Renewal exists to multiply disciples to the glory of God. We believe success as a church is measured by sustained, gospel-centered life change brought about by the work of the Spirit of God in the life of an individual. Such change can be measured when a person grows in intimacy with God, love for the church, and mission to those far from God. In order see such gospel-centered life change, we are committed to building Renewal Church on the following six values:
1. The Gospel
The gospel is the reality that God, through Jesus, has done all that is necessary to allow people to rightly see and respond to the greatness of God. In light of the substitutionary death of Jesus on behalf of fallen humanity, man can now consistently and actively treasure God as the supreme value of all of life. The Gospel is not simply something that a person believes on the day they are converted, but is an active process of daily applying the reality and implications of the gospel to their lives.
2. The Scriptures
God’s self-disclosure through His Word is one of the greatest riches this side of heaven. As the supreme source of authority, the Word of God defines the thought life and actions of a Christian and the church. To this end, we believe that the Word of God is wholly true and the final arbitrator of right and wrong. Our goal is to value the Scriptures, teach the Scriptures, and train people to love and submit to the Scriptures. Through the Word we are able to develop a robust theological grid by which to see the world.
3. Worship
Worship is man’s response to the greatness of God, best evidenced through the cross of Jesus Christ. This response is demonstrated throughout the entirety of one’s existence lived in response to God. Man was originally created as a worshipping people, and by the redemption offered through Christ, he is once again able to rightly recognize and respond to the greatness of God. As a result of the gospel, a renewed life reflects a continuous outpouring of all that a person is in response to all that Jesus has done.
4. The Church
The church provides the God-given means for the transmitting of the gospel and the all-encompassing worship of Jesus. We believe that God builds his church and entrusts to elders the shepherding and leading of the church for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. The work of the gospel in the lives of individuals is meant to unite people into authentic Biblical community as people pursue the Lord together, fight for one another’s holiness, flee from sin, guard one another from the deceptiveness of sin, actively care for one another, and consider how to stir one another to love and good deeds. Individuals in the local church are entrusted with spiritual gifts and talents for the building up of the church.
5. The Family
The church is built on healthy families who lovingly build on the foundation of the gospel in their home. We believe that marriage is created and held together by God and serves as a picture of Christ’s love for the church. Through the implementation of Biblical gender roles and the embodiment of the fruit of the Spirit, the gospel is evidenced in the home. Also, we see children as a gift from God. As the chief conduit for the transmission of the gospel, parents serve to instruct, train, and shepherd their children to walk with the Lord.
6. The Mission
In a world where Christianity is often reduced to a private, internal, therapeutic religion, we believe that a relationship with God is best lived in the face of a watching world. We love our city and desire that this be evidenced in the way in which we love, serve, and give to our city in hopes of establishing a beachhead for the gospel. We will release the manpower and finances of the church outside of the walls of the church so that the mission of God expands. Our desire is to contextualize the gospel in our world without compromising our view of the gospel, the Scriptures, and the church. We believe that God has sovereignly placed us at this specific point in history and at this specific location in the world in order to see to it that all hear the gospel in our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Even though our community may not believe in our God, we want them to thank God that we exist because we aid in bringing peace and wholeness to the city.
