Scroll through this page or click one of the following links to find out about our Beliefs and Practices.
Our Vision :: Our Purpose :: Our Message :: Our Culture :: Our Beliefs
The Bible :: God :: Jesus Christ :: People :: Salvation :: The Holy Spirit
The Church :: Communion :: Water Baptism
Our Vision
We want to keep it simple, and make life matter.
We imagine a place of life, where people flock to experience God in a place that matters. As people enter the campus, they sense the presence of something different, even though they may not be able to articulate that as the presence of God. A place of natural beauty, reflecting God's creation in the middle of an asphalt jungle. A non-corporate environment that offers an escape from the matrix of busyness that surrounds suburban life. A place to get away, without going far.
We imagine a place of simplicity, offering the best plans for others to meet God and walk with Him, leaving, if only for a moment, the pressures of tomorrow, as they walk with God today.
We imagine a place that matters to men. A place where men understand what it means to be men. Where they discover their strength, and what God has meant for them to be.
We imagine a place that matters to women. A place where women discover their true beauty. A beauty that emanates from within, placed there by God and impacts people who truly know them, a beauty beyond what is seen with the eyes.
We imagine a place for singles looking for family. A place that can embrace all life stages with the belief that families are made up of married couples, singles, students, and children.
We imagine a place that matters to students. A place where they can come and escape the peer pressure of schools and cliques, a place where they feel comfortable inviting their friends. A place that connects their culture with God in a way that makes a difference.
We imagine a place that matters to children. A place where children encounter God's presence in a tangible way that speaks to their age and freedom.
We imagine a place that matters to marriages. When couples find themselves going through rocky times, stressed out about finances, parenting, communication, and just living together as man and wife, we see a place that offers them hope and practical solutions for a life together.
We imagine a place that matters to those who don't think they matter. A place that is inviting to people who don't know Christ, who don't' have life, and don't know where to turn. A place where people can come to be themselves as they grow to be like Christ.
We imagine a place that matters to the underprivileged. A place where we combine our resources to impact those who are hungry and impoverished, both here and around the world. A place that cares about the plight of the fatherless in the remotest parts of the earth, as well as the fatherless in our backyard.
We imagine a year, in the not so distant future, where 1000 people are baptized in 1 year. Where 100 families are called away to spend a year on mission, and in a culture that dictates who we should be, our desire is to communicate God's truths about who you were made to be and the freedom that comes from knowing Him.
Our Purpose
Stonecreek Church exists to connect with people and lead them into authentic and growing relationships with Jesus Christ.
Our Message
With tenacity, Stonecreek Church is committed to introducing people to the message of freedom in Christ and how to walk in relationship with Him. Our guiding verses are Isaiah 61:1-3, the passage Jesus quoted in his first public message as He announced His purpose, detailed in Luke
4:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has
anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release
from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s
favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn and
provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of
beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a
garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called
oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his
splendor.”
Our Culture
Because of our clarity and focus, we refuse to be or do that which is someone else’s mission in the body of Christ. We know our part in the cause of Christ, and we use these guiding values in determining our expressions of ministry.
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Relevant: Stonecreek is determined to communicate effectively God’s message of freedom, liberty and belonging, to a culture in desperate need of hope. We understand our times, and — by design — we focus our energies and resources to effectively present a relevant message.
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Authentic: No one here is perfect. We don’t claim to be. We like to say, “What you see is what you get.” The truth is, we’ll never be good enough on our own. We don’t have our act together. We are inconsistent in our daily living. And that’s the whole point. That’s why we need a relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s God’s idea of restoring humanity back to Himself.
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Simple: We can’t do it all. Our world screams with complexity, and we are casualties of a culture that demands busyness. As a result, we are tempted to approach God like we approach life: as consumers in search of a quick fix. Our goal at Stonecreek is not to keep you busy with spiritual activities and the latest Christian programs. Rather, our goal is to discover how to keep you from being so busy that the voice of God grows faint and becomes nonexistent in your life. From this perspective, we design our ministry environments to help you create space to walk with God. And we keep it simple.
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Relational: We were created to be relational. Our ministry environments are designed to move us toward authentic relationships with our God and with others. It’s within the context of these relationships that we begin to discover who we are, to heal from our pasts, to grow into our futures, and to extend beyond ourselves to our community and world.
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Generous: As those created in God’s image, our generosity toward others is ultimately an outward reflection of our inward connection to God. Serving others directs our attention to the heart of Christ and deepens our intimacy with Him. Whether through time, talent or treasure, our desire is that Stonecreek be known as a generous people.
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True: Stonecreek is designed around the truth of the Bible. The Bible stands as the supreme source of truth for daily living. God has spoken through the Bible, and it reveals Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. In all our environments, the Bible is presented as living, active and able to transform lives.
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Inviting: The words “freedom” and “church” typically don’t go together, right? But the invitation in our message is not to religious activity, duty or obligation. We believe fully in what God tells us in Isaiah 61:1, that we are to experience freedom in life. And that’s inviting.
Our Beliefs
The Bible
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the only
inspired, infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. They are our
supreme and final authority.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5
God
We believe in the One True God, the sovereign, eternal Creator of all
that exists, both seen and unseen. God is eternally existent in three
persons, yet one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is called the
Trinity. God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present.
Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, both God and man, in
His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His
vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His
ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His eventual return in
power and glory, and in his ability to hold our salvation secure until
that time.
Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
People
We believe God created people in His image. Adam and Eve, the first
human beings, chose to disobey God. This is called sin, and it broke
their relationship with God. As a result, all mankind became separated
from God. Because of original sin, unregenerate human beings are
incapable of pleasing or commending themselves to God. The only remedy
for mankind’s predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.
Genesis 3:17; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2
Salvation
We believe that
when a person exercises faith in Christ, he passes immediately out of
spiritual death into spiritual life, from the old creation into the
new. He gains a new nature and a new heart, justified by God’s grace,
accepted by the Father just as Christ His Son is accepted, loved just
as Christ is loved, and connected to Him forever.
John 14:6; Romans 5:1; Romans 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person, He is God. He lives in all believers, allowing them to walk with God forever from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit enables believers to understand biblical truth, empowers them for godly living, gives them spiritual gifts and equips them to live for the glory of God, the good of others and their own fulfillment.
John 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18
The Church
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Jesus Christ — expressed through a local church — who have agreed together to walk with God. Christ is the head of the church, and the Holy Spirit is its guide. The local church is governed independently of outside people, groups or authorities. The church is lead by pastors, its practices are guarded by elders, and its influence is extended to the world by participating members.
Communion
Communion, also called The Lord’s Supper, uses bread to symbolize the broken body of Christ and grape juice to symbolize the blood of Christ spilt for our sins. Taking communion is not an act of receiving Christ, but one of remembering Christ’s death for our sins and proclaiming our faith and salvation in Him alone. Communion is offered for Christ-followers weekly at the close of each worship service in the main auditorium.
1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Water Baptism
Scripture teaches that all who have received Jesus Christ as their leader and forgiver should be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Scripture illustrates water baptism by immersion as a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, after an individual has expressed faith in Jesus Christ.
Listen to a message on baptism now from Steven Gibbs, senior pastor.
Read more on our beliefs around baptism.
