Open-handed living touches everything - our time, energy, gifts, plans, even our family. We want to grow in a posture of steady surrender, both in our own lives and in the people we’re called to lead.
At the end of the day, it comes down to trust. The more we trust God, the more open-handed we become. And the more open-handed we live, the more we learn to trust Him.
We believe open hands do two things:
- They shape our hearts and break greed’s hold on us.
- They put us in a position to receive the blessings God wants to give.
And this isn’t just about finances. Open-handed living touches everything - our time, energy, gifts, plans, even our family. We want to grow in a posture of steady surrender, both in our own lives and in the people we’re called to lead.
At the end of the day, it comes down to trust. The more we trust God, the more open-handed we become. And the more open-handed we live, the more we learn to trust Him.
Don't do life alone - choose community.
We value time together - real connection, teamwork, and unity. We work hard to speak with “we” language instead of “they” language. Life wasn’t meant to be lived alone, but we all feel the pull to retreat into our own private worlds. So we push back against that, choosing the blessings (and the challenges) of life together.
That’s why we gather - for worship, small groups, celebrations, meals and serving. We make gathering a priority because isolation isn’t good for our souls. We’re only the body of Christ together - and it’s alongside one another that we learn to live like the saints God says we are.
We’ve learned we’re better together- wiser, cared for, and stronger as we walk with Jesus side by side.
That’s why we gather - for worship, small groups, celebrations, meals and serving. We make gathering a priority because isolation isn’t good for our souls. We’re only the body of Christ together - and it’s alongside one another that we learn to live like the saints God says we are.
We’ve learned we’re better together- wiser, cared for, and stronger as we walk with Jesus side by side.
No pretending - be genuine.
We want to be the real thing - genuine. That means honesty, humility, and vulnerable transparency, with no pretending and no posing. In this church, we’re committed to being real with one another. When we’re struggling, we want to be brave enough to admit it. When God is giving growth and victory, we want to share the joy and give Him the glory. We choose honesty over image and relationship over impressing.
We also want to lead that way. We’ll own our failures, tell the truth, and be transparent about decisions and direction whenever we can. Not because we have it all together, but because we’re learning to walk in the light together.
Jesus calls us to love one another, and love can’t grow behind a mask. It requires trust - sharing our real selves with one another. And when we do, we can finally be known and loved.
We also want to lead that way. We’ll own our failures, tell the truth, and be transparent about decisions and direction whenever we can. Not because we have it all together, but because we’re learning to walk in the light together.
Jesus calls us to love one another, and love can’t grow behind a mask. It requires trust - sharing our real selves with one another. And when we do, we can finally be known and loved.
Think beyond ourselves - invest in the next generation.
We’re not just thinking about the church we have - we’re praying and working for the church we’re handing off. We believe the next generation matters to God, and they matter to us. So we choose to notice them, know them, and invest in them - not as “the church of tomorrow,” but as part of the church today. We want our children, teenagers, and young adults to see a faith that’s real, joyful, and worth building a life on - so we choose to be for the next.
That’s why we pour into them. We pray for them, teach them, listen to them, and make room for them to belong and serve. We’re intentional about passing on truth, modeling discipleship, and creating spaces where questions are welcome and relationships are strong.
We believe faithfulness often means planting trees that we may never sit under, so that future generations can love Jesus, lead well, and carry the gospel forward.
That’s why we pour into them. We pray for them, teach them, listen to them, and make room for them to belong and serve. We’re intentional about passing on truth, modeling discipleship, and creating spaces where questions are welcome and relationships are strong.
We believe faithfulness often means planting trees that we may never sit under, so that future generations can love Jesus, lead well, and carry the gospel forward.
Make joy a habit - keep celebrating.
We believe God calls His people to live with real joy - not as a personality trait, but as a practiced response to His presence and His work. So we aim to be “feast people,” the kind of church that celebrates on purpose. We want to say it out loud and mean it: “Look what God has done. Thank you, God. We love it!”
That means we choose light. We choose gratitude. We’re not afraid to show enthusiasm, and we refuse to treat God’s goodness like it’s ordinary. We smile on purpose - because we actually have reasons to smile.
As Frederick Buechner put it, “Joy is what we belong to… Joy is home.” And even when life is hard, we want our lives to keep pointing back to that home - God’s joy in us, and God’s joy among us.
That means we choose light. We choose gratitude. We’re not afraid to show enthusiasm, and we refuse to treat God’s goodness like it’s ordinary. We smile on purpose - because we actually have reasons to smile.
As Frederick Buechner put it, “Joy is what we belong to… Joy is home.” And even when life is hard, we want our lives to keep pointing back to that home - God’s joy in us, and God’s joy among us.