These core values represent the "DNA" or personality of our congregation. We read in the Revelation that churches develop a character of their own through their witness. As we strive to be faithful witnesses of King Jesus in our own context (Jackson County, TN and the surrounding region) we look to these core values as guideposts and mirrors of a sort. This list is not an all-inclusive manifesto of our beliefs, but it does contain some of the things you will (hopefully) notice if you start spending time with us.
The Trinity is at the core of everything we do.
All we ultimately have to offer as a congregation is The Father, The Son, and The Spirit. The Gospel is not a sales pitch, and the Church is not a business. Rather, we believe that - at its core - the Good News is that the Kingdom of Heaven has come through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the King Himself - Jesus, the Risen Messiah, and that the radical invitation into that Kingdom has been extended by The Trinity to “whosoever will.”
This affects the way we view and “do” ministry. Our time, energy, and funds are not focused on brand-building, attendance growth, or public relations. Rather, we want to prioritize Kingdom growth and depth of discipleship. Together, we want to “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.”
God = The Trinity = Yahweh
When we say "God" we mean Yahweh, The LORD, the one and only Creator God who exists in three persons: God the Father, Jesus Messiah the Son, and The Holy Spirit.
The Bible is the authoritative word of God.
We believe the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus, and is a work of Divine and inspired human partnership. We believe it contains the Wisdom of God, has authority, and is superior to the wisdom of humans. We look to The Trinity to define what is Wise, what is Good, and what is evil; and we believe that these teachings are contained in the written words of the Bible.
We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, first and foremost.
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." - 1 Peter 2:9-10 (See also Romans chapters 12 through 14.)
We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, first and foremost. Allegiance to Christ ranks above any country, political party, or ideology. This priority of allegiance may often cause us to be viewed as a peculiar people that don’t fit neatly into any particular political box; but it should also keep us from breaking unity and fellowship over matters of opinion. The New Testament teaches us the the Church of King Jesus is a nation unto itself ("one nation under The Trinity", if you will) and is the only nation that will endure for all of eternity.
As His followers, it is imperative that our allegiance to King Jesus never takes second place to our national, political, ideological, familial, or other allegiances. God is not on our side; rather, we want to be on His side.
The Imago Dei, the Image of God
In the beginning pages of the Bible, God created humans, male and female, in His image. They were tasked with ruling and reigning as His representatives and stewards over His good creation. Though we have fallen through sin, God has not given up on His original intent for humanity. In the final pages of the Bible, the story concludes with a redeemed and restored humanity reigning with The Lamb (Jesus) in the New Creation forever and ever. The church is supposed to be a small working model of that New Creation even now.
Jesus, who we believe was "fully God and fully man", came and taught us through His teachings and through His life how to be truly human, and how to truly live up to our God-given purpose and calling. We can only begin to do this now through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we can only do it in full through the power of the resurrection, which we believe we will experience in full when Christ returns. When we seek to image Christ, we seek to image God. (Romans chapter 8)
In our day to day lives, it is imperative that we recognize and respect the image of God in other humans. All human beings, regardless of race, nationality, heritage, or creed, are created in the image of God. This demands that we treat others with dignity and humility, seeking to love, serve, and honor each other regardless of the differences between us.
The Holy Spirit has the power to sanctify and transform if we submit ourselves to Him.
There are no perfect people, there is only a perfect Savior; but that Savior is in the transformation business. Our salvation is not dependent upon our own ability to be perfect (the Bible is clear that we cannot fix ourselves by our own effort and determination). However, the Bible is also clear that the work of the Holy Spirit is evident in the "fruit" (the actions, lifestyle, characteristics, and witness) of all Christ-followers. The fruit, or evidence, of the Holy Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
While people who claim to follow Jesus are still people who will fail (that's why we need God's grace!), the sanctifying and transforming work of the Holy Spirit should be evident in our lives through the ways in which we love our neighbors (our friends, our enemies, our families, our coworkers, etc.) and conduct ourselves in the community.
A Kingdom of Priests
We believe every member of the Body of Christ brings something to the table, and is a part of the Kingdom of Priests. While each member will not do exactly the same things or perform the exact same functions, each and every member is an important part of the Body of Christ and is expected to glorify The Head (Jesus) to the best of their ability. Simply attending our congregation is not a long term option.
Christians should be devoted to and engaged in bringing the Kingdom in whatever context they live, work, and play in. Attending a gathering of believers on Sunday is important; but that alone is not the fullness of what it means to be Salt and Light, to bring the Kingdom in our context, and to do the good work of making things on Earth as they are in Heaven.
Children are welcome in our services.
Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. - Mark 10:13-16
Jesus did not send children away for the sake of peace and quiet, and neither do we. While we do try to keep our meetings to a semi-orderly decibel level, we cannot offer sustained periods of pious silence and study - and that's ok! We believe that children can teach us something about the Kingdom of Heaven, and that we ourselves must become childlike (not the same thing as childish) if we want to be part of that Kingdom. We believe it is more important to include and immerse our children in worship, the Word of God, prayer, communion, and other displays of affection for the Father, Son, and Spirit than to preserve a quiet, shiny, and hushed child-free atmosphere on Sunday mornings.
We are committed to seeking the peace and welfare of Gainesboro (and Jackson County).
We are committed to being salt and light in the city and county where we live, and bringing the love and light of Jesus into every context we are a part of. We believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, lived out, is the only Good News that has lasting power and influence. We do not seek power or influence for ourselves; we are here to love, to serve, and to witness to the Good News of King Jesus. Living out the Gospel in both word and deed is the best way we know to bless our city and county.
Eldership
We are an elder-led congregation. While every member of the Body has a role and a voice, we believe there is biblical precedent for and wisdom in the appointment of a plurality of elders that are entrusted with authoritative leadership of the flock. The role of elders is to point the congregation toward Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to the best of their ability, by the power, wisdom, and leading of the Holy Spirit.
Logistical Simplicity
"Church" is not an event that takes place on Sunday mornings. The Church is the the Body of Christ, a body made up of individual believers working together in service of and to the glory of The Head (Jesus, see Colossians chapter 1). Our Sunday gatherings are not focused on putting on an event that attracts people with its entertainment value. While everyone is welcome to attend our services, our goal for Sunday mornings is not numbers growth for numbers' sake.
So what are Sunday mornings for? Sunday mornings are for worshipping God, remembering the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and equipping, encouraging, and edifying the Body of Christ. Depth of discipleship is our focus, not attendance growth. Our goals for our time together are worship, remembrance, and discipleship.
Because of this, our services are logistically simple.
Financial Simplicity
Our financial priorities are focused on furthering the mission of God’s Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. Because of this, our funds are not focused on creating a certain type of event or atmosphere on Sunday mornings or employing a vast staff of pastors. The Church is not a business attempting to attract customers, or a television show trying to attract new fans. Rather, we view church funds as a tool for doing Kingdom work, specifically:
a. helping those in need (inside and outside of the congregation)
b. missionary support (foreign and domestic)
c. partnering with and financially supporting worthy ministries that are bringing The Kingdom in their context.