Core Beliefs
As members of the Body of Christ we are called to follow the example of Jesus in all that we do. We are to serve the Kingdom of God here on earth - loving God and loving our neighbors. This is our heritage and our mission. This is what matters most in our life and work as a community of Christian faith.
Because we value COMMUNITY...
We believe that we do not walk this journey alone and that God's intention and hope for the Christian Church is to celebrate each and every person's story and faith journey.
In the New Testament, God's Kingdom is a worldwide community of faith. We at Derbyshire are stewards of the gift of community that God has bestowed on us. Jesus calls us to draw together as believers for worship, faith development, and fellowship in order to strengthen ourselves for scattered service in God's larger community. To that end, we seek to: deepen community ties within our church; weave a tapestry of relationships among our members and our community for mutual encouragement in life and ministry; and live as good neighbors to our larger region.
Because we value FAITH DEVELOPMENT...
We believe that we all need to grow in Christ. This journey of our developing faith needs to be nurtured by the Church - our church.
The Bible equips, empowers, and encourages us to grow continually in our faith and in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Some people come to faith dramatically and in an instant, while others are raised always knowing that God loves them. No matter how we came to be introduced to God, we know that this is only the beginning; salvation is not an end of itself. We all need to grow in Christ.
Because we value GENEROSITY...
We believe that Christian stewardship is much more than giving money; it is also dedicating our time, energy, and imagination to God.
Jesus calls all Christ followers to reach out and get involved. Every task or project, no matter the size, requires the participation of individuals willing to give of themselves to the work of God's Kingdom. We must offer ourselves to meeting the challenge that Christ Jesus presented to us in the living of His life. Maintaining a spirit of generosity is crucial to the servant attitude we strive to hold.
Because we value MISSIONS...
We believe that all Christians are called to live out Jesus' Great Commission locally and globally (Matthew 28:19-20). We believe we are called to actively seek where God is calling us to use our individual strengths, as well as our church's strengths, to meet the needs of our community and larger world.
Together we can be witnesses who love and impact our larger community, as well as the farthest reaches of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). We believe that missions is a lifestyle and that we are changed as we work to serve God by reaching out to others. Our goal is to be proactive, balanced, intentional, focused, and sustainable in our mission efforts.
Because we value OUTREACH...
We believe that we are called to share our faith clearly, boldly, and expansively. We believe that outreach overlaps and is integrated with everything we do.
The work of only a few is not enough; our goal is for outreach to be bred into the culture of our congregation. This reminds of where we stand in our responsibilities as Christians - to invite and welcome more into Kingdom of God.
Because we value WORSHIP...
We believe that we are called as individuals and as a church to the specific act of religious praise, honor, and devotion directed to God - Father, Son, and Spirit.
Our main goal in worship is to be pleasing to God. In worship we also seek to nourish, provide Christian growth, strengthen faith, and inspire, while being uplifting and challenging to the worshipers.