WHY
JESUS
He Chose You
Jesus didn’t just choose you, He died for you. Before the world was even formed God had a plan for you, & chose you to be a part of His family.
He Loves You
He didn’t just choose you, but loves you so much He laid down his life so you could have freedom & an abundant life.
He Connects You
He wants you to enjoy true connection & relationship as part of a family, & to never be alone.
He Empowers You
You have a powerful purpose. God has formed you uniquely in Him & created you to be an influencer.
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John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (NASB)
Abundant Life:
Our Vision statement is “Pursuing Real Life Together.” This is our calling as people of God, and part of that is living in the Abundant Life that was purchased for us on the cross. Our vision is further expressed in 4 parts: Know Your God, Know Yourself, Know Your People, and Know Your Culture. Jesus came so that all this could be possible, but we have an enemy seeking to rob us of all Jesus died for. The Good News is, Jesus is Victorious! We can have an Abundant Life when we choose him and live life His way. The enemy may come to steal from us, but Jesus came to bless us and empower us.
You get NEW LIFE when you choose Jesus
salvation
JESUS
THE GOOD NEWS
HJesus came & died for you. John 3:16 tells us that is was because of God’s Love for the world that Jesus came. He loved you so much He came to pay the price for your sin. He values you, and he wants you to be part of His family.
We call this the Good News.
Jesus came to give you life. He came to free you from the bondage and oppression of your sin, and to give you an empowered life. The struggle is we often feel like we don’t deserve it, or aren’t good enough, and this is where Grace comes in.
Grace has everything to do with what Jesus did for us, and nothing to do with what we may deserve or think we deserve. Grace has everything to do with the price that was paid on the cross. Jesus gave it all so we could have relationship with him, and He paid the price even when we hadn’t done anything yet to deserve it. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that it is a gift, which means it is something we get to receive.
So what’s next?
Well the Bible tells us that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). Anyone. No matter what you may have done, no matter what you think about yourself, you can be saved, and it starts with just calling out to Him. It’s recognizing Jesus for what He has done, asking for His forgiveness for the sin in our lives, and giving ourselves to Him. All you have to do is choose to believe in Him (Acts 16:31).
Simple. Easy. And there is no formula. You don’t need to say a perfect prayer. You just need to call out to Him, & He will answer. Start with praying. Prayer is a fancy word for talking to God. It’s a conversation. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins, ask Him to fill you, & give your life to Him.
How are you saved?
Jesus saves you when you repent (change your mind) and trust in Jesus’ forgiveness for your sins. Your salvation is God’s gift to you. It is not earned by anything you do. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Prayer is a way to communicate our belief to God.
What's Next?
Celebrate! The Bible tells us that there is joy in heaven when one person repents (Luke 15:10). The next part is to get connected. Reach out to those you know who can help you on this journey. Or call us at Church and we will gladly talk to you.
Can you lose your salvation?
You didn’t earn your salvation, so you can’t lose your salvation. If you have put your trust in Jesus and the Holy Spirit has changed your heart, God promises that nothing and no one can separate you from Him. (John 10:27; Romans 8:38-39.)
Will I still struggle?
Let’s be real. Yes. Getting saved isn’t a get out of jail free card. It is an invitation to a relationship. It takes work. And as we grow and become more like God we become a new creation. Our old self is dead, and we are being transformed to be more like Him! It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. Admitting when we make mistakes, but also working to build our relationship with Him. We all stumble, and none of us are perfect. But he loves us still, it’s a wonderful thing.
baptism
NEW CREATION
BAPTISM
So, what is Baptisms?
Baptism is the next step AFTER salvation in our journey with Christ. It is us choosing to make a public statement, to let the world know we have chosen to follow Jesus.
1 Peter 3:21 says that it is a pledge of a clear conscience towards God. We are pledging ourselves to Him when we get baptized. We are making a covenant, a promise, that we are going to live for Him.
Think of it as something similar to a wedding ring we would wear on our finger. Are we still married to your spouse, even if we take the ring off? Yes. But it is a symbol of the covenant that we have made together. Water baptism is similar, it is a physical act that shows people the covenant we have made with Christ. And it is something he commands us to do (Matthew 28:19-20).
It is a picture of what God has done for us. When we go under the water it is an image of Christ being buried, and it signifies our sin and old self being buried with Jesus. It is a symbol of our old life dying. When we come out of the water it is a reminder that we are raised with Jesus. That we now have an new life (Romans 6:4)
How do I get baptized?
We currently schedule 2 baptism Sunday’s every year. These are open for anyone and everyone. Even if you have been baptized before and would like to again that is GREAT! Just pay attention and watch for the video announcements and you will know when a time is coming up.
If you’re too excited to wait then contact us and let us know! Maybe it won’t happen on a Sunday, but we will help see you baptized right away!