We believe God's work is primary: that his grace enables our joyful, obedient response. So, first and foremost, we want to root our lives in God. We're especially eager to listen for God's gracious word of promise in the gospel, where we find the announcement of salvation through the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As a result of what God has done (and is doing) in Christ and by his Spirit, we are hopeful people: about ourselves, about our fellow Christians, about our neighbors, about our city—even about the world. This hope doesn't come from self-confidence, as if we could fix ourselves or anyone else. Rather, our hope is rooted in God, as we learn to trust in his daily offer of grace.

We do not reflexively reject tradition or view it with suspicion. Instead, we gladly receive the riches of the Christian tradition, even as we affirm that Scripture is our final authority in matters of faith and practice. We believe that the accumulated wisdom of the church is an inestimable gift and ongoing source of renewal. Church tradition, understood positively, is simply the patterns of faithful speech and practice that the church has transmitted across generations to aid in worshiping and bearing witness to the triune God (Ps 145:4).

Throughout history, there have been many practices that Christians have employed to cultivate an ongoing life with God, including Bible reading, meditation, prayer, fasting, Sabbath, silence, solitude, confession, service to the poor, and more. We encourage these biblical and time-tested practices as avenues for participating more deeply in God’s grace.

We believe that being rooted in Christ necessarily entails being connected to his body: the Church. The earliest Christians devoted themselves to "the fellowship" (Acts 2:42), which implies a deep level of commitment and intentionality. Scripture regularly compares the church to a human body, in which there are many members that make up the one body (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:12-26). This imagery invites reflection on our mutual obligations, responsibilities, and interdependence.

We believe God has planted us in the city to be salt and light (Matt 5:13-16). Jesus sends his people into the world to proclaim the gospel and to embody his love in deeds of justice and mercy. We desire to be a faithful gospel presence in north Austin—rooted in this part of town and participating in the life of the community. Part of what this means is that we want to be present and committed within our various networks and spheres of influence: from the foundational level of family life, out into our neighborhoods, and including everything from schools to workplaces.

The pattern of the early church was to gather on Sunday for Christian worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; cf. Rev 1:10), a pattern that has remained consistent across church history. We continue in this tradition as we gather to worship God, encourage one another, and bear witness before the watching world. Our gathering includes hearing God's word read and preached, responding to God in prayer and praise, and partaking of the sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper). Our worship is anchored in Holy Scripture and informed by the liturgical practices of the historic church (e.g., creeds, confessions, confession of sin/assurance of pardon, weekly communion).

Community Groups are the primary structure for living out our commitments to one another and inviting in people from our relational networks. Community Groups provide an environment for biblical encouragement, service together in the wider community, and missional living.

Church membership provides a context for discipleship—a biblical way of defining the expectations and responsibilities that God has for his people. In Scripture, the church is often compared to a body with many members (1 Cor 12) or a household (1 Tim 3:15). Membership is how we know who comprises this local body of believers—who the members of this family are.

Through the membership process, we clarify for people our beliefs, our mission and values, and the standard of life that we will hold each other accountable to. In membership, we formally commit ourselves to the truth of the gospel, to the spiritual vitality and mission of this particular community, and to the care, direction, and discipline of its leaders, who will give an account to Jesus for their work (Heb 13:17).

Teaching is a central calling of the church in every age (cf. Matt 28:18-20). When done effectively, Christian teaching equips believers so that they can minister life-giving words and build up the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-16). We desire to offer learning environments that equip people with tools for reading Scripture wisely, living out the faith in every area of life, and more. Such learning spaces may include classes, Bible studies, seminars, role-specific training, and tracks for leadership development.

We gladly partner with other churches and organizations in Austin (and beyond). One kind of partnership we hope to pursue is with organizations in the city that are engaged in justice and mercy ministry. Another kind of partnership we pursue is with organizations engaged in church planting. In particular, we partner with the Redeemer Network in raising up church planters, supporting new churches, and providing ongoing support to churches and their pastors. Third, we seek to partner directly with other churches to advance the gospel, which may include giving to support new churches, partnering with others in the work of church planting, and networking with other churches and leaders for specialized ministry in the city. Ultimately, we desire to send out church planters, core teams, and missionaries from our own community.