I regard five areas to be especially critical for my church. They are the essence of our self-understanding as a community of faith. Proclaiming the gospel with power and integrity. The gospel arises from the witness to Jesus Christ in the Bible, and biblical preaching is the cornerstone of the church's life and faith. Civil religion, which reflects more the culture in which we live than the gospel itself, will be resisted.
Faith is understood as trusting personal acceptance of the truth of the gospel.
Faith is not intellectual assent to abstract statements. Faith is dynamic, not dogmatic. It is personal, not propositional. The total Christian experience leads members to a committed life of discipleship. The Christian ethic is well described as following Jesus.