The Gospel is the overarching story of the Bible. It is a grand story that begins with creation in Genesis and culminates in Jesus as the climax. Jesus himself read the entire Bible as leading to himself (Luke 24:27). The Old Testament begins with the books of Moses and ends with the prophets. So when Jesus explained that "beginning with Moses and all the prophets" spoke of himself, he was explaining that all of the Old Testament, from the very beginning to the very end, led to him. Not just a few prophecies here and there, but the whole of the hebrew scriptures. The law, the psalms, the prophets, the tales of judges and kings, all of it.

We believe the Bible is a story, part of our story even. We value remebering the stories of what God did for us, and passing them on (Deut 4:10). Jesus tells us to remember him whenever we eat or drink the Lord's Supper. Remembering and retelling the story of what God has done for us is central to what the Bible is and what we're commanded to do. Jesus told a man he had healed to " Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (Mark 5:19). The Bible itself is a collection of retellings. It is story after story about encounters with God, Jesus, and the Spirit.

We also value listening. Listening to the Bible story, since that is how we came to believe and receive abundant life; But also listening to other stories. Stories of those around us, of those who are hurting, and of those who are lost. In Luke 24, Jesus invites the disciples on the road to Emmaus to tell their story. The two proceeded to tell an incomplete story, one that ends in despair and dejection. It was into this incomplete story that Jesus spoke the full and complete Bible story, culminating in himself.

The Bible story tells of God’s covenant with Israel; God’s commitment to the people that He will be their God and be with them. Throughout the Bible God acts in many ways to fulfill his covenant with Israel. He led them out of Egypt, protected them against enemies, saved a remnant in Babylon, and much more. Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection should be seen as a continuation and the culmination of that covenant. It was the climax to an unbreakable commitment and a deeply rooted promise that began with the creation of the world.

We want to experience this type of faithful love, which is why one of our values is rootedness. We will tell stories of how God has been faithful throughout our personal lives and to our families. We will remember and meditate on God’s love, we want to be rooted in it. Roots are the hidden foundation of a tree. Even though winds or storms can rock a tree above ground, deep roots keep it steady below ground. So many people in our society are dealing with the winds of change without anything steady to root themselves in. Parents leave, spouses leave, even morality seems to change. What is the same?

Therefore, our Church also aims to demonstrate this type of steadiness in our relationships. We value commitment and long term relationships. We want to love each other with the kind of long-term love that God loves us with. We want others, who don't necessarily know God's love, to see a bit of it reflected in our community. This doesn't mean we never move away or that we don't change. What it does mean is that we'll take moving very seriously and grieve appropriately for the loss of relationships rather than pretend we're losing nothing. We want to honor the people in our past who have left the church or who have stayed for a long time.

And finally, we want to honor the traditions and long history of Christianity. God has been faithful not just to Israel, but also to the Christian church for thousands of years. We want to acknowledge that by participating in some of the longstanding traditions and rituals of the church. We want to recite verses and creeds that have been recited for centuries. We want to tell stories of past Christian heroes and church fathers. God has been there for a long long time and he will continue to be there for us.

The Bible story begins with a focus on a particular identity. At first it may seem narrow and specific, a single nation, much like other national group identities. But the full story of the gospel culminates in that particular ethnic identity, not being dismantled, but rather being renewed and redeemed into a higher group identity. That group identity is the body of Christ. Human beings have a higher calling beyond our human group identities toward a group identity marked not by exclusion, but by embrace. One of the biggest markers of the Christian identity was inclusion and acceptance. Yes, there were boundary lines; not everyone was a Christian. But these boundary lines were marked by faith, not by skin color, ethnicity, or merit. Rather, they were marked by the willingness to give one’s life for Christ.

Our church values that group identity: “the body of Christ”. An identity with a purpose beyond elevating itself or its own members. An identity that is inclusive, invitational, and goes beyond human boundary lines.

Jesus personally extended relational acceptance and belonging before requiring his followers to believe in him. Many of his disciples did not even know that he was the Messiah when they first started following him. It was through their relationship and observing him that they discovered the truth of who Christ really was. With Zacchaeus and Matthew, Jesus offered relationship before requiring faith and obedience. They didn’t even know who he was, but he asked to eat with them and extended relationship first.

In the same way, our church values extending relationship and belonging to those who don’t know Jesus. Sometimes it might take a long time. Sometimes it might be quick. But belonging typically comes before believing. Group identity typically shapes beliefs rather than beliefs sorting people into groups. The group influences how we think if we feel like we really belong and are accepted into that group. A non-believer may not be open to Jesus, God, and the resurrection, but if they are attracted to a group of Christians and feel like they fully belong to that group in terms of identity, their beliefs will often change as a result.

The Gospel tells the story of how a broken humanity and broken creation. Almost every major character in it's pages is shown to be broken and deeply flawed. But individuals are not the only broken ones. In the Bible, sin is often treated corporately. The Bible constantly talks about the entire nation of Israel sinning against God. The people as a whole come and repent. And ultimately, Jesus, who committed no sin, took responsibility for the sins of not only his people, but of the entire world.

The effects of sin are wide and deep, yet the Bible story speaks to how God continues to work with humanity. Ultimately, through Jesus Christ, the Bible puts forth a radical solution: restoration and reconciliation. Not only for individuals, but for all of humanity and all of creation. The Bible does not abandon the broken, but addresses it and redeems it.

That is why one of our values is Biblical restoration. In order to move towards it, we start by being open and vulnerable about sin and brokenness. We cannot pretend that the things Christ came to redeem do not even exist. Next, we understand that sin affects more than just one individual. We value taking responsibility for the addictions of others in our community. We hope to shape individuals by shaping the culture of our community. And finally, we value Biblical restoration. We are not satisfied with simply severing broken relationships or hiding broken people.

True life change and truly reconciled relationships in our church community will be an inarguable testimony for the Gospel. Our church community hopes to have people truly forgiving each other; this will be something that the world does not have and cannot provide. We want to demonstrates to the wider world that the Gospel knows something about love that they don’t. True healing and restored relationships are a tangible result of the gospel that is not only extremely attractive, they really cannot be ignored.

The Bible speaks to the power of the Gospel story to change lives. Peter and Paul preached the gospel in front of thousands fearlessly because they really had something to offer and they could prove it. Everywhere the gospel is preached in the New Testament, it’s accompanied by miracles. When Jesus went out to preach, he healed and cast out demons. When he sent out the disciples, they too were empowered them to heal and cast out demons (Mark 6:13). Peter and James were not afraid to preach the gospel because they had just healed a lame man (Acts 3). The world today is very hostile to the Gospel, but Peter and James also faced hostile people. The difference is that they had power from God and that power gave them confidence and boldness. The Gospel is “foolishness" to some, but for us, it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18, Rom 1:16). That power is not some sort of abstract spiritual thing that cannot ever be seen or experienced. The power of the Gospel is the literal ability to make big changes in our lives. Not just talk, but actual power (1 Cor 4:19-20).

The power of God is unleashed for the Gospel, for the message of the cross. It’s not a power that we can wield for our own purposes. Power belongs to God and will be used for his purposes. When we participate in the Gospel, we get to experience that power.

God anointed his followers with his Spirit (Acts 1:8) and it is through the Spirit that our lives are changed. It is the Spirit working through the words of Jesus that actually change lives and gives life (John 6:63). The Spirit’s power is both external and internal and the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control ( Gal 5:22-23). The focus on the Spirit is not on the flashy “charismatic” gifts, but on the transformation and “building up” of the body that these gifts and power enable (1 Cor 14:1-4).

Jesus has given us the Spirit because new life comes through the Spirit. Therfore, we as a church value consistently tapping into the power of the Spirit. We want to consistently listen to the Spirit as he directs us and gives us the words to say. Sometimes the Spirit will direct us to give a word of instruction or encouragement. We shouldn’t be hesitant to obey. This requires practice to attune ourselves to Him, but without this necessary element, we are forced to rely on our own strategy, planning, and clever tricks, none of which will produce lasting results and real life transformation.