How We Live as a Church

Our beliefs shape the way we live as a church. These practices are not how we earn God’s love or salvation. They are ways we respond to the grace we have received through Jesus and follow the pattern given to us in Scripture.

Baptism

We practice believer’s baptism by immersion for those who have personally placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Baptism does not save us. It is a public declaration that we belong to Jesus and have been united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Through baptism, believers openly identify with Christ and His church.

Communion

We regularly receive communion together in remembrance of Jesus.

The bread and the cup point us to His body given and His blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Communion calls us to gratitude, repentance, unity, and renewed faith in the finished work of Christ.

Gathered Worship

We believe gathering together as a church is an essential part of following Jesus.

When we gather, we worship through singing, prayer, Scripture, preaching, communion, generosity, and fellowship. Our services are intentionally planned, centered on Jesus, grounded in the Bible, and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

We want our gatherings to be understandable and welcoming while remaining reverent, truthful, and focused on God.

Biblical Teaching

We teach the Bible faithfully and in context, recognizing that all of Scripture points us toward God’s redemptive work fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

We believe preaching should help people understand God’s Word, respond to the gospel, grow in spiritual maturity, and live faithfully in everyday life.

Scripture—not culture, personality, tradition, or personal experience—is our final authority for Christian belief and practice.

Prayer

We believe prayer is essential to the life of every believer and the life of the church.

Through prayer, we worship God, confess our sins, bring Him our needs, pray for others, seek His wisdom, and align our hearts with His will. We believe God hears prayer and remains actively involved in the lives of His people.

Spiritual Gifts

We believe the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for serving others, building up the church, and advancing the mission of Jesus.

We value the biblical exercise of these gifts and believe they should be practiced with humility, love, wisdom, and order. Everything should remain centered on Jesus, consistent with Scripture, and beneficial to the whole church.

We believe the Holy Spirit works through thoughtful preparation as well as in unexpected moments. Being open to His leading and being intentional in our planning are not opposites.

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Discipleship

We believe discipleship is more than attending a Sunday service. It is the lifelong process of knowing Jesus, living like Jesus, and leading others to do the same.

We grow through Scripture, prayer, relationships, repentance, service, generosity, and obedience. Mature disciples do not simply receive; they help others follow Jesus.

Church Community

We believe Christians are called to follow Jesus as part of a local church family.

The church is a place where people are known, encouraged, corrected, supported, equipped, and sent. We are committed to loving one another, carrying one another’s burdens, practicing forgiveness, pursuing unity, and helping each other grow in Christ.

Biblical Leadership

We believe Jesus is the head of the church and that local churches should be led according to the pattern and qualifications given in Scripture.

We believe the responsibility of pastor and overseer is entrusted to biblically qualified men who lead through sound teaching, godly character, humility, service, and spiritual care.

Men and women are equally created in the image of God, equally valuable in Christ, and called to use their gifts in the life and mission of the church.

Our leaders are expected to live with integrity and remain accountable to other mature and qualified leaders.

Generosity

We believe generosity is an act of worship and a response to the generosity of God.

We encourage believers to give willingly, faithfully, and joyfully—not under pressure or manipulation. Giving supports the ministry of the local church, cares for people in need, advances the gospel, and helps make ministry possible in our community and beyond.

Local Mission

We believe every follower of Jesus is called to live on mission.

We are committed to serving Bend and Central Oregon, sharing the gospel, caring for people in need, strengthening families, making disciples, and bringing the hope of Jesus into everyday life.

The mission of the church is not limited to pastors, buildings, or Sunday gatherings. Wherever God has placed us, we are called to represent Jesus faithfully.

Our Connection and Accountability

theCHURCH of Oregon is locally led while remaining connected to the wider theCHURCH family of churches, which began with theCHURCH of Arizona.

We share a common mission, biblical beliefs, ministry values, relationships, and accountability. We believe healthy churches should be both locally responsible and meaningfully connected to trusted spiritual leadership beyond themselves.

Our Commitment

We want everything we practice to point people toward Jesus, remain faithful to Scripture, strengthen His church, and help people become mature disciples.

Our goal is not simply to hold services. Our desire is to become a people who know Jesus, live like Jesus, and lead others to do the same.