Who We Are

 

Our Mission is to be a place to find hope. As we do this, our vision is to be pursuing a growing relationship with Jesus that brings hope and love to our community and the world.

Core Values

These are the Core Values that drive our ministry and service in our community.

God's Word
God's Word

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Scripture is a means through which God pours out His wisdom and inspiration to us; a catalyst for changing lives.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

God’s Word is Truth, and it sets us apart from the world.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17

Loving God and loving people
Loving God and loving people

We are obedient to Christ’s Great Commandment to show God’s love to those around us. The modern world has many challenges but in any situation, we will seek to show love and grace.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40

Dependance on the Holy Spirit
Dependance on the Holy Spirit

God has sent his Holy Spirit into the world to empower our ministry.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

To inspire our speech.

[A]nd my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

And to give us wisdom and direction in our lives as we seek Him.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

Serving the Un-churched and the De-churched
Serving the Un-churched and the De-churched

Lost people matter to God, whether they have yet to meet Jesus for the first time, or whether they have strayed away and, like the Prodigal Son, hope to return to Him.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10

Christ’s Church is the vehicle that God has ordained to reach the lost.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Being Passionate about Prayer
Being Passionate about Prayer

Prayer is one of the most important aspects of a Christian’s walk with Christ, and should be a regular and reflexive aspect of their daily lives.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

When fighting temptation or under spiritual attack, prayer is our shield.

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; Ephesians 6:18

Community-supported Spiritual Growth
Community-supported Spiritual Growth

Salvation is not the end of a Christian’s journey, but the beginning. Healthy disciples grow in faith.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ Ephesians 4:15

A healthy Church nurtures the Spiritual Growth of the members.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Christians are called to meet regularly to pray, and to remember Christ’s death and resurrection through the breaking of bread.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

Cultural Relevance without compromising Doctrinal Purity
Cultural Relevance without compromising Doctrinal Purity

Christians are called to be “in the world, but not of it” and to seek and reach the lost, wherever they may be found.

[…] I have become all things to all men, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in it’s blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23

Different situations require a Christian to take different approaches, but we must not compromise our own behaviour.

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16

Nor may we censor God, no matter how uncomfortable his message is to those who hear it.

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. Luke 12:51-52

Each One Serving
Each One Serving

God has blessed each of us with different gifts, in the expectation that we will use them to serve each-other.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace 1 Peter 4:10

We are called to be contributors and participants in the Church community, not consumers.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7

Our gifts are given to us so that we might excel in their use and bring glory to God, not to ourselves.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Radical Generosity
Radical Generosity

All that we have: our time, talents and treasure, is a gift from God. God may not need our good works, but our neighbours do and we should be generous as we show God’s love to those in need, both in our community.

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. Matthew 5:42

And in the Church.

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:13

God promises that as we bless others, so he will pour out his blessing on us.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

The Unity of the Church
The Unity of the Church

Christians are called to support each-other, even when we disagree.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Our common focus must be on the One who unites us in His Kingdom, rather than the differences in custom and practice that divide us.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:10-12

Unity in the Church requires us to cultivate humility in ourselves and patience with our fellow Christians.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

But we must remember that Christ’s sacrifice has allowed us to become adopted descendants of Abraham and heirs of the promise God made to him. Who we are, whatever race, sex or social status, it is no barrier to salvation.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

All Christians are united in our shared love of God and desire to seek His Kingdom.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Philippians 2:2

“At Hope Church, we want you to experience God’s love — to know that he has created you for a purpose, to know that your life is not an accident, to know that you can actually have a personal relationship with God through his Son, Jesus.”

What We Believe

God

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

The Bible

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Human Condition

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

The Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

The Church

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Christian Living

We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Christ’s Return

We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Response and Eternal Destiny

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

Staff

Pastor Dan Richter and wife, Erin

Senior Pastor

Jill Smith

Family Ministry and Connections

Katie Nelson Troyer

Worship Coordinator

Elders

Clay Larsen (Chair)

Wilton

Marc Gelnett

Weston

Whitney Janeway

Wilton

Brian Larson

Weston

Alan Renne

Ridgefield

Maris Silins

Wilton

Our Denomination

Hope Church is part of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), a collection of over 1300 churches across America. Evangelical refers to our commitment to the Bible as God’s authoritative word and Free describes our church government as congregational and free from denominational control. Our common statement of faith re-elects all the main points of historic biblical Christianity. You can find out more at our denomination website: www.efca.org