Paradise Lost: Fig Leaves

If you’re new around here, or if you’re ready to take a next step – First Step is a great place to start! Here, you can meet some new people, get a little more connected, and find out what your next step could be.

SHIELD616 was founded to provide all-day rifle protection for peace officers and first responders who sacrificially serve our communities. Through Level Up and your generosity, we are able to provide new equipment for 26 first responders. On Tuesday, June 4, with SHIELD616, we will be presenting the gear to the agents. In addition to this, we will also be providing each officer/agent with a prayer partner, creating relationships and opportunities for our church to support beyond the physical need. Let us know if you’re interested in becoming a prayer partner!

SHIELD616 Presentation Night | Tuesday, June 4 | 6 to 7 PM

• Bereavement Team – Come around those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, and serve them by hosting celebrations of their loved one’s life, receptions following the services and supporting them with resources in one-on-one or group settings.
• Prayer Team – Help people overcome fear, release their concerns to Jesus, grow in their relationship with Jesus by coming alongside them in confidential prayer.
• Shepherding Team – Provide support and community for people going through times of challenge or sorrow. Those serving in these teams provide loving care to adults of all ages and in a variety of ways including hospital visits, senior living visitation, prayer, written correspondence, and communion visitation.
• Recovery / Support Groups – Walk alongside people who are seeking support and encouragement as they invite Jesus into their story of addiction, grief, cancer, or mental illness. These peer-led groups provide practical lay-counseling, love, and compassion.

As a church, when we see a need, we reach out to the rest of the body to step in and fill that need. This is the best way for us to serve and most closely resembles Jesus’ design for how His church serves the needs around it. Corporately, we work alongside organizations like Agape Safe Haven, the Pearl Group, the OUR Center and others, to serve the needs of our community. Serve opportunities can be set up for individuals, families, and groups on and on-going or one-time basis, depending on current needs.

• Safety Team – Utilizing a security emphasis to create a welcoming AND safe environment for guests during weekend services and events. Some tactical training, proficiency and background check required.
• Medical Team – During weekend services and events, assist guests who have medical complications, and contact first responders, if needed. Certain medical proficiency and skill qualifications required.
• Accounting Team – If you like numbers and processes, reach out to see what opportunities are available. These are generally midweek serving opportunities, during business hours.
• Facilities Team – Maintain a safe, welcoming environment for guests through snow removal, periodic building maintenance, and major event set-up/tear-down.

• Hospitality – Plan, prepare and serve a meal for the Single Moms group meetings on Wednesday nights and invite others in your small group or circle of friends to join your efforts.
• Single Moms Kids Leader – Lead group activities and build relationships with Single Mom Kids on Wednesday nights by creating an environment that demonstrates love, acceptance and stability.

• Parking Lot – Create a great first impression by offering an easy parking experience with a high-energy welcome.
• Lobby – Create a welcoming environment where people feel at home, through greeting every person as they enter the lobby, answering questions and making connections.
• Coffee – Serve coffee and greet people as they enter the lobby.
• Auditorium – Welcome guests and offer assistance as people take their seats.

• Camera – Visually capture engaging live footage so those not able to attend in person can experience meaningful worship online, wherever they are.
• Audio/Lights – Help set the stage for what people are going to experience online and in person.
• Band – Through music, lead others to delight in worshiping God.

Create a welcoming environment as you greet people online through prayer, leading the conversation, and answering questions.

• Small Group Leader – Invest in students by leading a small group, where they can grow in community with others and connection to God.
• Check-In Team – Greet students and families as they check-in at our ministry program and help new students get connected.
• Admin Team – Serve “behind the scenes” on weekly admin needs for student programs, events, and camps.
• Student Leader – Students who want to grow as leaders and invest within planning and ownership of the student ministry, including greeting team, setup, and teardown.
• Student Band – Students who want to use their musical abilities to lead others in worship.
• Tech Team – Students who want to use their technical skills to run slides, lights, and sound during programming.

This team works to capture pictures that capture all the ways God is moving through LifeBridge. There is no experience necessary – our leaders would love to help you learn something new!

• Small Group Leader – Invest in kids’ lives by building meaningful relationships and connection with them, all while modeling what a relationship with Jesus looks like.
• Large Group Leader – Introduce kids to Jesus and lead them in their next step with Him by teaching biblical, age-appropriate stories and truths in a fun and engaging way.
• Check-In Team – Serve on the “front-lines” to welcome new families, make them feel at ease, and bridge the gap from when they first walk into the church to when they drop off their kids and go to service.
• Kids Worship Leader – Lead kids in worship through movement and singing in our early childhood or elementary environments.

Eternity

Man was created for eternal existence in close relationship with God but sin separated us from Him. Jesus will return one day and on that day everyone will be judged by Him. There will be just punishment and reward. For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation, and they will spend eternity in the presence of God. Those who reject Jesus will be separated from Him by their sin in a place of eternal conscious punishment called Hell. Jesus wants everyone to know Him, so that we can spend eternity in His presence.

Matthew 24:44 | John 14:3 | Acts 1:11 | 1 Thessalonians 4:16 | Hebrews 9:28 | Revelation 22:20 | Romans 14:10-12 | Revelation 20:11-15 | Romans 2:5-8 | 2 Corinthians 5:10 | Matthew 25:34 | Romans 8:1 | 2 Peter 3:8-9 | 2 Peter 3:13 | Matthew 25:41 | Matthew 25:46 | Revelation 14:9-11

Baptism

The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith. Since the Church began in Acts 2, baptism has always been a public confession of that faith in Jesus to God, the church, and the world.

According to Scripture, we practice baptism by immersion. The Greek word used exclusively throughout the New Testament for baptism is “baptizo,” which means to plunge, dip, or immerse. Jesus modeled this form of baptism and commanded it, making baptism an act of obedience and faith. Baptism by immersion represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Our old self dying, being buried in the water, and raised as a new creation in Jesus.

Disciples following Jesus’ example and in obedience to the Scriptures, who have professed faith in Jesus, should be baptized.

Ephesians 2:8 | Matthew 10:32 | Matthew 3:13-17 | Matthew 28:19 | Romans 6:3-4 | 2 Corinthians 5:17 | Acts 2:38 | Acts 8:12 | Acts 8:36-38 | Acts 10:44-48 | Acts 22:16 | 1 Peter 3:21 | Titus 3:5-6 | Colossians 2:12-13 | Eph. 4:4-6 | Galatians 3:27

The Church

The Church is the community of all disciples of Jesus Christ, set on the mission given by Jesus to make disciples and spread the love and truth of Christ. A disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus. This is Jesus’ design for the Church—past, present, and future.

Disciples of Jesus should take an active part in the local church to worship God, to know God more intimately, to pray, to make disciples of Jesus, to serve the needs of others, to give generously, and to be challenged and encouraged to grow in their faith.

Ephesians 5:23 | Matthew 28:18-20 | Acts 1:8 | 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 | Ephesians 1:22-23 | Hebrews 10:25 | Colossians 3:16 | Ephesians 1:12 | Ephesians 5:16-20 | Psalm 9:10 | Jeremiah 9:24 | 2 Corinthians 4:6 | Philippians 3:10 | Colossians 1:9-10 | 1 Thessalonians 5:17 | Matthew 28:19 | Matthew 20:26-28 | Luke 6:35-36 | Acts 14:21-22 | 1 Thessalonians 5:11 | Ephesians 4:12-13 | Colossians 1:28 | Hebrews 13:17

Salvation

Salvation is God’s plan for us to be delivered from sin and its consequences. It is a gift from God that can never be earned through good works or self-improvement. Salvation is only given by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This is how we are saved from our sin. Salvation is only attained through the work of Jesus on the cross where He sacrificially died, bearing the sin and punishment of all mankind and paying the price required of sin for all those who believe in Him. All who respond in faith to Jesus do so by the confession and repentance of sin, baptism, and daily obedience to Jesus.

John 1:12 | John 3:16 | Ephesians 1:7 | Ephesians 2:8-9 | Romans 3:23-25 | Romans 5:6-9 | Romans 6:23

Mankind

Out of all that God created, we are the pinnacle of His creation. Mankind is His treasure and masterpiece. We are the only thing that He created in His image. Through our sin, which is direct opposition to God, we have rebelled against God and separated ourselves from Him. We are in need of redemption and restoration to the intended relationship with God that we were created for. And because of God’s desire for a loving relationship with us, He extends an invitation for redemption and restoration through Jesus.

Genesis 1:27 | Genesis 5:1-2 | Romans 3:23 | Romans 5:12 | 1 Corinthians 15:49 | Colossians 3:10

The Bible

Jesus is the Son of God. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.

The Bible is the authoritative and inerrant Word of God; it is God’s revelation about Himself to man. It is historically accurate and internally consistent, telling one story of redemption pointing to Jesus Christ.

God used over 40 different authors to write the 66 books of the Bible, all being divinely directed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the living Word of God, applicable and relevant at all times. It is not only the measure and standard of truth, but is truth itself.

Numbers 23:19 | Psalm 12:6 | Proverbs 30:5 | John 17:17 | 2 Timothy 3:16 | 1 Peter 1:20-21 | Hebrews 4:12

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is promised to those who profess faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God living inside each disciple of Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaches, counsels, and bears witness about Jesus.

He empowers those who follow Jesus in different forms of ministry. He gives different spiritual gifts to followers of Jesus for the purpose of ministry. He empowers prayer. He gives strength and empowers followers of Jesus to overcome spiritual opposition. He sanctifies followers of Jesus. He convicts the believer of sin in order for the believer to experience grace and be led to repentance. He guides. He gives assurance of salvation to followers of Jesus. He brings comfort to the believer. 

Acts 2:38 | Romans 8:9-11 | John 14:26 | John 15:26 | John 16:7-15 | Acts 1:8 | 1 Thessalonians 1:5 | 1 Peter 1:12 | 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 | Romans 8:26 | Ephesians 2:18 | Matthew 12:28 | Ephesians 6:10-18 | 1 Corinthians 6:11 | 2 Thessalonians 2:13 | Titus 3:4-7 | Romans 8:14 | Galatians 5:16-18 | Romans 8:16 | Ephesians 1:13-14

Jesus Christ

Jesus is the Son of God. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.

He is God in human form who came to Earth as man, both fully God and fully human. He was born of a virgin, Mary, and conceived by the Holy Spirit. He lived a perfect and sinless life in order to be a holy and worthy sacrifice. He was tempted as we are tempted. He suffered as we have suffered. Yet He did not fall into sin.

He came to serve and not to be served. Jesus was betrayed, beaten, mocked, and crucified on the cross where He died. Jesus’ life was not taken from Him by anyone; He gave it as a willing sacrifice for everyone. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death and showing His power over both.

After He rose from the dead, He was on earth for 40 days before He ascended into Heaven. Jesus will return one day to rule and reign forever, judge the world, and take those who follow Him to live in the presence of God for eternity.

Luke 24:39 | John 1:1 | John 1:18 | Romans 9:5 | Colossians 1:19 | Colossians 2:9 | Matthew 1:18-20 | Luke 1:34-35 | John 15:10 | 2 Corinthians 5:21 | Hebrews 4:15 | Hebrews 9:26 | 1 Peter 3:18 | 1 John 3:5 | Hebrews 2:18 | Hebrews 7:26 | Philippians 2:5-11 | Matthew 27:27-30 | Mark 15:24 | Luke 23:26-49 | John 19:16-37 | John 10:18 | Matthew 28:1-20 | Mark 16:1-8 | Luke 24:1-53 | John 20:1-23 | 1 Corinthians 15:20 | Ephesians 1:19-20 | 1 Peter 1:3 | Luke 24:50-51 | Acts 1:9-11 | Matthew 25:31-46 | John 14:2-3; 6

God the Father

The first member of the Trinity is God the Father.

God the Father is the Creator, Sustainer, Ruler, and Redeemer of all things. God is sovereign and infinite, meaning there is no one or anything more powerful than Him and He is without limitation. God the Father can be intimately known, but because of His infiniteness, He can never be fully known. But the good news is, God the Father can be known and desires to be known by you, but can only be known through Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:1 | Colossians 1:16 | Acts 4:24 | Hebrews 1:3 | Revelation 4:11 | Psalm 145:3 | Jeremiah 9:23-24 | Romans 11:33 | Matthew 11:27 | John 14:6

The Trinity

We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity (the Son of God) who became flesh to reveal God to humanity and to become the Savior of the lost world. The three distinct persons of the Trinity are all fully God; all of God’s attributes are true of each person and together they are one God. While the word “trinity” never appears in Scripture, it is an accepted doctrine based on the Bible’s teachings as a whole. We see throughout Scripture, evidence of the Trinity.

Genesis 1:26 | Psalm 45:6-7 | Psalm 110:1 | Isaiah 6:8 | Matthew 3:16-17 | Matthew 28:19 | John 1:1-5 | John 13:20 | 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 | 2 Corinthians 13:14 | Ephesians 2:18 | 1 Peter 1:2

When someone new gets baptized we connect them with someone who has been following Jesus. This gives them a mentor and a safe place to process any questions about faith! Email Val to get connected- [email protected]