declarations that define us

Please note that we are deeply concerned that you understand the context of these declarations. They are not and never were a reaction to anything but the state of our hearts and the reality in our church. They are in absolutely no way a criticism of any church or denominational movement. Please do not misuse these declarations as weapons towards others. Every Christian believer is on the same team battling for high ground together: one Church, one Bride, and one Body.
In Ephesians 3:19, Paul implores us to increase our perception of God’s love, letting it expand from head knowledge to actual experience. This also describes our process of arriving at these declarations. We would probably have said they were true from the beginning of our ministry even if they have not always been articulated. Now, however, they are points of contention, foundational truths which we embrace as core values as we seek to live out our faith; a journey, not a destination. These are not arrogant proclamations of our accomplishments. We continue to contend for the full apprehension of each declaration of purpose.
These are not our statement of faith for salvation. You can access those at the bottom of this page by pressing the "beliefs" button.

1. We declare that God is always good, even when we do not have complete understanding. We declare that God is faithful and He keeps His promises. Therefore we live from a position of trust and love, not from a position of fear and performance. In response to His love and faithfulness, we are compelled to bring a revelation of His love to an orphan planet through healing, prophecy, salvation and radical generosity.

2. We declare it is always God’s will to heal. Always means always. Healing is an expression of God’s love, not a measurement of our faith. We are sent out to express his love in word and action. Since his love is unconditional, so is his healing. We are healers not bystanders. Signs, wonders, and healing are what normal Christianity looks like and are an expression of God’s love for people.

3. We declare we are no longer under the Old Covenant of performance but have entered into the New Covenant of grace and relationship. That Jesus made the New Covenant available to us through His death and resurrection. In response to His grace, we are called to love as He loved by extending love and grace to a sin fallen world¹; in response to His mercy and forgiveness we are inspired to pursue holiness as a priority and with determination²; and in response to His resurrection, to take up the authority and power He extends to us in order to bring heaven on Earth^3.

        a. ¹We know that Jesus gave us a new command - to love as He loved - rather than separate from the world, we are sent out as ambassadors of heaven and witnesses of forgiveness and love for sinners. Never condemning the person but never endorsing their sin.
        b. ²We declare that desiring Spiritual gifts without pursuing holiness is self-serving - limiting our effectiveness and undermining our ministry. Having received forgiveness and freedom from sin, to continue in sin is grievous to the Holy Spirit and limits our capacity to carry Him upon us; it also becomes a stumbling block to the faith of the world being seen as hypocrisy.
        c. ³To be have the capacity to change the world and refusing to do so is irresponsible at best and fear driven at worst. We will take up the charge Jesus gave us when He said to go to all the world - living as His disciples did when they were sent - healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing those who have leprosy, driving out demons and prophesying and proclaiming His good news to everyone.

4. We declare our words have power. What we say about ourselves and others determines who we partner with and what we empower. We will regularly make God-inspired declarations over ourselves, our families, our church, our community and our nation. We will bless the whole church not just our church. We are not in competition with other members of the body of Christ, but we are all on the same team. Their win is also our win. We refuse to partner with a religious spirit of competition and condemnation or a political spirit of slander and destruction.

5. We declare the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and following Jesus is the only journey in life worth taking. We know testimonies seed the air for increase. We value the testimonies of others but we expect to have testimonies of our own. We are called to live radical lives worthy of the Book of Acts, not just read the Book of Acts. We owe the world an encounter with God. We declare that God is always speaking to us therefore we must share his encouragement to others to empower, strengthen and encourage.

6. We declare it is paramount to honor God’s presence through his Holy Spirit. We expect to be Holy Spirit filled to the degree that we establish the atmosphere of heaven wherever we are. Mediocrity is not acceptable. Lukewarm is not desirable. We are called to be bold in faith, radical lovers of God and people, outrageously generous, and completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit without fear of rejection, ridicule or judgment of others. To invite Holy Spirit to have His way and then become offended by the manifestation of His presence is laughable.

7. We declare God is worthy of worship and worshiping Him is essential and life-giving. While music facilitates our entrance into His presence, worship is not singing songs. Worship is our response to encountering and recognizing His presence, often facilitated by singing and music but not limited to music. To sing songs without hunger is performance. To sing words about loving God or desiring His presence without expectation and surrender is foolish.

8. We declare the church is not a company or business but a family where everyone is valued. Titles don’t define value, they define areas of responsibility and authority. We have believe that the church is not just a building but a place where people have an encounter with God. We will provide opportunities to equip and empower every member, regardless of their age or position, to impact their area of influence and provide a safe place for them to practice. Transformation of our members is important, but transformation of our community is also important. We are not measured by the numbers in attendance but by our impact on the culture we are placed in.

9. We declare leaving a legacy is important and that our children deserve to build on top of what we have built. We have a responsibility to empower the next generation to carry revival further than we will. We have committed to raise up our children to be forerunners, builders, firestarters, shepherds, storytellers and educators equipped with the knowledge of God’s promises, His love and His power, and the experience of His voice in intimacy and presence.

10. We declare we should always be growing. Growth is continual and ongoing. To believe we know it all or “have arrived” is foolish. We are always in process. Recognizing the orphan spirit of our culture, we embrace the principle of spiritual mothers and fathers raising up sons and daughters. That the ability to receive from and honor our leaders as their sons and daughters positions us for promotion. As spiritual mothers and fathers, it is inherent upon us to nurture, teach, and honor those we lead, looking for opportunities to release them into their destiny. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and the plumb line by which all other teaching is measured.

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AT GRACE OF GOD, WE’VE MADE SOME DECLARATIONS THAT CLARIFY OUR GOALS AS A CHURCH, AND THEY ARE LISTED BELOW.