We are a people who are moving in the power of the Spirit. We embrace the gifts and ministry of the Spirit to equip the church for her mission in the world.   We seek to be a people of God’s manifest presence, so that people may say, “surely God is among them.”

DNA: Seven Core Convictions That Make Us Who We Are

In the same way that most living organisms have DNA that defines how they develop, grow, function, and reproduce, so do churches. Our Everyday DNA is our seven core convictions — the deeply held beliefs that drive our actions and shape our identity. We are a people that are courageous, charismatic, contemplative, contextual, contending, compassionate, and communal.

We are a people with a courageous fidelity to orthodoxy. We hold to the historic faith with joy, boldness and confidence in a time of widespread theological and ethical compromise, particularly in the areas of scripture, sex, money and power. We are committed to the Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus.

DNA: Seven Core Convictions That Make Us Who We Are

In the same way that most living organisms have DNA that defines how they develop, grow, function, and reproduce, so do churches. Our Everyday DNA is our seven core convictions — the deeply held beliefs that drive our actions and shape our identity. We are a people that are courageous, charismatic, contemplative, contextual, contending, compassionate, and communal.

Stories are hardwired into our brains — they are how we make sense of the world around us and our experiences within it. From ancient cave paintings and oral histories, to classic novels and plays, to blockbuster movies and TV shows, our culture is both understood and shaped by stories.It should come as no surprise then that Jesus came as a master storyteller. God created us as narrative beings and so stories are the perfect way for us to understanding the Kingdom of God.

There is a wide, well-worn road that promises to be the way to success. Countless crowds travel along it, carrying one another forward in pursuit of lives filled with meaning and purpose. Yet Jesus claimed that this wide road of the world ultimately leads to destruction. Paradoxically, he taught that it is the narrow, constricted road of self-denial that leads to the wide-open, spacious life he offers—a life lived to the full.

From TV talent shows to the court of public opinion, we love to render judgment on other people in all sorts of ways. The words of Jesus, "Do not judge," are familiar to many but what does that actually look like in practice? How can we move away from condemning others, and instead actually help them in the areas in which they struggle?

Our day-to-day lives are full of things that can cause us to be anxious. Front and center are worries about our physical wellbeing and security. Whether they have a lot or a little, concerns about provision consume many people's thoughts: Can I make rent this month? Will I have money to buy the kids new school clothes? How are my investments doing? Will I have enough to retire on? But Jesus offers us an alternative way of living — he invites us to set aside worry, and instead trust in God's good plans and provision for our lives by seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Please Note: Due to technical issues the opening part of this message was not recorded.

Every human being has a God-given desire for peace and pleasure, but rather than seeking the peace that Jesus gives and the eternal pleasures that we find in God's presence, we often chase after the fleeting peace and pleasure that money and wealth offer to purchase for us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls this way of living "storing up treasure on earth," and instead invites us into a radically different, aggressively generous way of living that he calls "storing up treasures in heaven."

As founder of 24/7 Prayer, Pete Grieg observes, prayer is at the heart of the Christian life, but yet we're not very good at it. It can be difficult to know where to begin, which is why Jesus, when giving his disciples instructions on prayer, offers them a framework that we can use to get us started. This simple, yet powerful prayer of Jesus that has come to be known as the Lord's Prayer, has been central to the prayer life of all streams of the church down through the centuries, often as the anchor for the ancient practice of a daily prayer rhythm.

If we're honest with ourselves, many of us take on different personas throughout our week depending on whom we're trying to impress or curry favor with, often without even realizing it. We can be doing all sorts of good things, but often with selfish motives. Living this way is exhausting, but Jesus invites us to live a much simpler life — a life where we do the right things for the right reason, because we are not performing for the approval of other people, but living for an audience of one.