What we believe.
Our Mission
To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our Strategy
...by creating environments where people are equipped and encouraged to pursue intimacy with God, community with insiders and influence outsiders.
Core Values - built on the truth of Scripture
- Biblical Authority - God has spoken to us through the Bible and we recognize it as the final authority for our lives.
- Intentional Relationships
Intimacy with God - Developing the intimate relationship God desires to have with each of us.
Authentic Community - exercising accountability, belonging, care, and spiritual growth with relationally connected believers.
Relational Evangelism - communicating God's message within the context of personal relationships.
- Relevant Environments - which effectively connect with those for whom they are designed.
- Strategic Service - exercising our spiritual gifts in support of our strategy.
- Deliberate Apprenticing - passing along to others the knowledge, skills, and opportunities that have been entrusted to us.
The Bible - a totally reliable guide: We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God and serves as final authority on what we believe and how we live. It is our guide to understanding God and the meaning of life.
2 Timothy 3:16 - 17 -- "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Sin - our greatest problem: We believe that every person has worth as a creation of God, but that all have sinned and separated themselves from fellowship with God.
Romans 3:23 -- "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
Jesus Christ - the only mediator: We believe that God sent Jesus, His only Son, to earth to restore our relationship with Him and that Jesus will return someday for His people.
John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 14:1-6 -- "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Salvation - an undeserved gift: We believe that forgiveness of sin, a restored fellowship with God and the promise of eternal life are available to every person who trusts in Christ as Savior and Lord
Romans 6:23 -- "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Ephesians 2:8-9 -- "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Obedience - a humble response: We believe that Jesus requires those trusting Him should turn from a life of sin, confess their faith in Christ and be baptized into Him through the biblical pattern of immersion, to identify us with His death, burial and resurrection.
Acts 2:36-39 -- "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Baptism - a response to Jesus Christ: We believe baptism is an outward symbol that a person has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. At Harborside Christian Church we immerse because we believe Scripture shows that Jesus modeled it for us as the method for publically acknowledging faith in Him.
Mark 1:9 -- "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan."
The Holy Spirit - an unseen power: We believe the Holy Spirit dwells in the life of every Christian to provide understanding of spiritual truths, strength for living, and empowerment to uniquely serve.
John 14:26 -- "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
The Church - a spiritual family: We believe the church is God's family on earth to spread the good news of abundant life, both now and for eternity.
Acts 2:46-47 -- "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Communion - We invite followers of Jesus to participate in Communion (Lord's Supper). This central element of our worship is both a celebration of our salvation and a remembrance of the Lord's sacrifice that secured it. We ask that you prayerfully consider if this dimension of our worship is appropriate for you.
Matthew 26:26-28 -- "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.' Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'"