House of Hope Purpose and Beliefs
OUR PURPOSE AND BELIEFS
Why does the church exist? Jesus made it clear:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20 – NIV).
Based on this “Great Commission,” the House of Hope’s mission is to:
Go and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
It is our firm belief that our choices and actions, guided by the power of
the Holy Spirit, can transform the world. If our choices and actions are
those of Jesus, imagine the difference we can make together.
That’s why we’re here.
What drives us? What keeps us going?
• The need to provide hope in a world filled with hunger, pain, and
brokenness;
• The memory of Jesus’ life of service to others, which inspires us to
follow him in ministry;
• The assurance of God’s gracious love for us, which empowers us to
love others;
• The promise of God’s coming reign on earth, which draws us into
action directed toward this vision.
Good News!
The word Gospel literally means “GOOD NEWS.” It is the desire of the
House of Hope to provide GOOD NEWS and hope to all people we
meet.
Our Journey Together
God didn’t intend for us to make this journey alone. We need one
another. At the House of Hope, we will work to equip and guide all
people wherever they may be on the journey of faith.
Salvation
Salvation literally means to be saved. We are saved from a life
without God and given a new life, full of hope. Salvation is a free gift
from God, paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross, that allows us to
experience life as it was meant to be, here on earth and in eternity.
To be saved, we need only choose to accept this gift. We are
choosing to turn away from our old life and live a life where our
words, actions, and choices are in line with Jesus’ words, actions and
choices. We believe that Christians live out their salvation by seeking
the heart and mind of Jesus every day, living for Christ and not for
themselves.
Faith and theology inform and guide our beliefs and actions.
Faith
Christian faith is a confident belief in the truth and trustworthiness of
the living God who revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. It is both a
gift we receive and a choice we make. Faith is active; it involves
trusting, believing, following, and hoping. Faith is trusting in and
relying on God. Faith is believing in God, giving God our devoted
loyalty and allegiance. Faith is following Jesus, answering the call to
be his disciples in the world. Faith is hoping for God’s future, leaning
into the coming kingdom that God has promised. Faith provides
orientation for our lives and requires the commitment of our whole
being.
Theology
Theology is a fancy word for thinking about God. It is thinking
together about faith and discipleship. It is reflecting on scripture. It is
examining the various beliefs we hold as a church. Every one of us
needs to think about God so that our beliefs will actually guide our
day-by-day actions and so that we can share our belief with a world
in need of hope and faith
