Vision Statement
Here at North Atlanta Church of Christ we believe that God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, has purposed us for the noble task of witnessing to and affecting our community and the world through our Christ-centeredness, diversity, and inclusion. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we would achieve complete oneness in our differences. As we grow in this oneness, we become credible witnesses to the work of God in Christ to reconcile the world to himself. For us, this means we are striving to create an environment in which EVERYONE is genuinely loved, accepted, engaged and empowered in serving, learning, and growing in our journey to be more like Christ.
In this environment, people may bring to the table their unique experiences, preferences, and strengths without sacrificing or minimizing core aspects of their identity, background, or perspective to belong. We seek to do this in the spirit of “grace and truth” with the cultural competency that Jesus himself modeled for us. We believe by the power and activity of the Holy Spirit we will foster a transformative environment of justice, equity, and inclusion.
Core Beliefs
The Nature of God: God is Love
The core doctrine of Scripture is Love First. God is love. We love because He first loved us. Jesus identifies the two greatest commands: Love God and love people. No matter what else we believe, or feel is important, the most important pursuit for followers of Jesus is to love as we are loved by God. We welcome anyone to join us on our spiritual journey to know the love of God, to live in union with Him, and to bless the world as He intends.
The Person of God
There is one God, creator and sustainer of all things. God reveals Godself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit—eternally One in every way. God became flesh in the Son, born of the virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was fully God and fully human. He revealed God to us, modeled life for us, took on our sin at the cross, rose from the dead in triumph, and ascended to heaven after promising the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, and now dwells in all who put their faith in Christ for salvation and eternal life.
The Word of God
The Bible is God’s Word and our final authority for all matters of belief and life. The Bible is God’s inspired gift to us—encouraging, inspiring, instructing and guiding our steps. The Scriptures are described as a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. The Scriptures are a source of strength, hope, guidance and wisdom. The story of Scripture is the story of God and God’s vision for his creation. Throughout the Bible we learn about God’s interaction with real people who have real problems and real questions. In the narratives, prophecies, psalms, and teachings we discover who God is, who we are, and how to live in unity with God and each other.
God’s Plan for His Church
The Church is the body of Christ on earth and is empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a sign of God’s desire to bless all people. The church through its collective body and its individual members exists to be a witness for God in the world. The message we share through our daily lives bears witness to God’s presence and purpose in the world. The church is God’s family. As family we support and encourage one another and we raise up the next generation of disciples to fulfill the ongoing mission of God in the world.
Baptism and Communion
When you participate in the life of a local church you will notice many things, including how the church practices baptism and communion. Jesus taught his followers to be baptized and to participate in communion. The New Testament describes the purpose of baptism as a burial with Christ, union with Christ, resurrection to a new life, and our initiation into the life of the church. The practice of baptism in the New Testament is immersion in water, and this is our practice as well. Baptism is available anytime. The purpose of communion is to bear witness to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and to reinforce the unity of believers who have been united with Christ. In keeping with the ancient tradition of the church, we offer communion every Sunday, and it is also available upon request.