What We Believe
Orthodox faith, New Testament practice
Core Christian Beliefs
In line with the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) and confessed in the early creeds, we affirm the essentials shared by the global church.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God — our sufficient and final authority for faith and practice. God breathed out the Scriptures through human authors so that His people would know Him and be equipped to do His will.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…" (2 Tim 3:16–17)
Key Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; John 17:17; Psalm 19:7–11
The Trinity
There is one God, eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-equal and co-eternal, distinct yet undivided in essence. We worship the one true God who has made Himself known as three Persons in perfect unity.
Key Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1–3; John 14:16–17,26; Acts 5:3–4
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, He lived a sinless life, died on a cross He Himself carried for our sins, entered the realm of the dead was not abandoned there but rather proclaimed victory over the powers of darkness, assured the righteous of Paradise, rose in triumph rose bodily from the dead, demonstrated His resurrection to many witnesses, ascended to the Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and to renew all things.
Key Scriptures: John 1:1,14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8; Romans 4:25; Acts 1:9–11; Revelation 1:7
Salvation
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—not by works. We receive new life by trusting in Him, and we abide in that life by keeping His commandments in love. This obedience does not earn salvation; it is the necessary fruit and evidence of a living faith and the way Jesus says we remain in His love. The Holy Spirit indwells and empowers us to walk in His ways, bear much fruit, and persevere to the end.
"Abide in me, and I in you… Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit… If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." (John 15:4–10)
"By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments." (1 John 2:3–6)
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 2:8–10; John 14:15, 21, 23; John 15:4–10; 1 John 2:3–6; 1 John 3:24; Philippians 2:12–13; Revelation 14:12
What this means (clarity points)
- Grace through faith - unto obedience and fruit. We are justified by grace through faith (Eph 2:8–9) and re-created for good works God prepared (Eph 2:10). True faith works through love (Gal 5:6), keeps His word (John 14:21, 23), and walks as He walked (1 Jn 2:6). Abraham was found righteous through his faith - an actionable faith of obedience with the potential for a heavy cost (Gen 22:1–18; Heb 11:17–19; James 2:21–24).
- Abiding brings assurance; departing brings warning. Our confidence is in Christ, and Scripture ties assurance to continuing in Him - abiding, holding fast, enduring (John 15:5–6; Col 1:22–23; Heb 3:14; Matt 24:13).
- Spirit-empowered perseverance. God works in us to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil 2:12–13), fulfilling His promise to put His Spirit within us and cause us to walk in His statutes (Ezek 36:26–27).
What we deny (for doctrinal transparency)
We deny "Once Saved, Always Saved" (OSAS) as a guarantee irrespective of persevering faith and obedience. Jesus warns that failing to abide leads to being cast out (John 15:6); we "share in Christ if we hold our original confidence firm to the end" (Heb 3:14; cf. Col 1:23; Heb 10:36–39).
We deny Calvinistic unconditional election that fixes individuals' destinies apart from their response. We confess that Christ died for all and that God desires all to be saved; grace is truly offered to all, can be resisted, and people are counted among the elect in Christ through faith and ongoing abiding.
Key Scriptures: 1 Tim 2:3–6; 2 Pet 3:9; Titus 2:11; John 12:32; Acts 7:51; Matt 23:37; Eph 1:4 ("in Christ"); 1 Pet 1:1–2
The Church
The universal Church is the body and bride of Christ, composed of all true believers in every time and place. The local church is the visible gathering of believers devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. We build one another up in love, practice the ordinances Christ gave (baptism and the Lord's Supper), and pursue mission together while we await His return.
Key Scriptures: Acts 2:42–47; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:11–16; Ephesians 5:25–27; 1 Peter 2:9–10; Matthew 28:18–20; Hebrews 10:24–25
Why New Testament Church Structure?
Our practice flows from Scripture, not mere tradition.
A Scriptural Pattern, Not a Cultural Accident
From the start, believers gathered "in the temple and from house to house" (Acts 2:46; 5:42). As the gospel spread, churches met in homes — "the church in their house" (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15; Phm 2) — and leaders discipled "publicly and from house to house" (Acts 20:20). We receive this not as a temporary workaround, but as a normative pattern in Christ: many homes across a city, one church under Jesus.
Relational Discipleship (the "One Another" Life)
The New Testament calls believers to love, encourage, confess to, pray for, and bear one another's burdens — well over fifty "one another" commands (John 13:34–35; Heb 10:24–25; Gal 6:2; Rom 12:10). Homes naturally create the face-to-face, family-like environment where these commands are practiced consistently — not as spectators, but as brothers and sisters.
Every-Member Ministry
Gatherings were designed for mutual participation: "When you come together, each one has…" (1 Cor 14:26). In smaller settings, spiritual gifts are discovered and used (Rom 12:4–8; 1 Pet 4:10–11; Eph 4:15–16). No audience. No spectators. The body builds itself up in love as every part does its work.
Simple, Reproducible Multiplication
House churches multiply when a group grows beyond genuine fellowship. This keeps ministry people-focused and mission-focused, not building-dependent (Acts 12:12; Titus 1:5). It's a lightweight, scalable way to plant and strengthen communities across a city — many households, one flock under one Shepherd (John 10:16).
Not anti-gathering: We gladly gather larger when wise and possible (Acts 2:46), but we prioritize the house-to-house pattern because it best forms disciples and mobilizes the whole body.
Key Scriptures: Acts 2:42–47; 5:42; 12:12; 20:20; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 14:26; 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2; Ephesians 4:11–16; Hebrews 10:24–25; Galatians 6:2; 1 Peter 4:10–11
Common Questions
Honest answers about home church life
Doesn't a Church need a building?
The church IS people, not a place. For 250+ years, the church thrived without dedicated buildings. The New Testament never commands or even suggests owning property for gatherings. Buildings can be useful, but they're not essential — and often become a distraction from true community, as well as a financial drain that pulls resources away from the body and those in need.
How do you handle children's ministry?
Children participate in our gatherings just as they would in a family meal. We believe age-segregated programs, while well-intentioned, are often devolved into babysitting-sessions rather than lasting Biblical shepherding. Children learn by participating alongside or watching adults, as well as through opportunities turned memories. If, however, different needs arise for different families or children, we as a Church shall make the appropriate efforts to ensure everyone's needs are taken care of.
What about accountability and oversight?
We have recognized servant leaders (elders/shepherds) based on biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1). Leadership is plural and servant-hearted, focused on equipping and protecting the flock. While we may have fluctuation in the number of leaders/elders at any given time, we are always striving to ensure those within the Church are set up for success as leaders and appointed as such, by the congregations themselves. We also seek counsel and accountability with other like-minded churches and leaders within the community.
Can you really do everything in a home?
We don't try to replicate institutional church programs in a living room. Instead, we focus on what the early church did: teaching God's Word, sharing life together, celebrating communion, having interpersonal fellowship, using the gifts of the Spirit wisely, and praying. Everything else flows naturally from relationships. It's simpler, but it's also deeper and provides a lasting sanctification - as opposed to a sip of milk each Sunday, we provide satiating meat.
Are you against other churches?
While we aren't "against" other Churches as a general rule, we ARE against the model that turns the Church into a Senior-Pastor-led business. We do have brothers and sisters in Christ across many expressions of church - most of which have or started out with the best of intentions. We simply believe God has convicted us that the modern, institutional model is not what God intended for His Church, and we invite others who share that conviction to join us. We're for the church and the gathering together of believers, not against it — we just define "church" as people, not institutions, buildings, or Ted talks preceded by concerts 🤷.