who we are ...
THE RIVER
"Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in ME."
- The Promise of Jesus ~ John 7:38 -
Mission, Vision, Doctrinal Beliefs
Mission
To glorify God by:
Introducing people to Jesus Christ - out of our love for Christ we tell others about Him
Building believers that love and obey Jesus Christ - followers who are committed and faithful
Going into the world with Christ to extend His kingdom
Vision
To be a church of healthy reproducing Christians, having a steady and consistent impact on the world with the life changing message of Christ. Because of the vitality of a Spirit-filled congregation we see the spontaneous outgrowth of new Life Groups and the possibility of planting new churches all over our city and consequently have a witness that reaches the world.
Core Values
These are the principles that empower us, guide us, undergird our work and the
methods we use to accomplish our calling.
Summary: God Centered, Truth Captivated [Bible], Love Motivated, Integrity Guided, Grace Living, Connection in Small Groups, Spirit Empowered
1. We are God Centered: Knowing God and Worshiping Him. Lk. 4:8, Rev. 19:10, 22:9.
2. We focus on Love: God’s love for us and our responsive love to Him; our love to each other as the Family of God; our love to the world of unbelieving people. Jn. 13:34-35.
3. Truth is defined and described in the Bible: Everything is evaluated by properly understand this Book.
4. Integrity is everything to us: This means that our Talk is backed up by our Walk.
5. Authenticity is paramount: we strive to be ‘the real deal.’ We are not perfect, but we are genuine.
6. A Connection with others: We meet in small groups, Home fellowships, LIFE groups. Acts 2:42-47
7. Holy Spirit Empowered lives and ministry: This is the essence of Christian living, period. We were never intended to live the Christian life on our own effort, trying to perform and impress people. Gal. 5:16-18, 2 Cor. 3:18, Jn. 7:37-38, Eph. 5:18.
Summary of Doctrinal Beliefs
1. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God without error in the original writings, completely infallible and the final and ultimate authority for all issues regarding the Church and the Christian life.
2. We believe in the God of the Bible, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the perfect God-Man. He died on the cross as a complete payment for our sins, He rose bodily from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father.
4. We believe that mankind, even though created in the image and likeness of God, rebelled and sinned against God and is therefore dead spiritually, separated from God and is eternally lost. Only by God’s grace and the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit can he obtain salvation and spiritual life.
5. We believe that the only basis for sinful mankind to be made right with a holy God is to exercise personal faith in Jesus Christ by acknowledging that His death and resurrection is the only way of salvation, and to receive Him into one’s heart as an act of the will. This is another way of saying, they must really believe the gospel.
6. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men of sin, regenerate the believing sinner; to indwell, guide, instruct, gift and empower the believer for godly living and service.
7. We believe that those people who have been born again and received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are not only [completely and totally] forgiven and become members of God’s forever family, but these same ones are Secure in this salvation for all eternity. All believers are members of the Universal Church and subsequently qualify for membership in the local church. The New Testament knows nothing of individual believers that are NOT a part of the local church.
8. We believe that Water Baptism [immersion] and the Lord’s Supper [Communion] are ordinances to be observed by the church during this present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation or providing merit or grace. Those people who have already been saved practice these ordinances, according to our understanding of Scripture.
9. We believe in the literal, personal, premillenial and imminent return of Jesus Christ to this earth, to destroy all rebellion against Himself and His rule and to establish His kingdom on this earth and usher history into eternity.
10. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead; of believers to everlasting life and joy with Jesus Christ [and God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit] in heaven and of unbelievers to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment in hell.
For questions or further discussion about our church's mission, vision or doctrine, contact Pastor Don