Beliefs
Our Mission
To reach emerging generations with the transformational principle of the gospel in ways that are real, relevant, and relational.
Our Identity
We are a missional community of worshipping theologians.
Our Vision
The Journey is a new church that will be immersed in culture so that we can reach the un-churched in it. We are offering community and relationships to people no matter where they are along their spiritual journey. We believe that we are to be missionaries who intentionally build relationships with the un-churched that they might become followers of Jesus. In order to do this, we have stripped away a lot of the additions of tradition that are not central to the teaching of the Gospel. Our great vision is that we would be a church that expands into a movement of churches reaching younger generations that have grown disenchanted with the church. We are compelled to reach out to this group in whatever way we can. We are not content to lose an entire generation of people to wandering in spiritual uncertainty when we have the truth that saves.
Our Ministry
We mean by this that mission is central to the nature of God and as such, is central to the ministry of the Journey. We also mean that since God is Trinity, we are also to be missionaries in community, advancing the Kingdom of God together as we challenge, exhort, encourage, and hold one another accountable as we take new ground for the Kingdom. As those in community, we are drawn to the majesty of the redeeming God in worship. By this, we mean that God is pre-eminent and He sits on the highest throne in our life which should manifest itself through believers living lives of worship, which is our highest spiritual service. The Corporate gatherings of the redeemed community are to be characterized by a celebration of the grace of God that is offered sincerely to our King. As those in community, we are drawn to the majesty of the redeeming God in worship. By this, we mean that God is pre-eminent and He sits on the highest throne in our life which should manifest itself through believers living lives of worship, which is our highest spiritual service. The Corporate gatherings of the redeemed community are to be characterized by a celebration of the grace of God that is offered sincerely to our King.
Our Leadership Structure
Pastors / Elders
We believe that the pastors/elders are called and gifted by God to bear the weight of leadership concerning decisions made in the church. We believe that plural eldership is the design for church government in the scripture and so men who are called by God and gifted to lead are given the responsibility to make wise decisions that will fit the church to best fulfill its Biblical mission. These men have passed the tests of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 concerning the qualifications of elders.
Deacons
We believe that our church is supported greatly by the ministry of deacons who have answered a call to service. Our belief is that deacon’s serve at the discretion of the elders and serve for the benefit of the entire church. The deacons at the Journey are not a governing board over the pastors or a representative form of government for the congregation. Individuals who meet the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 are selected by the elders and the gathered believers to provide servant leadership to the church.
Ministry Leaders
Many decisions and ministry action plans are made and then carried out by those who are ministry leaders of different sorts in the church. These are men and women who are gifted, called and recognized by the pastors and elders and then put into service according to their calling. They lead teams of individuals who serve the church and others in various ways.
Open Handed / Close Handed Issues
At the Journey, there are things that we are inflexible about, and we refer to these things as our Close Handed issues. We also have Open Handed issues and this sometimes sets us apart from other denominational churches.
We find ourselves far less rigid concerning things that are not essential for salvation. We respect and appreciate the contributions of other sincere persons throughout church history who were both orthodox and committed to scripture, yet differing from us on some particulars. We do allow things, concerning the convictions of one’s conscience on issues of Christian liberty that others would not allow.
Our thinking on this has evolved over years of watching the confessing church be divided over issues that were of little significance when one considers the benefits of being unified in the Christ of scripture. We believe in unity at great cost. Having said this, we do not believe in unity at all costs and so we do have particulars that we will divide over, and they are listed below in our doctrine section.
Our Beliefs
Core values
- We are Missional – We believe that we are to be consumed with love for people and that this should compel us to live intentionally as missionaries. We do not believe that any relationship should be outside of a redemptive influence. We believe that the church is the missionary arm of God in the world today and that we live in a mission field. This propels us forward so that we might fulfill the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20.
- We are Flexible – In a time of constant flux, we believe that the church must be able to adapt so that we can maintain relevance in our context. The Gospel is our unchanging , redemptive narrative. We are willing to be all things to all men so that we may win more.
- We are a Gathered Body – We emphasize gathered worship where all the believers gather to celebrate our great God and savior, as well as gathering in small groups throughout the week to experience the intimate relationships within the overall body.
- We are centered on Jesus – While many churches have diverted their attention to peripheral matters centering around tradition and preferences, we are peeling away anything that would diminish the beauty of Christ and His teaching. We are about Jesus, for Jesus and moving toward Jesus.
Doctrine
We are not modern innovators in terms of our doctrine. We place great value on those who have gone before us, those who stand as witnesses to our journey in faith. We are in agreement with many of the ancient creeds, such as the Apostles, Chalcedonian, and the Nicene creeds which were hammered out by those who had sacrificed much for their relationship with Christ. We are also evangelical, which affirms our adherence to the historic particulars of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We are Reformed in that we affirm the agonizing efforts of those who sought to purify the church’s doctrine and practice during the protestant reformation. We believe their doctrinal contributions to be significant and essential to a proper understanding of Redemptive History. Here are some essentials that we don’t budge on:
- Scripture – We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, that it was written by men divinely inspired of God to communicate flawlessly His message to humanity, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Reformation understanding of Sola Scriptura is a guiding principle for us
- God – We believe in the eternal Triune God, three persons in one being. We believe that God is the creator of the universe and all that is in it, that He is the King over His Creation, and desires both loyalty and love from all people. He is without change, just, holy, all knowing, all present, all powerful, the supreme judge over all, yet full of mercy, and compassion.
- Jesus Christ – We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was manifested in flesh as a fulfillment of all Old Testament promises for a Messiah. We believe that Jesus, who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life and then died a bloody death on the cross according to the pre-ordained plan of God. We believe that His death on the cross was substitutionary, in that He died in the place of all those who would believe in Him through faith. We believe that after 3 days, Jesus was physically raised from the dead and that He ascended to the presence of His Father in Heaven. We believe that He will physically return to this earth in judgment and that He will establish His Kingdom.
- The Holy Spirit – We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment and that he is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.
- Mankind – We believe that humanity was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God and that man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
- Salvation – We believe that salvation is offered to all men but only experienced by those who believe in Christ through faith. We believe that God draws people whom He chooses into relationship with Him through Christ as an act of grace working through faith.
- The Security of the Believer – We believe that God not only saves us by grace, but that He also keeps us by grace and therefore we are eternally secure in the love of God, regardless of our performance. We also believe that those who are in an authentic relationship with God will persevere in faith as proof of their standing in Christ.
- The Church – We believe that the universal church is made up of all those across any denominational, national, or racial lines who have been joined to Christ through faith. A local church is made up of those believers gathered in a particular region and overseen by their pastors/elders. They come together to learn from God’s Word, to commemorate Christ’s work in their lives by celebrating baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and to devote their hearts, minds, and souls to the worship of Him. Outside the corporate gathering, they seek to live as missionaries who are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. The church is at its brightest when they are pursuing Christ together in an intimate community and inviting the un-churched into that same community.
- Priesthood of Believers – We believe that God has gifted and called all believers into service for the benefit of the entire church. We believe that all Christians are intended by God to serve the needs of others, as well as to be served as believers needing the spiritual nourishment that other members of the body provide.
