The Gospel is the center of our faith. Only by the work of Jesus Christ are we are saved and only by Christ is our worship accepted by God the Father. The believer does not simply understand the gospel and move on, but rather applies the gospel to every area of life and lives in a constant state of repentance and renewal. We sing songs that are centered on the Gospel because when we gather as a body of believers, we exist to glorify God, lift one another up, and thank God for all that He has done. Sunday morning services are created for believers to collectively gather together, set aside distractions, and wholly and unashamedly worship the living God.

Psalm 105:2; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12

We believe worship is a response to who God is and what He has done for us, characterized by a lifestyle of repentance and reconciliation. We worship God in truth (John 4:24), and worship begins with God’s revelation of himself. Because God primarily reveals himself through His Word, our worship (private and public) is a response to his Word. Since the Bible is where we see God, the Word of God must be central to our corporate gatherings. The Word of God is, at the very least, visible in our worship gatherings in our preaching, our song lyrics, and our prayers. The Word of God defines, directs, and inspires our worship. In doing so, it reveals truths about God that show our congregation that God is worthy of our worship.

1 Timothy 4:13, John 4:24, Romans 10:17

We believe that in gathered worship God draws near to us in power and makes himself known and felt for our good and His glory (James 4:8). Thus, we interact and engage with God in gathered worship. Practically, we prepare in the Spirit and we execute in the Spirit. In all things, we yield to the Spirit.

James 4:8, Ephesians 5:18-20

We want to sing new songs that help the church sing to and engage with God in fresh ways. We also want to sing songs that have stood the test of time and still hold the truth of God in the forefront of their message. Gathered worship is not done for the people but by the people and with the people. We want the congregation to participate in every moment of the worship gathering. The worship of God in the gathering of the church is both vertical and horizontal. We sing together with the aim of the affirmation of and affection for God (Psalm 96:1-4) and the edification of the body (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19). In all song selections, we want to be sure the song has deep theological truth that extends beyond time and relevancy.

Psalm 96:1-4, 98:1-7; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16

We believe our worship gatherings should be excellent in every way, that the Word of God can be at the forefront of every experience. We pursue excellence with the goal of pointing others to behold the Lamb of God, so our pursuit of excellence should never distract the congregation from worshipping God. And, recognizing that we are working with limited resources, we place a high value on the ability to be resourceful in our pursuit of excellence.

1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23-24, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Ephesians 6:7-8

We believe our worship gatherings should be planned well and strategically. However, we must also remember that God often changes our plans or moves in ways we don’t plan. We should always hold the plans for our worship gatherings in an open hand and allow the Holy Spirit the freedom to change them any moment, remembering that the same Spirit that helped us to plan is the same Spirit that is with us in the execution.