LOVE GOD. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. SERVE THE WORLD.
Vision
Center Church is a gospel-centered church in the center of the city. As part of the Evangel Network of churches we are committed to loving God, loving others, and serving the world. When we live out those principles well, Kansas City becomes a greater city for all people.
Our Cultural Values
Curiosity
As we grow in love we expect to become better listeners and learners; a people of dialogue and discovery.
Generosity
Giving is a joy, not an obligation. We are excited to give our time, energy, and resources towards the things that matter most.
Defiant Joy
Through the gospel, we find a reason to live with hope and joy. Unfortunately, these qualities can be difficult to integrate into lives conditioned by cynicism, bitterness, and disparity. Often, living with joy requires a defiant commitment that we encourage one another to make.
Connected
The Christian faith is a communal experience; it was not designed to be practiced alone. As a result, our programming is designed, not just to distribute information, but to draw people into community.
Beloved Community
We are not called to love the city from the outside; serving it from a distance. We are called to love it as a neighbor from within. Kansas City will become a greater city for all people when every neighborhood is beloved by people within it who care and advocate for their community.
Beliefs
We are an Assemblies of God church that holds to the historic teachings of Christian Orthodoxy as described in the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. Consequentially, we believe in the following:
The Gospel is the center of Christian life
What is it? The gospel is the announcement that “God has done something, through Jesus, which changed history, which can transform our lives, and which will transform the world forever.”
How does it work?
Immersed in Grace: We can learn Christian doctrine, establish Christian habits, and join Christian community but we must receive God’s grace in order to truly begin the Christian life.
Oriented in truth: The gospel reveals that God is the only one who can be trusted to guide and direct our lives. Therefore, we preach and teach obedience to God’s word even when it is difficult, costly, or countercultural.
Sent in Love: The truth of the gospel does not just reorient us to new moral standards, it reorients us to deeper love of God and others. Jesus said it this way, they “will know you you are my disciples” by the way you “love one another.”
God’s Word
We believe the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative, and applicable to our everyday lives.
God’s Person
We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is totally loving and completely holy. The Lord Jesus Christ is both God and man and is the only one who can reconcile us to God. Each time we partake of communion, we remember Jesus lived a sinless and exemplary life, died on the cross in our place, and rose again to prove His victory and empower us for life.
God’s Plan for People
We believe sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives. In order to receive forgiveness, we must repent of our sins, believe in Jesus Christ, and submit to His will for our lives. God wants to heal and transform us so we can live healthy and powerful lives to help others more effectively. In order to live the holy, fruitful, and power-filled lives God intends for us, we need to be baptized in water, set our mind on Him and His purpose, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
God’s Plan for the Church
We believe God has individually equipped us and corporately gathered us as His living body so we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives, which is to worship God, strengthen the Church, and share the Gospel with the community in which we live.