Each week we walk through the story of the gospel in four movements.
COMMUNITY
The gospel story begins in the garden of Eden, where God created mankind to be in loving community with God and with one another.
Unfortunately, that community was marred when sin entered the world and hatred became the prevailing principle of our hearts.
However, in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we believe reconciliation has occurred — not only reconciliation between us and God, but also between one another. In the work of Christ, our human dividing walls of hostility have been broken down and we have been adopted as one united people into God's family.
When we come together on Sunday mornings, we display the community Christ has established, and we get a foretaste of the unending community that is coming when Christ returns.
CHRIST
Worship makes no sense and is indeed a futile activity if Christ is not raised from the dead.
But since we know the tomb is empty and Jesus has ascended into heaven, we gather together to celebrate and reflect on what Christ has achieved.
We desire that all our singing, praying, reading, and preaching ought focus squarely on Christ and His gospel.
We believe the Bible can be summarized as "the word about Christ," which is why every element of our service can be traced back to sacred Scripture and the truth of the gospel.
Real life change can only happen through faith in Christ and in continuing to fix our eyes on Him, so our worship is an opportunity to turn our eyes to His glory.
COMMUNION
Having listened to the story of God's Christ, we respond each week by receiving communion.
The bread and juice — spiritually representing the body and blood of Jesus — reminds us of the new identity we have in Jesus, and when we come forward to receive the elements, we demonstrate our trust in His work on our behalf.
By remembering what Christ has done for us, both through his death and resurrection and also how He has worked in our own past, we are encouraged to trust him with our future.
Additionally, this meal serves as a reminder to our hearts of the eternal heavenly feast that is coming one day and that will never come to an end.
COMMISSION
Each week we close our service with a reminder that worship is not an hour activity on Sundays, but an entire lifestyle.
In this commissioning, God sends us back out into the world — our families, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces — to continue worshipping Him wherever we go.
The benediction is the time when we are sent out in the power of the Holy Spirit to join Jesus in His work in the world.
The commissioning reminds us that the gospel transforms every area of our life and propels us into an ongoing life of service to Christ and others.