Christ-Centered

Jesus Christ is at the heart of our faith. The Church aims to focus on Christ in everything, as stated in Colossians 1:18. This means Jesus is central to our worship, our purpose, our character, and our unity. He saves us (Acts 4:12), guides us (John 14:6), inspires us, and leads us. Jesus is our example and the reason for our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus shows us what God is like (John 14:9). He fulfills God's promises and perfectly represents God's goodness (Hebrews 1:3).

We hope to see Jesus one day (1 John 3:2). Our goal is to honor Him, be like Him, know Him better, and tell others about Him (2 Peter 3:18, Matthew 28:19-20).

God wants His Church to center on Jesus in many ways: listening to Him (Luke 9:35), believing in Him (John 3:16), loving Him (John 14:15), worshiping Him (Revelation 5:12-13), knowing Him (Philippians 3:10), obeying Him (John 14:23), imitating Him (1 Corinthians 11:1), talking about Him, and relying on Him (2 Corinthians 12:9). All believers are united in Christ, saved by Him, and growing to be more like Him (Ephesians 4:15). One day, everyone will recognize Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). He is the focus of history and will be the center of worship in Heaven. The Church should be a growing community that puts Christ first.

Community

The Church aims for unity in Christ (Ephesians 4:3). True unity only happens through common faith in Jesus. Christian community helps us learn and practice being like Christ together (Hebrews 10:24-25). We use our different gifts to support each other (1 Corinthians 12:7). In community, we follow the Bible's teachings about how to treat one another. We learn from each other, love each other (John 13:34-35), encourage each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and pray for each other (James 5:16). This strengthens our faith and helps us share Christ with others.

Spiritual growth happens best in community. God has given each believer special abilities to help others grow (1 Peter 4:10). We need different gifts because no one has them all (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). As we use our gifts to help each other, we all become more like Christ. It's important for each person to actively seek community to help everyone grow.

This means just going to church and listening to sermons isn't enough. We need to make an effort to connect with other believers (Acts 2:42-47). If we don't, we miss out on growth, and so does the whole church community.

Church leaders should guide this Christ-centered community by teaching truth (2 Timothy 4:2), helping believers use their gifts, setting a good example (1 Peter 5:2-3), and protecting the community from problems that could divide or mislead it (Acts 20:28-31).

Community isn't the end goal. It's how we honor Christ and experience His love by sharing it with each other (1 John 4:11-12).

A Christ-centered community is built on sound teaching (2 Timothy 3:16-17), good character (Galatians 5:22-23), caring for each other (Galatians 6:2), sharing life together (Acts 2:44-45), and holding each other accountable (Galatians 6:1). We pursue truth, love, and holiness together.

When a community member sins, others remind them of their faith and help them stay on track (James 5:19-20). In serious cases, this might lead to church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17).