McDowell is a community following Jesus, learning to love.

OUR CORE BELIEFS

We’re an intergenerational, diverse group of people with many backgrounds. We believe that the best kind of life is found in following the ways and teachings of Jesus. We want to love and honor God in every corner of our lives. And we are striving to learn how to love everyone, everywhere, in every situation.

ABOUT GOD

About God

All-loving Creator of the heavens and the earth, eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

About Jesus

Jesus is eternal and fully Divine. He became fully human, born of the virgin Mary. He was crucified by man without guilt and sinless, and through His resurrection, freed all people from the power of sin and death. He will return again, ushering in the eternal Kingdom of God. All who respond to the work and teachings of Jesus by a personal belief that is represented in a changing life will live forever with Him.

About The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is eternal, continually drawing men and women to God. Being marked by the Holy Spirit as children of God, believers are encouraged, transformed to be like Christ, convicted of sin and empowered to serve others.

About Salvation

A free gift from God, salvation is God’s desire for all humanity to be in right relationship with Him. In turning from a self-centered life and turning to God, accepting the work Christ accomplished, one receives new and eternal life.

About The Bible

The Bible is the expressed Word of God and is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

ABOUT HUMANITY

Humanity

We were created in the image of God. But that image on each of us is marred and cracked. Sin is the conscious and unconscious way that we miss the mark in the ways we live, relate to God, and relate to one another. Jesus is the perfect image of God and the One who shows us how to truly be human. Jesus reveals God to humanity, gives us an example of how we should live, and His death and resurrection set us back into right relationship with God.

The Church

As we turn back to God, accept the work Christ accomplished, and begin to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, we become a part of God’s mission in this world in and through the Church. The Church is the community of God, learning to love and express love to this world. Everyone who turns back to God, accepts the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit becomes a vital part of the Church in the world today. Becoming a part of the Church, every follower of Jesus is called to a life of love through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are given without regard to race or gender.

Ordinances

Christians practice certain ordinances that remind us of the work and ministry of Jesus.
Baptism is the outward sign of the new life one has received by confessing and committing to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Baptism represents the death of our old lives and resurrection to a new life in Christ.
Communion is a visible and experienced reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Two common elements of the table in the first century, bread and wine, were used to remind believers about the sacrifice of Jesus – His body broken and His blood poured out. Anyone who is a follower of Jesus is invited to participate.

OUR MOVEMENT

Groups are often defined by what they do as much as who they say they are. There are certain directions and movements that are common here at McDowell.

Gather

God has always been about gathering a people. We were created to be in relationship with other humans. We gather weekly for worship – but we also gather in groups to build healthy relationships and grow in our faith.

Turn

This world pulls us in many directions. We must be intentional in turning back to God. We do this weekly in worship, reframing our world around God, and remembering what is most important. We also do this individually, daily, to set a course that honors God.

Love

Christians should be known for their love. Love is practical, sacrificial and humble. We’re learning to love others not just with our words, but with our actions and sacrifice. We build teams that serve here on campus, and teams that serve in our community, and teams that serve on global mission trips. We want to love everyone, everywhere, in every situation.

Multiply

God has called us to take what He’s given us and multiply it in the world around us. We don’t want to just add to the Kingdom – we want to multiply it everywhere we go. And we want to be intentional about launching other Christ-centered churches and communities.