Our Vision/Values
Our Vision
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There is a vision that God has been stirring up at Oak Hills Church. It is a vision of a community of followers of Christ who are experiencing the transforming power of the Spirit of God and sharing that power with the world around us. We really have no desire to simply attract a crowd. But we are passionate about transformation. Helping people to experience the reality of God in their lives. We believe that this was the core message of Jesus. The Good News. Jesus wanted us to know that the actual experience of His gracious rule in our lives is available to anyone who follows Him.Our Objectives
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Worship (1 Chronicles 16:7-36) We are made to worship God because of who He is and what He has done for us. We do this on our own, through the lives we lead, and together as a community of Christ followers. We desire worship experiences that respect the history of the Church while seeking to find new ways to express our love to Him. |
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Spiritual Formation (Ephesians 4) We will emphasize the importance of who we are becoming in Christ as a crucial component of living the Gospel. We will provide ministries and experiences that train people to gradually become more like Him. This training has both individual and communal facets. The process takes time and effort and is inherently inefficient. There are disciplines, relationships and experiences we engage in by ourselves (i.e. solitude, prayer) and others we engage in as the Body of Christ (i.e. worship, study, eating). |
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Outreach (Luke 15, Matthew 25:31-46 ) We will seek to invite people outside the family of God to follow Him and learn to live in His Kingdom. We will also create opportunities for those who are growing in Christ-likeness to give themselves away for the sake of others. Like Jesus, we are called to give our lives away regardless of how people respond. This includes caring for the disenfranchised, welcoming people into our lives, homes and Church, and ministering to their various needs. |
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Community (John 13:1-17, 1 John 3:11-24) We will encourage full participation in the life of the Church believing She is the Bride of Christ and a crucial part of God’s plan for the world. We encourage people to have vulnerable relationships with other Christ followers. We want people to take the risky step and enter into deeper levels of community with a few others who desire maturity in Christ. |
Our Values
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Biblical Fidelity (Psalm 119, Colossians 3:16) We believe the Bible is the written Word of God and is the source of truth for our teaching, leadership, and discipleship. |
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Careful Thinking (Colossians 2:8) We believe in grappling with various theological and conceptual issues so we understand the why behind what we do as a Church. The fact that something “works” does not mean we should uncritically embrace it. We are committed to upholding our theology of God, the Gospel, worship and the Christian life. |
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Contagiously Fun (Joshing 12:32) We believe it is an act of faith in God to risk delight in a world which is often cold and cruel. Having fun reminds us to take ourselves with a grain of salt and always enjoy the journey. |
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Relentless Authenticity (Galatians 2:11-16, Psalm 13) We believe in being real with God, ourselves and with one another. We encourage raw honesty about how we are doing, where we are struggling and what God is stirring in our heart. |
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Gracious Hospitality (1 Peter 4:8-9) We believe the Gospel compels us to love our neighbors, welcome them into our lives, homes and Church, care for their needs, and show hospitality to them without regard for their response. |
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Relentless Disruption (John 4:1-26, Galatians 1:6-10) We believe spiritual growth happens when we venture beyond our comfort zones. We desire a culture where people ask each other probing, beneath-the-surface questions to spur one another on toward maturity in Christ. |
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Creative Artistry (Genesis 1:1-2:2, Psalm 19) We believe God is the ultimate Artist and the inspiration for all creativity. The arts help us interpret and understand the world God has made. Beauty beckons the soul toward God. Through the arts we express the deep mysteries of the heart and soul, seeking to glorify God through our artistry. |
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Persistent Prayer (Ephesians 6:18, Matthew 7:7-11, 18:1-8) We believe that God is sovereign and that persistent prayer is reflective of hearts that recognize our dependence on Him. He has created us for relationship with Him, and prayer helps us to communicate with Him, hear from Him and align our hearts with His heart. |
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Courageous Outreach (Matthew 28:19-20) We believe that lost people matter to God and that we are called to share our faith in Him with others who don’t yet know Him. Through the building of relationships and sometimes risky conversations, we invite others to experience new life under God, believing it to be the best life. |
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Intentional Diversity (Galatians 3:26-29) We believe that all people, no matter their race, age, gender or socio-economic background, are God’s creation. We recognize the tendency in society to ignore and marginalize others. Therefore, we are intentional in our desire that all of our ministries reflect diversity in the body of Christ, the church, as a mature expression of Christian community. |
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Financial Faithfulness (Matthew 6:19-20, 25:14-30, 1 Timothy 6:10) We believe all that we have belongs to God, and that we are not fully spiritually converted until our checkbook is. A crucial aspect of our spiritual formation is to invest our wealth in eternal things, living within our means and giving away to others. |
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Organizational Ownership (1 Corinthians 15:58) We believe the organization of the church matters, from the cleanliness of the restrooms to the excellence of our programs, as a purposeful expression of our love for God and as we contribute together as a family united in this local expression of the larger body of Christ. |