Austin Bluffs Community Church

MISSION
The mission of Austin Bluffs Church is to build bridges that enable people to encounter God and discover His purpose for their lives.

BELIEFS
• God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine.
• The Bible is God's perfect guidebook for living.
• Jesus is God showing Himself to us.
• Nothing in creation just happened. God made it all.
• Grace is the only way to have a relationship with God.
• Faith is the only way to grow in our relationship with God.
• God has allowed evil to provide us with a choice.
• God can bring good even out of evil events.
• God promises victory over evil to those who choose Him.
• Heaven and hell are real places. Death is a beginning, not the end.
• The church is to serve people like Jesus served people.
• Jesus is coming again.

ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

ABOUT MAN
Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God's creation. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". This attitude separates man from God.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

ABOUT ETERNITY
Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46

ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13

ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1

ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God's Word to all men. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

PRINCIPLES
We hold to the following five principles:
• Saved people serve.
• Changed lives change lives.
• Found people find people.
• We’re better together.
• God is our foremost pursuit

OUR VALUES
WORSHIP We seek to give God's love back to Him and enter into His presence. Worship the LORD with gladness. “Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” (Ps 100:2-3 NLT)

THE BIBLE We pursue God's authoritative instruction for right living. “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 TLB)

RELATIONSHIP We grow together and we share our lives with one another by regularly meeting together in large and small groups. “...you are members of God's very own you belong in God's household with every other Christian.” (Ephesians 2:19 TLB)

MATURITY We seek to grow up spiritually as we apply God's principles to everyday living. “We are not meant to remain as but to grow up in every way into ” (Ephesians 4:14-15 PH)

GENEROSITY God is the giver of everything, so we willingly and generously give back to Him. “The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25 NLT)

AUTHENTICITY We want to respond naturally to God, avoiding behavior that draws attention away from Him and to ourselves. “He (God) must become greater, and I must become less important.: (John 3:30 NCV)

RELEVANCE We believe the message of Jesus is as practical and useful today as it was 2000 years ago. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 NCV)

COMPASSION & MERCY We desire to bless others with practical expressions of God's love. “...be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” (Luke 6:36 NLT)

MISSIONS We extend the Good News of Jesus Christ to all outside our Father's house. “Jesus said to his followers, ‘Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.'” (Mark 16:15 NCV)

FUN We encourage joyful expressions such as laughter, happiness and having fun together. “Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.” (Ps 144:15 NCV)

CHANGE We welcome change as God transforms us into a more effective force in our world. “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do.” (Romans 12:2 NLT)