Choosing
Selecting a church home is a very important decision. Hebrews 10:25 teaches us that having a group of Christians with whom we gather to worship is incredibly important to our personal growth as a Jesus-follower. People tend to make this choice based on intangibles and stylistic concerns, but let us suggest a few objective standards that may help. Before committing to a church, you want to be sure that you share common core doctrines, a common heart focused on a common set of core values which drive your life and the church’s life. You also want to be sure that you are excited about getting personally involved in their common vision. To help you see if C3 is the church for you, we have laid out these four categories for you. Please let us know what questions you have.
What We Believe
What you believe strongly influences who you are. As a church we strongly affirm that the Bible is our absolutely trustworthy authority on matters of faith and practice. We believe that the Bible teaches three core doctrines that all Christians must believe if their claim to be a Jesus follower is to be considered authentic –
- The Doctrine of the Trinity – God is all about relationship. He is three Persons and one Essence. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit each appropriately share the same title (God, Deity), the same special Name (YHWH), and the same perfect moral character reflecting the same heart.
- The Doctrine of the Incarnation – God the Son actually became a human being named Jesus of Nazareth (the Christ, the Messiah). He faced every temptation human beings face, yet never succumbed to sin.
- The Doctrine of the Atonement – Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and died on the cross for our sins. He was buried in a publicly known tomb. He rose again from the dead giving us victory, new life, and the hope of the resurrection in our future.
For more info check out our Statement of Faith on our About Us page.
Whom We Love
It has been argued that to whom a person is attached in life has even more influence on who they are than even their belief system. Perhaps that is why Jesus answered the religious expert’s question in this way.
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” [Matthew 22: 37 – 40]
So whom do we love as church?
- God. We are passionate about developing a relationship with the Holy Trinity. There is simply nothing more important in life.
- One Another. Jesus teaches that showing the kind of sacrificial compassion for each other that he showed us is the primary way that the world will recognize Jesus followers. That is why we offer meals to anyone who is hungry, and focus on joyful fellowship in our context groups.
- Chicago. God has called us to serve, challenge, and pray for the city where he has placed us.
What We Find Important
Core values make up the underlying DNA of any organization. Here are the things we value as a church:
Diversunity, Innovation, Scriptures, Connectivity, Integrity, Prayer, Love, Evangelism, Service, Honor, Information, and People.
For more information on each of these values check out our About Us page.
Where We Are Going
C3 is a growing network of people, committed to becoming more like Jesus, and helping others discover and follow him.
For more info check out our Vision Statement on our About Us page.