Grace Centered
1
Grace-centered churches understand that the gospel is not the ABC’s of Christianity (the beginning) but the A to Z (the totality). Meaning, the gospel of Jesus is both for the Christian and non-Christian.
2
Grace-centered churches understand that obedience to God’s ways and transformation of any kind, especially heart transformation, cannot happen apart from the good news of God’s grace.
3
Grace-centered churches teach “justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ’s work alone.” The focus is on what has been DONE by Christ not on what we DO.
Grace-centered churches believe the Christian life is about deepening the return to God’s grace, not moving on to a list of what a Christian should do. By deepening our return, and abiding in Christ, fruit is born in the life of the Christian.
4
Grace-centered churches keep the focus of all activity – preaching, teaching, worship, outreach, discipleship, service – centered on the riches of God’s grace known through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the new life imparted to us by His Spirit.
5
Grace-centered churches believe the gospel must be preached from every text of the Bible, because in our human nature we are constantly reverting to self-reliance and self-justification.
6
Grace-centered churches understand grace to be one-way love from God to us. It is this unconditionality that places people in a position of humility, granting them freedom, peace, and security.
7
Grace-centered churches model leadership that is about repentance and continued astonishment of God’s grace.