What we believe

What We Believe -- Some Things Matter

Confused and annoyed by the bickering among Christians about what to believe?

So are we. Some things matter. Really matter. But sometimes faithful Christians will have a different take on a part of God's Word. At St. John, we respect diverse emphases and love one another as Jesus has loved us first regardless of our differences. Historically we grew out of our Protestant ancestors' effort to reflect the truths of the Bible faithfully as we focused on our unity in Jesus Christ, where the Reformed and Lutheran churches diverged.

So what matters to us...?

an eternal relationship with God through a living faith in Jesus Christ is our first priority. We are not about programs and plans, nor budgets and buildings except where these serve our life with God.

to know, trust, and experience God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as revealed in the Scriptures. We are comfortably Trinitarian and stand in awe of the mystery of one God made known in 3 Persons.

to confess and own up to the brokenness of our lives and of God's world, a brokenness the Bible calls "sin" that has afflicted us all. We need help.

to receive the forgiveness of God that comes in the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus, fully God and fully human, is the One. He came to carry our suffering and sin to his death and provide us victory, courage, and new beginnings in his resurrection power over death and evil. It is all about what He has done for us!

to come to rely on the gift of Jesus with a faith that comes from the Holy Spirit and to seek to walk in the power of that Spirit as our response to God's grace.

to experience God's presence, pardon, and peace in the Gospel Word (from the Scriptures) and in the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We consider the Bible to be the authoritative Word of God.

to be connected with other followers of Jesus, believers and disciples, to be his Church, the living "body of Christ." Together as a congregation, as a church family, we worship, serve, befriend, grow spiritually, and work for justice in our world. We use our gifts and abilities to make a difference to each other and our community and world especially to bring the Good News and its hope to those yet without Jesus.

to be attentive to God's Word, bold in prayer and praise, filled with thanksgiving, ready to show God's unconditional love and welcome.