Our Mission
We exist to reach out to people, disciple and teach them to have a relationship with God that gets better and better.
Our Vision
Image our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Renew Our Minds with The Word of God. Live a Holy Lifestyle and Define Ourselves by the Word of God. Walk in Spiritual Authority and be led of the Holy Spirit. Win people to Jesus and make disciples. Support Matthew 25 Ministry for Orphans and Widows. Radically Love God, one another, and radically forgive one another. Develop an intimate Prayer Life and walk in humility, having a servant’s heart.
Our Values
JESUS IS OUR MESSAGE
We believe that the church is built on Jesus, by Jesus, and for Jesus – therefore, the focus should be on Jesus. He is the focus of the messages we preach, the songs we sing, and the prayers we pray. We focus on Jesus because we believe that if people see Jesus for who He is then they will be captured by His beauty and compelled to devote their life to knowing and following Him. We believe people hear enough bad news so our desire is to always tell good news. The message of Jesus, the Gospel, literally means “good news” and this good news is the central message of our church. Methods will come and go, yet our message will remain the same. Jesus is our message.
Matthew 28:18-20, Colossians 1:15-29, Romans 1:16-17
PEOPLE ARE OUR PRIORITY
We are all about people! We believe that people matter to God and so they should matter to us. People are our greatest asset. We value people. We celebrate people. We invest in people. We care for people. We love all people regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic background. We prioritize people. People are not projects but precious to God and to us. We are a reaching church, an inviting church, and a welcoming church. People are our priority.
John 3:16, Luke 15, Luke 19:10
PASSION IS OUR RESPONSE
We believe that the life of the believer should be lived passionately for Jesus. We believe that when we fully understand what Jesus has done for us, passion is the only reasonable response. Everything we do, we do it with passion. We choose to be passionate in our worship, our prayers, our serving, our giving, our sacrifice, and our response to the preaching of God’s Word. We believe that passion is contagious. We believe that our passion carries the potential to set the atmosphere of any environment. Passion drives us. Passion for Jesus, his church, and his people. Passion is our response.
Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37-40
UNITY IS OUR PURSUIT
We believe Jesus calls us to more than getting along or tolerating each other’s differences. He prayed for us to experience an uncommon unity – the same unity He shared with God and the Holy Spirit. This kind of unity won’t come naturally; it’s something we have to pursue. And that pursuit is worth it because unity commands a blessing. We are a church that builds bridges – not walls – between different cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and generational lines. Unity is our pursuit.
John 17:9-11, 23, Psalm 133:1-3, Revelation 7:9-12
HONOR IS OUR POSTURE
We believe respect is earned but honor is given, so we choose to honor. We take the posture of honor. We honor each other. We honor leadership. We honor authority. We honor other churches. We honor with our actions and our words. Our words we speak are life-giving, encouraging, honoring, positive, and kind. We build each other up; we don’t tear each other down. Honor is our posture.
Romans 12:10, 1 Peter 2:13-17, Ephesians 4:29
EXCELLENCE IS OUR STANDARD
We believe that excellence honors God, inspires people, and creates comfort. We believe that the most excellent message deserves the most excellent presentation. We believe that excellence is about doing the little things in a big way. God is into the details and so we are into details. We are passionate about creating excellent environments and experiences for people to encounter God. We will always do our very best with what we have. If we are going to do it, we are going to do it to the best of our ability. We hold a high standard of excellence for every area of our church. Excellence is our standard.
Colossians 3:23-24, Daniel 6:3, 1 Kings 10
JOY IS OUR CHOICE
We believe that joy is a choice to honor God no matter what our circumstances may be. We believe that we must take ownership of our attitude and choose to lead our emotions rather than letting our emotions lead us. This is not simply “putting on” a fake smile but rather choosing to focus on the goodness of God, the joy of His salvation, and the grace in our lives. We believe that our attitude and spirit can affect the mood of a room or the culture of a team, and so we choose to be a breath of fresh air rather than suck the life out of the room. We believe that life and ministry should be enjoyed, not just endured. We believe that one of the most attractive qualities of any individual or team is a spirit of joy. We have fun and we laugh often. Joy is not based on a circumstance, joy is based on a choice. Joy is our choice.
Galatians 5:22, Philippians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, James 1:2
GENEROSITY IS OUR PRIVILEGE
We believe that Christians should be known as the most generous people on the planet. We believe that we should give cheerfully, regularly, and sacrificially. We believe that we should live with open hands always ready to give and receive. We believe in tithe and offerings motivated by grace, not guilt. Our church is not built on the generosity of a few but on the sacrifice and generosity of many. We’re generous with our time, talents, and treasure. God has given richly towards us, it’s our privilege to give back to him. Generosity is our privilege.
Malachi 3:10, Proverbs 11:24-26, 2 Corinthians 8 & 9
SERVING IS OUR CALLING
We believe that every person has a calling to serve others. Serving others is one of the most fulfilling parts of the Christian life. Serving is not something we do; serving is who we are. We believe that anyone can be great because anyone can serve. We believe that if you're too big to serve, you're too small to lead. We believe saved people serve people. We are contributors not consumers. Serving is not an option. Serving is our calling.
1 Peter 4:10, Matthew 23:11, Mark 10:35
OUR CITY, COUNTY, AND REGION IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
We believe that the city, our county and region has been entrusted to us. We take the brokenness of the city personally. God has placed us strategically in the city of Haleyville and Winston County to make it better and brighter. We have a deep conviction that if it’s our city, our county and region, then it’s our responsibility. The city, county and region doesn't exist for the church; the church exists for the city, the county and the North Alabama Region. We do not want to be a church that’s in the city of Haleyville and Winston County; we want to be a church that’s for the city, county and region because we love our city, county and region. Our city, county and region is our responsibility.
Jeremiah 29:7, Mark 12:30-31
Our Beliefs
HOLY BIBLE
The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, is the only infallible, inspired, and inerrant Word of God. It alone is the ultimate, final, and eternal authority and source of all doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any regard. It contains all that is needed for guidance in godliness and practical Christian conduct
(2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).
TRINITY
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal
(1 John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory.
(John 1:1,14, 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 2:5).
VIRGIN BIRTH
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary's womb; therefore, He is the Son of God
(Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35).
REDEMPTION
Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God
(Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).
REGENERATION
For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential
(John 3:5, 6:44, 65; Matthew 19:28; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5).
SALVATION
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a free gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).
REPENTANCE
Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation
(Acts 2:21, 3:19; 1 John 1:9).
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and the Holy Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ's character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life
(1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11).
JESUS' BLOOD
The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death
(1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).
JESUS CHRIST INDWELLS ALL BELIEVERS
Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead
(John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20).
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
Given at Pentecost, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth
(Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible’s lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10).
THE CHURCH
The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' Great Commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23).
SACRAMENTS
Water Baptism: Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38, 10:47-48).
The Lord's Supper: A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (representing the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).
Marriage: We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God (Matthew 19:4-6).
HEALING OF THE SICK
Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit.
(Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29).
GOD'S WILL FOR PROVISION
It is the Father's will for believers to become whole, healthy and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall, many may not receive the full benefits of God’s will while on Earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ’s provision in order to better serve others.
• Spiritual (John 3:3-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10).
• Mental and Emotional (2 Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).
• Physical (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).
• Financial (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).
RESURRECTION
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation
(Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).
HEAVEN
Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
(Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4).
HELL
After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels
(Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).
SECOND COMING
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures
(Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).