Mission and Values
Our Mission is:
to "Connect the Unconnected" to God and others through Jesus Christ. We will do this by Celebrating God's presence, Connecting with God's people, and Contributing to God's purpose.
Our Values are:
The Word and the World
God's Word (the Bible) is our guide, providing us not only with a map for our journey, but also with stories of fellow travelers who have gone before us. As we journey through life, we look to God's Word for authority, instruction, encouragement, and direction. We look to the Word to guide our next steps.
We also recognize that God's Word is an ancient book, originally written thousands of years ago to people thousands of miles away. The message of the Bible is unchanging and at Church! we are committed not just to the authority of the Word for our journey, but to expressing the ancient message of the Word in ways that will clearly communicate to our postmodern world.
Maturing and Multiplying
The traditional church measures success by three things: bodies, budgets, and buildings. At Church! we believe that success is measured by a different standard: changed lives . We know that God is in the business of maturing: us, changing us from the inside-out, forming and shaping us to be more and more like his Son Jesus.
God is also in the business of multiplying. He doesn't just want us to follow Him more; He wants more of us to follow Him. At Church! we want to partner with God to make more followers, more leaders, more small groups, and more churches.
Gathering and Going
Originally the word "church" referred to a community with a mission - not to a building. At Church! we don't go to church, we want to be the church. We gather together on weekends to celebrate what God is doing in our lives and to worship Him. Throughout the week in small groups we help each person connect with God and others.
We know that God doesn't just want to work in us; He wants to work through us. He want us to bring light, love, truth, and beauty to a world that is so often dominated by darkness and despair. So we go out into our community and world to contribute-to make a difference.
High-Tech and High-Touch
Years ago finding the way involved a map and a compass - today you're just as likely to use a GPS system linked to a series of satellites orbiting far above the earth. At Church! we believe that God wants us to use technology for good. We are committed to being high-tech - not for technology's sake - but to better communicate to today's generations.
We also recognize that there's a potential downside to technology. Used incorrectly, it can isolate us from real relationships with others. The constant interruptions of cell phones, Blackberrys, or pagers can deprive us of the solitude and silence that we need in order to hear God. That's why we're also committed to being high-touch.
Our whole approach to Church! is built not just on gathering together in a large group on Sunday mornings, but on connecting in real relationships in small groups that meet throughout the week. We aim to never forget that the greatest commandment is all about love - loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.