Statement of Faith

We are a part of the historic church and our foundational vision and beliefs seek to be rooted in scripture. On the Christian family tree we are a part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and are committed to a Reformed perspective on all of life. One of the key tenets of the Reformed tradition is that our beliefs ought to be constantly reforming, changing, and developing in light of God’s continual revelation and the cultural context we find ourselves in. As a community we seek to follow after Jesus who is the Truth. Therefore Truth is known and discovered in community in and through the historic person of Jesus Christ.

Inclusion and Affirmation Statement

The Open Door Church is a community with shared practices, whose life in Christ and through the Holy Spirit strives to cultivate authentic, creative, vulnerable, and diverse spaces for connection and transformation. We desire to clearly express our full inclusion of all people, including those in the LGBTQIA+ community and other communities of historically marginalized peoples, as a means of expressing hospitality and assurance.

Our life in Christ and the Spirit that compels us to co-create with God an open and affirming community that offers a wide welcome to all people. We affirm each person’s God-given, invincible preciousness, that they are created in the image of God and growing in God’s likeness with ever increasing glory (2 Cor.3:18). We seek to embody the inclusive hospitality and embrace of God, viewing our differences as the beauty of the body of Christ. Each person’s uniqueness is a gift that shapes our church, and therefore we welcome full participation of all individuals in the life of the church, including ordained leadership. Our unique stories shape us, each other, and our communal life in Christ: our race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, economic circumstance, spirituality, ethnicity, national origin, family configuration, ability levels, and age. Each person is a gift to the Church, and together we enhance the beauty of the world. Without the full diversity of God’s creation, we are an incomplete witness to the body of Christ. We will seek to grow closer to that witness as we work together toward God’s justice, mercy, and shalom for all.

Vision Statement

Creating passageways to God, others, and the world in the way of Jesus.

Mission Statement

The Open Door Church is a community with shared practices whose life in Christ and through the Holy Spirit strives to cultivate authentic, creative, vulnerable, and diverse spaces for connection and transformation.

We seek to live in the way of Jesus by practicing five simple weekly rhythms: Listen to God. Learn from God. Eat with others. Encourage others. Give ourselves to the world.

Values

  • Reverence for God as Creator, Savior, and Sustainer

  • Transformation in our lives, neighborhoods, and culture

  • Friendship by fostering hospitality, dialogue, collaboration, and partnership

  • Authenticity in community by modeling risk-taking

  • Spirit-led faithfulness in both our individual and communal lives

  • Rootedness in the historic church and person of Jesus Christ

  • Struggle that cultivates spiritual growth

  • Innovation that reflects the goodness and beauty of God’s creation