What We Believe.
Our Guiding Principles
Keep the main thing the main thing. We exist to bring glory to God in all that we do. Jesus is first in our relationships, our programs, our worship, and all else is secondary to his Lordship (1 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 2:10-11). We express this through our thoughts, words, and actions.
Lost people matter to God and to us. God has put us on the earth to search and seek out the lost (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-16). For this reason we seek to reach out to the world around us and share the love of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19-20) We are a friendly, inviting community, where seekers can ask questions and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our community of faith is Bible-based and prayer-focused. St. Mark's bases its teachings, vision, and future on the inspired Word of God. The Bible and prayer are a part of every program, study, and worship experience (Romans 10:17), as we gather in the name of Jesus.
We don't confuse method with the message. We are a center of faith and life, connecting people to Jesus Christ through creative, relevant ministry. While the message of Jesus Christ remains unchanged (Hebrews 13:8), the method in which it is communicated will change to be relevant and effective. In our worship and in our ministry, we remain open to new waves of innovation sent to the church by the Holy Spirit (Psalms 146-150).
Following Jesus is a growing experience. We are a nurturing community where people grow closer to Christ and to each other. (Acts 2:1-42). This happens best in small groups where we find love, acceptance, forgiveness, hope, and encouragement. Jesus calls us to be a church which produces disciples who follow him and live a life which reflects the love of Christ in their hearts (Galatians 5:22). This kind of growth takes time, and never ends.
No one is left on the sidelines. Each of us has strengths given by the Holy Spirit for the advancement of God's kingdom (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). Every member has a ministry, to build up our congregation, and a mission, to reach out to our community - a community that is around the corner, and around the world.
We are one body, united in Christ. We are all unique and yet joined together by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:4). We resolve conflict according to the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 18:15-17) and seek to build each other up in love. We focus on our future in Christ, healthy and growing to full maturity in truth and love.
God loves a cheerful servant. God desires his children to serve others with joy in our hearts (Philippians 4:4-7). When service includes joy, the fruit of the Spirit is seen in our lives (Galatians 5:22). Without it, our journey is not as fulfilling and lacks the contagious vitality that would attract people to Jesus.
God calls us to excellence, not perfection. We are never complacent about the quality of our ministry or mission, and strive for the ideal. (Philippians 4:8-9) At the same time, we are content with the reality of being human and incapable of perfection. Maturity is dealing with the tension between the two.
Our Core Values.
Worship is an inspirational, relevant, Christ-centered experience.
Service is discovering and using our strengths to serve others.
Evangelism is sharing Christ's love and telling God's story to those seeking answers to questions of faith and life.
Fellowship is building relationships that strengthen, support, and encourage through life experiences.
Discipleship is spiritual growth through study, Bible reading, reflection, and prayer both personally and in community.
Stewardship is generously sharing our resources which God has entrusted to us in order to bring glory to God and further his kingdom
Our Spiritual Growth Plan.
What’s a Spiritual Growth Plan?
We introduced our Spiritual Growth Plan in October 2020. This resource will help us grow both individually and as a congregation. This program is for everyone - those seeking to deepen their faith and relationship with God, those who want to understand their place in the world and how it all works together, those who desire to serve in their community (at home and around the world), and those on a journey to get to know their church family better. The growth plan is modeled after the way Jesus sends his disciples out and helps them grow (the book of Mark, chapter 6).
Don't be alarmed - our mission here at St. Mark's is still "connect faith + life". We want you to live your faith every day (at work, at home, everywhere!) The way that we can continue to connect faith + life is with our Spiritual Growth Plan.
Connect With God.
Building and growing a relationship with God through faith. This includes focusing on daily Bible-based devotion and worship. We want everyone in the word - and at worship on a weekly basis.
Connect With Your Purpose.
Knowing your purpose in life by knowing how God has uniquely equipped and called you. Jesus teaches his disciples that they have been called and have unique gifts. To connect with your purpose, we will focus on your strengths and developing leaders. We want to know YOUR strengths and how God has called you to serve and to be a leader.
Connect With Your Community.
Connecting with your community through support and involvement. Jesus sends disciples into the community. We want St. Mark's partners to know our neighbors - wherever we are living! Jesus tells us to love thy neighbor as yourself. This is how we connect with our community - both locally AND globally.
Connect With Your Church.
Circling back to your relationship with God within your church family. We connect with our church by coming back together. After Jesus sends his disciples, they come back together to share what happened on their journeys. We have FaithLife groups here at St. Mark's - and we want everyone to be a part of a group!