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What Really Matters to Us?
We not only need to dream; we also need to consider what really matters to us. In other words, what convictions do we share
what will shape our worship, life and ministry?
- God at Work for His Glory: our great hope is to be a church
captivated by God's final pursuit - Himself. Ironically, in pursuing His glory our greatest joy is found. As a result, our
confidence is not in ourselves, but in His work. God is always going ahead, behind and alongside his people. The Church is
first and foremost His great work. Our calling is to participate in what He is already doing.
- God's Truth: The Bible is more than a guidebook; it is a living
authority, shaping our preaching and teaching and making application to everyday life. It is through the Scripture that God
changes the hearts of the unconvinced and matures those already in Christ. Furthermore, the Bible shapes our theological
identity. Together with the Church through the ages we affirm the great creeds of the early church councils and the great
Biblical truths of Reformational theology.
- Gospel Freedom: The Gospel's message of grace - that sinners are
forgiven and restored by God through the work of Jesus Christ - is not only that which brings us into relationship with God,
but also that which grows us to maturity. Grace frees us from the dual temptations of despair in failure and self-centered
pride in success. In other words, the engine of the Christian life is the "Gospel of Grace," transforming all whom in
touches. This Gospel Freedom will be our central message.
- True and Vibrant Worship: Worship is at the core of who we are as
humans. Our worship will be characterized by both truth and vibrancy. To value truth means we will listen to the historic
church's contribution to worship, maintaining a deep connection with what has gone before us. To value vibrancy means we
must worship in our time and our place, and so we will incorporate the best of today's contributions.
- The Church - Its People and Community: The Christian faith is not
something lived out in isolation but in the context of the Church. Redeemer Church is both an organization of people and a
living organism of community called the body of Christ. For this reason, we value people - men, women and children - and the
uniqueness of their gifts serving others out of the "overflow" of knowing Christ. Community Groups, therefore, are not just
a program but a vital means whereby people are nurtured in the Gospel and reached for Christ.
- The City and its Culture: Christ came to establish not simply a
church, but a Kingdom. This Kingdom work is not to be against the city, nor is it to condone, but seeks to transform both
city and culture. As "Kingdom Saints" we believe that it is our responsibility to winsomely and realistically engage San
Antonio - its beauty and ugliness - all for the glory of Christ.
- Openness and Warmth: The church is for every kind of person for
every kind of background. Everything we do must be done with humility, sensitivity and a listening ear to those who are not
yet a part of us.
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