Holy Cross Church is a fellowship of Christian disciples motivated to magnify God's glory, live as God's people, and engage in God's mission.
These are the three principles that define our ministry efforts. They are the motivating factors for our behavior, and the guides for our ministry strategy. It is our prayer that these principles will be increasingly manifested in our lives and propel us forward to reach our communities and cities with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Magnify God's Glory
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
The Bible tells us there is nothing more glorious than God. There is no relationship more transformational than that of Jesus Christ. There is no message more profoundly important than the gospel, which means good news. The good news of the gospel is not that God favors us because of who we are, but that he favors us in spite of who we are - based upon the perfect righteousness of Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection for sinners.
Because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us, we need not fear seeing God as he really is (perfect and holy), or admitting how broken we really are. Therefore, our motivation in all that we do is for the love of God to bear more and more on our lives - and to enjoy the process of growing closer to him, as we make him most glorious in our lives.
Live As God's People
"As you come to him...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5)
We are a communal people, made in the image of God and created to love God and love others. Our identity is wrapped up in the reality that God has called us into relationship with Him and one another, living out the gospel truth in the context of authentic, meaningful, and committed gospel community.
Therefore, to live as God's people is to live in unified, committed, and service-driven relationship with one another in such a way that the love of God is being applied in our every-day lives and witnessed by outsiders.
Engage In God's Mission
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:7)
The grace of God propels us forward to bring healing, grace, hope, and renewal. As the gospel transforms us inwardly, we will see a natural overflow of love and service within, and beyond, our church. As Jesus was sent into the world by his Father, we want to be a church that is continually sent on mission to be a witness of Jesus' grace and redemptive work.
We desire to be a church who continually pushes against a "consumer" mentality and embraces a philosophy that sees every Christian as a vital participant in what God is doing in our church and community. This will require time, patience, sacrifice, and, Lord willing, will produce a great amount of joy.