Our Mission
Making disciples. Because He lives.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (
Matthew 28:18-20)
The mission of the church is to make disciples of the risen and reigning Christ.
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then nothing he said matters. If he did resurrect, though, it matters infinitely. We believe that Jesus’ resurrection proves that he is God and therefore carries all authority over every area of our lives. Because he is risen, we are committed to following him and inviting others to do the same.
Our Foundations
Here at Risen, we want to put Jesus first, not just in our theology, but in every facet of our ministry. Since our identity is not in what we do for him but in what he does for us, rather than asking, “What can we do for Jesus as a church?” we want to first ask, “What does Jesus do for us?” He promises to build his church, and so we want our ministry to be defined and shaped by him and his work. We receive and respond to what he has done and what he is doing for his people.
When we look at the Scriptures, we see many ways in which the risen Christ serves and leads his church. We believe these can be expressed in the following ways, what we call our four foundations:
Jesus Saves Us
Through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus alone saves us from sin and death, redeeming and restoring all of creation. We receive the saving work of Jesus by faith, trusting him as our King and as our Savior. As we are united to him in faith, we share in all of the blessings and benefits secured by him in his saving work.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:19-20).
Jesus Shepherds Us
As the Good Shepherd, Jesus cares for us and leads us, actively working in our lives to make us more like him. We receive the shepherding work of Jesus by abiding in him, trusting every area of our lives to his kind leading, and by caring for others the way that Jesus cares for us.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:10-11).
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:28-29).
Jesus Sends Us
With all authority in heaven and on earth, Jesus sends us as his witnesses so that others might know the hope that he alone can give. We receive the sending of Jesus by declaring and demonstrating the good news of the kingdom to the world around us—in our homes, our neighborhoods, our places of work and play, and to all the nations.
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Jesus Speaks to Us
When we open the Scriptures, Jesus is speaking to us, leading us with his voice to a blessed life and eternal joy in him. We receive Jesus’ speaking by reading his Word. We prayerfully study it, so that it might be the foundation for our lives and that we might share its truth with others.
And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near (Ephesians 2:17).
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
