We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative written Word of God, and that it is the all-sufficient guide for believers.

We believe that there is only one living and true God, and that He is an infinitely holy, powerful, intelligent, present, merciful, loving and personal Being. Further, He eternally exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal, divine Son of God who came to this earth in human flesh, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, to become the Savior of the world. Fully God and fully man, He lived a sinless life, was crucified and buried, rose from the dead, ascended to Heaven, and today sits at the right hand of God the Father as our intercessor.

We believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and as such all are eternally separated from Him. Forgiveness, grace, and salvation (new life), however, are freely offered to all who believe in and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. No one can earn it, but anyone can receive it.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God Himself who works to exalt Jesus Christ, convict and regenerate sinful humanity, and sanctify, encourage, teach and strengthen believers. We believe that a person is filled with the in­dwelling of the Holy Spirit at the moment he or she accepts Jesus Christ as Savior. We also believe in the subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit as a special endowment of power for all believers who ask, enabling them to become supernaturally ­empowered witnesses of the love of Jesus Christ. Further, we believe in the present­ day operation of all the gifts of the Spirit listed in the Word of God.

We believe each believer, following the example and commandment of Christ, should experience water baptism (by immersion) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For the believer this is an outward testimony of an inner change. We believe in Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, as a symbolic act of obedience in which believers receive bread and juice to memorialize the sacrificial, redemptive death of Jesus and anticipate His second coming.

We believe that the Church is of divine origin, a living organism with Christ as the Head. It is a people, not a place ­ a spiritual body of born again believers manifesting the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Its purposes are to worship God through exalting His Son, Jesus Christ; to build edifying relationships with others; to declare the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world; to disciple all believers in growing relationships with Jesus Christ; and to minister love and care to all who are in need.

Recognizing that God is the Source of all temporal and spiritual blessings, we believe that all believers are obligated to sacrificially serve Him with their time, talents and material possessions.

We believe that service within the Body of Christ is mandated in God’s Word. God has equipped each of us with natural abilities and spiritual gifts that are designed to be used to build up the entire Body and to reach those who do not have a relationship with God. We believe it is the responsibility of each believer to use his or her unique gifts in an area of ongoing service.

We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and all living believers will be raptured away. Christ will then judge all humanity in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to eternal punishment, but the righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will be rewarded and will forever live in Heaven with the Lord.

People matter most to God. As a result, our mission to reach more people for Christ, and make disciples who make disciples, is the most important mission on the planet.

We’re all contributors, not consumers. So every person who calls MorningStar “home” is responsible to leverage his/her gifts, passion, personal style and resources to help us carry out our mission.  With no apologies, it’s a “we before me/ service before self” type of ownership in our church…being fully engaged and all in.

In our efforts to reach people for Jesus, we also take our cues from Jesus. The Son of God was the servant of all, and His astonishing heart of compassion was constantly on display.  So as we become aware of the needs of others…whether in our church family, amongst our neighbors, or around the world…this is what shapes and guides us. Few things are more compelling to a skeptical world, nor more complementary to the power of the Holy Spirit, than a local church that’s driven by compassion, a burning desire to meet practical needs in their community.

Everybody’s got “stuff” so we can take off the mask. We can be real about who we are but also about what needs to happen in our lives, as a result. We understand God loves us just like we are, but He also loves us too much to leave us that way. So we intend to both love AND live like Christ — freely dispensing grace (to each other), and together pursuing holiness.

We’re better together, because we were made for community and life-giving relationships.  But our heartbeat is that those relationships always reflect a rich diversity that crosses all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic divides, and spans all ages and life-stages. Everyone is welcome in this family, so we keep Jesus at the center while celebrating our differences, fighting for unity, being quick to encourage and forgive, and as far as it depends on each of us, living at peace with everyone.

For us, being part of church isn’t simply about belonging. It’s also about becoming…growing to be more like Jesus every day and in every way. And because we understand everything can’t be solved with a Sunday sermon, we maintain that you can’t grow to maximum spiritual capacity with minimal spiritual connectedness. In other words, if you want to grow in your faith you have to get in a group. The nutshell? We celebrate on Sundays but we grow in groups.

Integrity needs to be normal for us, something no one ever has to question. So whether it’s being the same people in private that we are in public, or staying doctrinally pure and true to God’s Word, or leading with the highest of character, we insist on this. Integrity must always be part of our identity, because we can’t put a price tag on it.

The quest for excellence in all things (doing the best we can with whatever we have) is non-negotiable. “Good enough” is never good enough if we’re doing it for God. So we’ll constantly raise the bar, and never be afraid to experiment and even take huge risks. We believe it honors God when we dream one size too big, and we refuse to insult Him by dreaming too small.

We celebrate talent, creativity and hard work as some of God’s greatest gifts. But we also realize nothing will ever replace the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit.

We can’t afford to be content with maintenance when we’re called to multiply. This is what the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is all about, so we believe all Christ-followers are called to be disciple-makers. In truth, we believe a disciple isn’t fully mature until he/she begins to multiply — to reproduce — and is discipling others.

Romans 12:4-5: For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Ephesians 4:15-16: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Acts 2:42: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Elders: This team is to teach by living a godly lifestyle and provide a prayer shield for the Church. They also defend, protect and support the integrity of the pastoral team and the Church, pray for the sick, mediate disputes when necessary, provide counsel, along with confirming or rejecting the Lead Pastor’s appointments. They are also the governing body that would initiate investigation and potential discipline of the Lead Pastor if action is warranted.

Executive Team: The Associate Pastoral team, directed by the Lead Pastor, oversees the day-to-day ministry and operations of the church. This staff serves the congregation and are responsible for the development of the spiritual life of the church.

Ministry Team: Including both non-Staff and Staff Pastors and/or Ministry Coordinators, this team is responsible to lead a team of volunteers within a MorningStar Church ministry.

Board of Directors: This team is empowered by the Elders to oversee the legal and financial aspects of the ministry, as well as matters pertaining to church property and facilities. The members of this team are equipped with marketplace knowledge and expertise, and their responsibilities include: final ratification of the annual budget, leadership of the church in legal matters, leadership in building projects and assets management, and guidance in financial planning.

Stewardship Team: This includes members of the congregation appointed by the Lead Pastor to oversee the finances and direct the provision of the facilities needed by the church. They provide counsel to the Lead Pastor regarding the major financial commitments of the church.