Our Beliefs: We believe a lot of stuff.  We believe whatever the Bible teaches.  Read on to find out the details...   GOD… - God is Great and can do more than all we can ever ask or imagine. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) - Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of God, the Head of the church, the only way to God and eternal life. "And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." (Colossians 1:18; John 14:6) - The Holy Spirit lives within and empowers every Christian. "He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:6) THE CHURCH… -The Church is God's family on earth.  He created it, designed it, and empowers it to do His will.  The church functions with a cause, a community, a corporation and a celebration. - Our Cause: To reach people "Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’" (Matthew 28:18-20) - Our Community: To love people "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:10) - Our Corporation: To empower people to a loving serving relationship with Jesus. "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:12-20) - Our Celebration: To find enjoyment in God in all we do "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1) "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." (Acts 5:42) PEOPLE… - People matter to God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) - We are born for relationships. The real meaning of Christianity is to experience God’s love and to express God’s love. "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40) - People need Jesus to be their Forgiver and Leader "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) SMALL GROUPS… - Small Groups are families within the church family "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:32-35) - Small groups provide the best environment for developing genuine, life-changing relationships. "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47) MAKING A DIFFERENCE… - God creates everyone with the need and the abilities to be a difference-maker. The church releases people to make an impact according to their abilities and their passions. "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage…." (Romans 12:4-8 ) - God’s design for the church is for each person to be an active participant. "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-20) GROWTH… - The church is not a place with perfect people. It is a community of people in the process of getting to know God and become more like His Son, Jesus. "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one…." (Romans 3:10) - Our purpose is to reach people where they are and to help them experience God’s love fully, day by day, step by step. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18 ) - Our desire is to continually grow in quality and originality. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…." (Colossians 3:23) - Our aim is to reach as many people as possible with the love of Jesus, not only in Licking County and Newark, but ultimately reaching the whole world. "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)