What We Believe
Read on to learn more about what we believe, our core values and our vision.
Connecting people to God, His people, and His purpose for their lives.
We see a church that brings a living Jesus to a dying world by helping people get connected to God, His people, and His purpose for their lives. A constantly growing church that influences its community through relevance, compassion, significant investment, and strategic interaction.
A place where gifts are developed, relationships are elevated, multi-complexity is celebrated, grace is foundational, and freedom is experienced. A church that equips, empowers, and releases leaders to advance the kingdom of God locally, regionally, nationally, and globally in order to make God’s name famous throughout our world.
Our Beliefs
The Bible
We believe the Holy Bible is the only inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian faith and practice. The Bible is the Supreme revelation from God, superior to conscience and reason, though not contrary to reason.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Trinity
We believe that there is one God, eternally present in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:26
Matthew 3:16-17
John 14:1-4
The Father
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but as a result of sin is lost and powerless to save himself.
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 2:16-17
Romans 6:23
The Son
We believe the only hope for man is to believe on Jesus Christ, the virgin born Son of God, fully God, fully man. Through faith in Christ's life, death and resurrection, humanity is redeemed.
Romans 10:9-10, 13
John 3:16
Ephesians 2:1-10
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells in all believers, and through the baptism of the Holy Spirit believers are empowered for Christian service and gifted for this service. Any manifestation of a spiritual gift is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also enables believers to live a Christ-like life exhibiting Godly character.
Luke 11:13
Acts 1:8
Acts 2:1-4
Acts 8:17
Acts 10:44-46
Acts 19:6
Galatians 5:22-23
1 Corinthians 12
The Church
We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, both universal and local, and is composed of individuals who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christ Jesus is the Head and Lord of the Church. The mission on the Church is worship, evangelism, discipleship and the nurturing and care of one another.
Matthew 28:1-20
Colossians 1:18
Ephesians 2:19-22
Eternity
We believe that eternal life in heaven is the reward of all who believe and receive Christ as their Lord.
John 3:16-18
John 14:1-4
Salvation
We believe that salvation is by faith and through grace alone. No amount of good works will produce justification before God. We further believe that the manifestation of faith and grace is a holy life expressed through righteous works.
Ephesians 2:8-10
The Gifts
We believe in the calling and gifting of various ministries of the Church, including but not limited to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers and deacons. We believe that the Church has responsibility for recognizing, equipping and commissioning these various ministries for the edification of the Body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13
1 Corinthians 12:12-30
Romans 12:3-8
Miracles
We believe that divine healing; physical, emotional, relational and spiritual is included in the atonement of Christ. The supernatural working of God makes this wholeness available to all through this atonement.
Isaiah 53:4
Matthew 8:17
1 Peter 2:24-25
The Sacraments
We believe in two sacraments of the Church; The Sacrament of Water Baptism - Baptism is a symbolic act to publicly profess one’s salvation, commanded by God but our salvation is not reliant upon it. We practice full immersion baptism, symbolizing our participation in Christ’s death and resurrection. The Sacrament of Holy Communion – Communion allows us to participate in the command of Jesus to do this in remembrance of Him. This act connects us with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our wrath and sins.
Acts 2:38
Matthew 26:26-30
The Return of Jesus
We believe in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the consummation of the Kingdom of God and the restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the prophets since the world began.
Matthew 24:42-44
Acts 1:11
Acts 3:19-20
Revelation 11:15
These Articles of Faith do not represent the final authoritative word on Bible doctrine or Christian Theology. They reflect the basic tenets of historical, evangelical Christianity.Our Core Values
Everything that is alive receives its direction for growth from its DNA. It is this DNA existing within its core that shapes every aspect of life. This same principle is true of our church as well. Our Core Values are the DNA that shapes our direction, culture, and vision. Vision tells us where we are going, our Culture tells us how we are going to do it, but our Core Values tell us why we are doing what we are doing at Connect. These 5 Core Values are at the heart of everything we do here at Connect Church:
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Engaging our community with the grace and love of God.
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Establishing ourselves on Christ alone.
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Equipping people to serve the King by joining Him at His work.
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Empowering every believer to be the Church by making disciples.
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Expanding the kingdom of God through planting local campuses.
Our Vision
A Strong Local Church
We are a local church which functions as an extension of the global Church. Jesus is the hope of the world and, as a church, we believe we are carriers of that hope! When we partner with the local church and remain planted in unity His blessing can flow. Psalm 92:13 “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
A “Living Jesus” Church
The type of church that expresses the tangible love of Jesus through an incarnational approach to the community. It is about living out the word not simply preaching it.
A Church Committed to Discipleship
We believe it is crucial for people of all ages to have the opportunity to become pure and dedicated disciples of Jesus. One of our main focuses is on teaching people, through various venues and means, Who God truly is, why the love of Jesus is what fuels our intimacy with Him, and how we can draw closer to Him each day.
A Church for the Dying World
We recognize that our world is dying and is in desperate need of the gospel of Grace. Although sin is destructive and part of the human condition, we believe in the freedom ALL of us can experience through Jesus.
A Church of Connection
Connection is the key to growth. In John 15 Jesus tells us that if we remain connected to Him that we will bear much fruit. It is through connecting with God, His people, His purpose that abundant life is achieved and expressed.
An Intentional Church
Life must not be lived out accidentally, but intentionally. We intentionally engage in sharing the gospel both corporately and personally through the gifts that are in our hands, the passion that is in our hearts, and the people who are in our world.
A Healthy and Growing Church
A church that is not growing in health is dying. We don’t simply consider numbers as indications of growth. We are dedicated to developing multi-layered approaches for people to experience health and wholeness in their personal walks with Jesus, within their relationships, and within their day-to-day lives.
An Influential Church
A church that is focused on being an influencer within its communities, cities, and generations.
A Community Engaging Church
Our communities are the spheres within which we do life. We believe that God has a desire for our communities to come to salvation and has strategically placed us within those communities to bless, honor, and impact them.
A Relevant Church
The message of the gospel is ageless, yet the methods by which we share it will continually adapt and improve in order to speak to all generations facing collective and universal challenges of the current day.
A Compassionate Church
Compassion does not merely see the need, but acts in order to elevate the situation. We are focused on meeting both challenges and opportunities in our world with tangible, transformational compassion.
A Developing Church
Inside each person there dwells both natural and supernatural gifts. Through a variety of methods we will give people the opportunity to develop and utilize the gifts they’ve been given for the good of the community.
A Church of Multi-Complexity
The Kingdom of God should reflect the people of God. We enjoy a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-generational church that reflects the heartbeat of the Father.
A Church Founded in Grace
Grace is not a doctrine but a person, Jesus. Our church is a church whose foundation is planted in grace. The environment is one of grace, and our message the gospel of grace.
A Leadership Development Church
We understand that people are created to be both followers of Christ and leaders of people. Our church desires to help develop leaders of every kind in order to help lead people of every kind.
A Kingdom Advancing Church
Our church’s purpose and approach to life is firmly focused on advancing the Kingdom of God for His glory.