Our BELIEFS

What we believe and our core values.

Core Values of Southpark Church

We have three core values anchored in the biblical truth that Jesus is Lord: transformation, relationships, and generosity. They help guide us in discovering life to the full.

Transformation: God meets us where we are and helps us become who we were created to be. We join God in the life changing business.Ways to plug into transformation: Worship individually and together. Participate in a group. Read scripture. Pray.

Relationships: Relationships are the most important part of life. We welcome everyone as a friend, just like Jesus.Ways to plug into relationships: Invite people to come and see Jesus. Welcome everyone as friends. Be a great neighbor.

Generosity: We each have gifts and abilities to make the world a better place. We cheerfully offer what we have, asking nothing in return. We are generous because God is generous.

Ways to plug into generosity: Serve God in the community and church with time, talent, and treasure.

TRANSFORMATION

God is in the life changing business. God meets us where we are and continually helps us to become something more.

Relationships

They are the most important part of our life. We are called to love God, self, and neighbor. We're in this together.

Generosity

We desire to be good stewards with all that God gives us by being unselfish with our time, our money, and our will.

A Methodist Church

We are a United Methodist congregation. Methodist characteristics include: Connecting with God through our hearts and minds, God’s unmerited favor, social responsibility, community outreach, education, and the belief that we can accomplish more together than alone. Our founder, John Wesley, had three general rules

DO NO HARM
DO GOOD OF EVERY KIND
ATTEND TO SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

(worship, prayer, studying scripture, fasting, Holy Communion and life groups)

Learn More about United Methodism

WHAT WE BELIEVE

  1. God, creator of all things, is the caring God described in the Bible. God wants to be in a loving, personal relationship with us.
  2. Jesus is the Christ, God’s son. Jesus gave his life on the cross and was resurrected to offer us the opportunity to be made right with God. When we believe in Jesus and receive him as Lord of our lives, we find forgiveness, a loving relationship with God, life to the full now and eternally.
  3. The Holy Spirit is God’s continuing way of relating to and communicating with us. Through the Holy Spirit, God empowers us to extend God’s love to people. God the Creator, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the Trinity - one God, three persons.
  4. People are created in God’s image, which is good. God created us to be in loving relationships with God and with each other.
  5. God gives us freedom of choice. Sometimes we choose well. Sometimes we do not. When we choose to act in ways that hurt our relationships with God and people (sin), we stain the image of God in which we are created. The consequences are guilt, shame, death, brokenness and separation from God and others (hell). Jesus took our consequences upon himself on the cross. He defeated them in his resurrection and offers us life to the full.
  6. Grace (unmerited favor) is the gift of God which allows those who confess Christ as Lord to be made right with God (justified) and to grow from believing in God to living for God (sanctified). We begin to experience God’s grace even before we know who God is. This is prevenient grace, God working in our lives before we know it.
  7. We are made right with God (saved) through the grace of Jesus and our subsequent faith in Christ. We cannot earn our way back to God through our actions. Our actions are affected by our faith, however, and demonstrate the change that Jesus makes in us.
  8. The Bible is our primary source for knowing the mind of God, how we can relate to God, and how our lives have purpose and meaning. The Bible guides Christian thinking and action.
  9. Prayer is the way we communicate with God, both speaking and listening. Prayer opens the door for God’s will and power to be part of our thinking and behavior. Prayer changes us and our lives.
  10. The church is the body of Christ in the world. The church is a family where the word of God is proclaimed, the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion are regularly given, and where loving relationships are intentionally developed. The church is a group of imperfect people seeking to live abundant lives in Christ.