What We Believe

 

At Fresh Start, what we believe and how we do life is a combination of our Wesleyan Roots and our Core Values.

 

 

Mission Statement:

To Know Christ and Make Him Known

 

Knowing Christ:

We believe that in order to share Jesus Christ in the world around us, we must first Know Him and His heart for the world. It is our hope and desire that all people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is our mission and prayer that God might use us to introduce people to Jesus, and that through His grace and mercy, they would come to know Him personally. It is also our mission to grow daily in our knowledge of who Jesus is and His will for our lives.

 

Make Him Known:

We believe that as we Know Christ more deeply and intimately, that knowledge would be converted into action as we seek to share Christ with others. We believe that we have been given the privilege and responsibility of representing Jesus to the world around us every day. It is our mission and desire that we would surrender every aspect of our lives to sharing the love of Jesus. It is our prayer that our thoughts, words, and actions would reflect the very presence and nature of Christ.

 

 

Core Values:

 

Knowing God's Word:

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, that it is true in everything that it affirms, and that it is our source of guidance and knowledge in life. We believe that it is alive and active and has the power to transform lives. We believe that Jesus is the living Word, and that in order to know how to Be like Him, we must first Know Him. As a church, we are committed to reading and studying God’s Word both individually and corporately.
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(Psalm 1, 119; Luke 6:43-45; John 1:1-18; 10:14-15; 17:17; Acts 11:17; Col. 1:15-20; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; Heb. 4:12-13; 1 John 5:20)

 

Knowing the Value of Prayer:

We believe that prayer is essential in our journey of faith. Prayer is the opportunity that we have to both speak to God and hear from Him. At its core, prayer is a confession that we cannot do life on our own, that we cannot Be Jesus by our own strength and wisdom, but that God is fully capable. Prayer is our opportunity to ask God to move on our behalf and in the world around us. Though we seek comfort, wisdom, healing, and courage in our prayers, we also listen for God to speak to us as well. We know that each prayer, spoken and unspoken, is heard by Jesus, who intercedes before us at the throne. Because of this, we pray with boldness, expectant of God’s response.
 
(1 Kings 8:22-30; Psalm 63:1-8; 73:25-26; 139:23-24; Hab. 3:2; Matt. 6:9-13; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 11:1-13; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; Heb. 4:14-16; James 5:13-16; 1 John 5:14-15)

 

Being Disciple Makers:

We believe that as Christians, we have been commissioned by Jesus to make disciples within our spheres of influence. Our passion for making disciples comes from the fulfillment and transformation that we have found in Christ, and our desire is to see others experience this transformation as well. Disciple making consists of teaching others about who Jesus is, and what it means to be His follower in our thoughts, words, and actions.
 
(Matt. 9:35-38; 28:18-20; Mark 1:17; Acts 1:8; 14:21-22; 18:23; Rom. 10:9-15)

 

Being Equipped:

We believe that it is the role of the church to not only make disciples and see lives transformed, but to equip individuals for effective ministerial service. Every one of us is called to make disciples, but we understand that it looks different for each and every one of us. We all have a story to tell; we all have gifts, talents, and skills to use for God. Our desire as a church is to equip believers to serve within the church and minister to others outside of the church.
 
(Acts 6:1-7; Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12; 1 Tim. 4:14; Heb. 2:4)

 

Being Intentional in our Growth:

We believe that when one surrenders his or her life to Christ, it is not the end goal in the journey of faith, but the beginning of a process of growing in our understanding of how God has gifted us to serve the Kingdom and influence the world. Healthy relationships grow, and our relationship with God is no different. We believe that in order to grow, we should be spending time in God’s Word and prayer, serving in the church, and taking risks to Be Jesus to our friends, family, and community.
 
(Gen. 12:1-4; Ex. 3:1-4:17; Acts 21:10-14; Rom. 8:10-14; Gal. 5:22-23; Phil. 2:12-13; 1 Thess. 4:7-8; Heb. 10:19-25)

 

Being Missional:

We believe that the church does not just exist for people to come in its doors, but to bring the incredible news of the gospel to its local and global neighbors. We have been called to feed the poor, heal the sick, and take care of the widow and orphan. We have been called to share Christ’s message of forgiveness, new life, and the hope of Christ to our neighbors near and far.

(Micah 6:8; Matt. 5:13-16; 9:12-13, 25-28; 20:25-28; Luke 10:25-37; Phil 2:3-11; James 1:27; 1 Peter 3:15)