We don’t see the church as a building you go to; rather, we see ourselves as the church living daily life with Gospel intentionality. Below you will find the normal rhythms of life that are lived within every culture. As Christ’s people, we try not to add a bunch of extra things to our already busy lives. Instead, we try to capitalize on what we are already doing in life—doing regular life with gospel intentionality.
STORY
Everyone’s life is shaped by a dominant story.
As a church, we take time to be shaped by God’s story. God has been unfolding His story since before time began. We believe we are participants in His story and need to understand it and see how our lives intersect with it. Therefore, we regularly reacquaint ourselves with God's story by interacting with God's Word. We look for ways and times to tell His story often. We also take time to listen to others' stories to know how to bless them best and to help them see their lives redeemed within God's story.
(Genesis 1:1–2; Psalm 1:1–6; John 1:1; 2 Timothy 3:16–17)
LISTEN
We set aside regular time to listen to God both backward and forward.
Jesus listened to God in prayer to know His Father's will. We are also called to listen to God. We listen backward by regularly interacting with God through His Word by studying it independently and by learning from the Bible within our church community as well. We listen forward by making space to hear His Spirit guiding and directing us. We also take time to listen well to one another, ensuring we know one another's stories so we might know how to care for and bless one another best.
(Mark 1:35–37; John 14:25–26; 16:7–15; Hebrews 1:1–3; Romans 1:20)
EAT
We eat meals with others and invite them into the community of God.
Meals are a daily reminder of our common need for God to provide for us—both physically and spiritually. Jesus called us to remember Him and His sacrifice for us through a meal. When we eat together, we commune around this truth. We regularly eat meals with those who are not always in our immediate family or circle of close friends, and we disciple them toward a life of dependence on God.
(Leviticus 23:1–44; Matthew 6:11; 26:17–30; Acts 2:46–47; Romans 12:13)
BLESS
We intentionally bless others through words, gifts, and actions.
God desires that all nations—all people—would be blessed through Jesus. The church is the body of Jesus through which He blesses people. We believe everything we have been given is not just for us but so that God might bless others through us. We have been blessed to be a blessing. We intentionally seek God's direction for whom He would have us tangibly bless each week.
(Genesis 12:1–3; Ephesians 1:22–23; 2:8–10; 1 Peter 2:12)
CELEBRATE
We gather together to celebrate God's extravagant blessings.
God calls people to celebrate His goodness and grace regularly. We gather together weekly in missional communities called Life Groups, and regularly as a larger church family on Sundays, to celebrate through song, preaching, communion, and personal stories regarding all that God is doing in and among us. We invite everyone we can to join us in these celebrations as a way of displaying God's glory in His people. We also join the celebrations of others in our city and communities with the intent of bringing greater joy into the celebration.
(Leviticus 23:1–44; Acts 2:42–47; Hebrews 10:24–25)
WORK
We work hard to give glory to God as continues His creative, sustaining, and redeeming work through human labor.
Human labor has intrinsic value because through it we are able to “image” or reflect the Creator. God is the “vocational model,” describing the various sorts of work He does, and how numerous human vocations give expression to these aspects of His work. In all these ways, God continues His creative, sustaining, and redeeming work through human labor. This gives our labor great dignity and purpose. Vocational stewardship begins by celebrating the work itself, recognizing that God cares about it, and understanding that He will accomplish His purposes through it.
(Genesis 1-3; Proverbs 13:4; Colossians 3:23; Titus 2:7-8)
RE-CREATE AND REST
We take time to rest, play, and create, with the intention of bringing about restoration to people and places.
After powerfully and joyfully creating the universe, God rested. We were created in His image and therefore were made to create joyfully and rest. Rest and play show we trust God to do great work even when we aren't working. As we come to know, trust, and worship God, we become more rested and creative.