Growing into Who We Are

Christ Formed in Us

Christ Community Church wants to love God, serve people, and inspire hope. That’s accomplished first by receiving our new identity in grace, and then by allowing God’s Spirit to work within us, molding us into the image of Christ over time.

The Apostle Paul said he would minister to the Galatians “…until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). Christian formation, then, is a lifelong journey, with divine love as both the catalyst and the destination.

Authentic Humanity

Indeed, God’s love transforms us from the inside out. That’s why we can “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). This transformation is the heartbeat of who we are and what we do. It causes us to be more authentically human—the kind of people God always meant us to be.

Spiritual growth is not always easy, but we want to pursue God in the hard places to strengthen our relationship with him and become rugged disciples of Christ for life.

Intentional Formation

We lean into love because that’s what God is like. We practice forgiveness because that’s what we’ve received. We strive toward humility to let God’s power move through us so that he is glorified, not us.

At Christ Community Church, we are intentional about cultivating Christ likeness through:

•  Sunday School—age-based classes to study God’s Word and learn God’s ways while supporting each other in living out our faith in daily life

•  Life Groups—times to bond with God and each other in small groups, encouraging spiritual growth and deeper journeys with the Lord, sharing our hopes and struggles in a safe place

•  Student Ministries—equipping students to become more like Christ and live into their identity in grace, even while befriending other students who also love the Lord

•  Non-Programmatic Discipleship—organic communities (usually dyads or triads) where life-on-life discipleship takes place, and then disciples multiply the effect by pouring into others

•  Conferences and Retreats—events that provide environments and activities for spiritual encounters with God, each other, and even ourselves

•  Church Membership—calling each other to identify publicly with Christ Community Church as the primary local fellowship where our spiritual lives are nurtured and we serve others

For more theological reflections on Christian identity and spiritual growth as rooted in divine grace, check out these blog posts by Pastor Tim on This New Life called, “Real ID” and “Taking Out the Garbage of Self-Righteousness.”