Central Values & Beliefs
These values define our focus of ministry within our context here in Cookeville, Tennessee. There are hundreds of different ways churches have “fleshed-out” the mission of Jesus, so these core values help create continuity for our church as we do life together.
Our Central Values
We exist to connect people to the Hope of the Gospel & to the power of community with other people.
This is why we are here. The Gospel is the Good News that God, through Jesus Christ, has reconciled all people to Him. Our journey shouldn’t stop here; it should begin here! God has called us to live in real community—comforting, sharpening, and strengthening one another. Spiritual growth only happens in the context of Biblical community.
Impact over activity.
We evaluate everything we do based upon the impact we believe it will have. Being busy is not synonymous with being productive or impactful. We don’t try to do everything that can be done as a church, but what we do choose to do, we resource the best way possible to provide the greatest impact.
Church is a pathway to community not a program to attend.
Church is more than a weekend service. We believe the path for true spiritual growth and transformation only happens in the context of authentic community with other people. We are not a local church gathering with community groups; we are a community of groups who gather as one church to celebrate what God has done for us in Jesus.
We are spiritual contributors not spiritual consumers.
Everyone has a part to play! Church is not a place or a program to attend or from which to merely take. We believe that Church is a gathering of people who are leaning into a common, biblical mission while also contributing with the abilities God has given each member to make a difference in the lives of people and our community.
We are predictably unpredictable.
At times, it may look from the outside that our programming, initiatives, and drive may seem unpredictable. That is because following Jesus sometimes breaks us out of our predictable routines and comfort zones. We intentionally and strategically change it up from time to time when we agree the Holy Spirit desires us to. We believe there is freedom in finding creative ways to celebrate Jesus together!
Our Central Beliefs
The Bible
The Holy Bible is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).
The Trinity
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).
The Father
God the Father is the creator and sustainer of all things, and He created the universe in love. He created man and woman in His own image for fellowship and called man back to Himself through Christ after the rebellion and fall of man.
Jesus Christ The Son
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Spirit
Given at Pentecost, He is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).
Salvation
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).
Community
We believe life transformation happens best in community—and we live that out through Community Groups. The earliest records of Christian Faith show that the Church began and grew through people sharing life together through community. (Acts 2: 42-47, Acts 4:23-31)
The Church
God the Father is the creator and sustainer of all things, and He created the universe in love. He created man and woman in His own image for fellowship and called man back to Himself through Christ after the rebellion and fall of man.
Central beliefs about the christian life
Water Baptism
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).
Human Life
We believe all human life is a gift and bears the image of God our Creator. From the moment of conception to the moment of death, a person should be served with dignity and compassion as one of God’s most precious children—regardless of race, gender, beliefs, economic privilege, etc. (Psalm 139:13-14; John 3:16; Matthew 25:40)
The Lord's Supper
A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).
Marriage
We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God (Matthew 19:4-6).
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