Our Vision:
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What does it mean to love God?
Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, Luke 10:27). It is impossible for us to love God this way in our natural sinful state (Romans 3:19-20). It is only through our receiving God’s grace (Ephesians 2:1-10), atonement for our sin through Christ’s death on the cross (Romans 3:21-26), and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-21) that we can be truly reconciled to God. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Love of God is marked by deep trust (John 14:1), loving obedience (John 14:15), and a life of worship.
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What does it mean to love others?
Jesus said that the second greatest commandment was “love your neighbor as yourself”. Because we have been so loved by God, we can extend love to our fellow human beings, living as God intends us to live (John 10:10). Authenticity (John 13:34-35) and self-sacrifice (John 15:12-17) are defining characteristics of a disciple’s love for God and one other. We are called love each other as Christians (John 13:35) and also to reach out with that same love to all of our neighbors (Luke 10:36-37).
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What does it mean to make disciples?
Jesus’ great commission to his disciples is that we are to share this good news (Gospel) of Christ throughout the world, making disciples of people from all nations (John 17:18-21). Through Christ, God is reconciling people all over the world back into relationship with himself, and God has given to us this ministry of reconciliation as his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:16-21), empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). A disciple is a fully committed follower of Jesus who lives their life, does their work, and loves their neighbor all for the glory of God (Philippians 1:10-11, 1 Corinthians 10:31), and who, by sharing their faith and Christ’s teachings with gentleness and respect, produces other disciples (1 Peter 3:15-16).
WHAT’S NEXT: The Lighthouse Project & Proverbs 3:5 Fund
Our vision is to build a state-of-the-art ministry facility to meet the ministry needs of Free Christian Church into the future. The new ministry facility will have multi-use gathering spaces for various discipleship, outreach, and care ministries including ministry to children and youth. We are calling this new ministry center the “Lighthouse”.
Our Values
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God’s Word, the Bible, is a lamp to our feet in a dark world (Ps 119:105). Beyond Bible studies and classes, God’s Word is the central axis around which every discussion, activity, and decision revolves. Expository biblical preaching is a hallmark of our worship. Reflection on God’s Word can be highly catalytic in spiritual growth.
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God’s love and holiness inspire us to worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We will practice public worship that is Holy Spirit fueled, Christ-honoring, culturally relevant and biblically sound. Our gathered worship equips and propels us into our lives as the “church scattered”, living out our faith in our everyday lives. We will be quick to give gratitude to God and inspire others to greater worship by sharing testimony as a regular part of our life together.
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In His humanity Jesus was utterly devoted to prayer (Luke 5:16; 6:12-16; 9:18; 9:28-29), and he taught his disciples to be also (Luke 11:1-13; 22:39-46). The Apostles learned this from Jesus and passed on to the early church the importance of devoting themselves to personal and corporate prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:42). The Apostle Paul also exhorted the churches to make believing prayer a central emphasis of life and ministry together (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). By His perfect sacrifice for sin, Jesus is the perfect mediator between Holy God and sinful humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Through Him we can approach God now with boldness and confidence, and He calls us to do so (Hebrews 4:14-16). The Church is to come before Him continually with spiritual sacrifices of praise (Hebrews 13:15), the sacrifice of our own lives (Romans 12:1), and fervent intercession for one another and for His Kingdom to come in this world (1 Peter 5:7; James 5:13-18; Matthew 9:36-38). Prayer and submission to the Holy Spirit ensures that God, not man, builds His church.
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We strive to be an inviting church where people can explore the Christian faith. Jesus has called us to proclaim the gospel and make disciples as we go about our lives. We will therefore make every effort reach others with the good news of Jesus Christ, so that they might trust God’s grace and experience new life in Him. Even as our own transformation brings joy and meaning into our own lives, our transformation in Christ is also for the sake of others who do not yet know him (John 3:11)
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Our most credible ministry happens beyond our church walls as we serve Christ in the marketplace and world. We value active mission involvement locally and throughout the world as we seek to do justice, love mercy, walk humbly, and make disciples as we go. (Micah 6:8, Matthew 28:18).
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The journey to follow Jesus is a life-long process. True discipleship is “whole-life” meaning that followers of Jesus live out their faith wherever they are, in their everyday on the “frontlines” of their lives. We seek to foster whole-life followers of Jesus at every age and spiritual maturity level. Every person has a next step of maturity. Evidence of growth includes a growing understanding of God’s holiness, a growing awareness of our need for repentance, growing fruit of the Spirit, and a growing love for people. Mature disciples disciple others (Matthew 28:18, 2 Tim 2:2). Small groups are a critical environment for life-changing spiritual growth.
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We value being “real” with one another- extending grace-filled love, and accountability. We value biblical peacemaking, forgiveness, and reconciliation. We dream of a church without fear where people could be free to be themselves in their true identity as children of God: sinners saved by grace, confessing to one another, caring for one another, helping one another grow, “rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn.” We value holistic Small Groups as the best environment to foster this way of life.
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Our noble past inspires our future vision. The founders of FCC stood alone against the tide of popular opinion. We continue to take a stand for righteousness and justice. We continue to not be guided by current public opinion but by the Word of God and obedience to our conscience as the Holy Spirit leads us (Matthew 5:14-16).
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We, the members of Free Christian Church, are committed to a biblical, Christ‐centered understanding and practice of the Christian life, based on these truths:
There is one eternal, holy Trinitarian God, the Creator and sovereign Lord of all that exists, who is three persons in one essence – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God created humanity to bear His image and to glorify and enjoy Him, but through the sin of Adam, our communion with God was broken. All people are born into a condition of sin and death, unable to save themselves.
Out of His abundant mercy and grace, God offers redemption to all people through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
God the Father so loved the world that He planned our redemption through the giving of His Son, spoke of it through prophets by the Holy Spirit, and has guided it to fruition by His loving care and providence.
God the Son, Jesus Christ, became human, lived a sinless life, and took the penalty for our sins upon Himself, died on a cross and rose bodily from the dead, so that those who repent of their sins and put their faith in Him as Savior and Lord will be forgiven, justified by God, and receive abundant and eternal life.
God the Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of people regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment, giving believers spiritual rebirth, acting as our comforter and counselor in life, and transforming us to be like Christ in our daily living for the glory of God
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the only inspired written Word of God, infallible, inerrant, authoritative, and true in all it teaches, and guides the life of the believer in both doctrine and practice.
The Church is the living body of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of His kingdom, to make disciples in all nations, and to be the worshiping community where God’s truth is taught, His glory magnified and Christian maturity developed.
Christian Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacraments that Christ gave us to help us identify with Him, remind us of His sacrifice and proclaim the gospel of His salvation.
Jesus Christ will return in power and glory, there will be a resurrection of the dead, and all people will stand before Him in final judgment – the faithful to eternal life and the lost to eternal separation from God.
God will restore His creation and His image in us from its fallen state, and he will dwell with His people forever for His glory and our joy.