Generation After Generation Becoming Fully Devoted Followers of Jesus Christ.
We are not just concerned about reaching this generation of people with the hope of Jesus. We want to build a lasting legacy so that a hundred years from now, many generations will be hearing the message of the gospel of Jesus. This is not just about our kids; it is about whole generations!
CORE VALUES
Rescued people rescue people.
We will not stop doing what Jesus commanded us to do in Matthew 28:18-20.
We understand the harvest is plentiful (Matthew 9:35-38), and in that harvest are people we love and care about deeply. This is the greatest way we can worship and love God and love others. This looks like:
- Inviting/bringing others to church
- Building relationships with people far from God
- Equipping ourselves with the ability to share our faith and then doing it
Saved people serve people.
We will not stop doing what the Bible commands of us in 1 Peter 4:10.
We get the fact that the world is not going to be reached by a screaming church, but rather by a serving church. We are going to do whatever it takes to discover how God has gifted us in order to become more like Jesus (Matthew 20:28) and impact the world like never before. This looks like:
- Volunteering on any number of our church teams
- Serving in one of our missions
Growing people change.
We will not stop praying Psalm 139:23-24 over our own lives.
We are fed up with religious attitudes that are extremely focused on the lives of others but refuse to deal with the sin in their own lives. We will not stop begging God to make us more like His son Jesus, to fill us with His thoughts and to show the areas in our lives where we fall short so we can repent and move forward in our walk with Him.
People need other people.
We will obey what the Lord has instructed us to do in Hebrews 10:24-25.
We get the fact that we are not strong enough to make it on our own, that Christianity is not a solo sport, and the phrase “one another” appears over 40x in the New Testament. We understand that two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9) and that one can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight (Deuteronomy 32:30)! There is power in numbers, so we are committed to large groups (Sunday services) and small groups at the same time. This looks like: Joining a small group or service team.
Grace leads to generosity.
We will obey what God’s Word says in Malachi 3:6-12.
We refuse to be the church full of people who believe God’s Word in regards to salvation, but then refuse to believe the passages about financial blessings (Proverbs 3:9-10, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15).
We know that Jesus Himself said that money would be the #1 competitor of our worship of Him (Matthew 6:24), and we also know that people who love money wind up in a lot of trouble (1 Timothy 6:6-10). We’ve seen God bless our church and others through the generosity of people, and we know the best is yet to come! It’s not just going to happen—it is happening!
Want To Learn More?
We talked all about our core values in our “I Love My Church” series! You’ve got to check it out!
First Church Believes
God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. There is one being of God, yet there are three persons who share this one being of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each Person is fully and completely God, each is described in Scripture as possessing the attributes of God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have eternally existed in the relationship described by the term “Trinity.”
Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:22, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead on the third day to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He was given all authority in heaven and on earth, ascended to heaven, reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and will return again at the appointed time.
Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 1:3-4, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:13
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every believer from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.
2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18
The Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all men. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the ultimate source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 1:13, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:160, Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5
Man
Man is made in the image of God as the supreme object of God’s creation. God designed man to have fellowship with him, but man became alienated from God through disobedience. We are all born with a sinful nature and choose to sin against God. We’re incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through our own efforts.
Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23, Colossians 1:21, Isaiah 59:1-2
Eternity
You were created to exist forever. We believe that forever is spent in one of two places: eternally separated from God because of sin or in union with God because of His forgiveness and salvation. When you die, you will either spend eternity in heaven or hell. Eternal separation from God happens in hell. Eternal union with God occurs in heaven.
John 3:16, 1 John 2:25, John 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15
