What we believe
The foundation.Not a style, a denomination or a culture
We come from the evangelical stream of Christianity. Our faith rests on what has been seen for centuries as the foundation of life with God: not a style, a denomination or a culture, but what flows from the Gospel and the Bible. Draft translation of the HOM Church statement — confirm it is shared
The creed
The Nicene Creed
We identify with the main confession of the Christian church, the Nicene Creed, adopted in the fourth century by the first Christian councils. It is the confession that all the main Christian churches still hold today: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. It contains the most important truths about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, eternal life and the church.
Three principles
At the same time we base our faith on principles that come from the Bible and were brought back into focus at the Reformation:
- Scripture alone. The Bible is our highest authority in matters of faith and life.
- Faith alone. We receive salvation through faith, not through what we do.
- Grace alone. All of it is a gift of God’s grace, not the result of our merit.
We want to keep checking all our beliefs, decisions and actions against God’s word. We do not follow tradition, Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant, where it is not confirmed by Scripture. We want to live the Gospel in a fresh, authentic way, grounded in truth, even if that means asking ourselves hard questions and checking our own experience.
Nine points
What we believe.And what we don’t
A relationship with God
We believe
Every person is invited into a personal, deep relationship with God. Not through go-betweens, but directly. Every believer can read and understand the Bible, hear God’s voice, recognise their calling and make decisions in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
We do not believe
We do not believe in a model of spirituality where only a few have access to spiritual knowledge and everyone else depends on their revelations. We do not build dependence on the authority of “super-spiritual” people.
Leadership and the shape of the church
We believe
Healthy leadership means shared decisions, mutual trust and serving one another. Leaders exist to support, not to manage. The structure of the church should be flexible, fitting the place, the people and the time.
We do not believe
We do not believe one person should be the centre of a community. We do not want a church built on charisma, stage and personality. We do not create structures that limit God’s work or block the growth of others.
The supernatural and the Holy Spirit
We believe
God’s work, healing, guidance, supernatural moving, is real, present and needed. We want to be a church that expects more and is not satisfied with dry Christianity. The Holy Spirit speaks, acts and moves people today, just as two thousand years ago.
We do not believe
We do not believe in manufacturing spiritual experiences, in pressure for results, or in pretending when something is not there. We do not want an atmosphere where people who struggle with illness or pain must pretend everything is fine. Authenticity always over effect.
Prayer
We believe
Prayer is a real conversation with God that makes a difference, for us and for the world around us. We want to be a community that prays together and regularly, with faith, but without formulas.
We do not believe
We do not believe prayer is a duty to tick off. It is not a religious formula. It is a living meeting with God.
Worship
We believe
Worship is a meeting with God, not a music show. What counts is content, presence and heart, not form or production. Simple forms, one piano, one guitar, can be enough if they lead us to God.
We do not believe
We do not believe we need stage effects to worship. We do not care about looking professional. We care about being real.
The church as people, not an event
We believe
The church is relationships: daily, ordinary, deep. Most life and spiritual growth happens in home groups, in small groups, at the table, in conversation, in prayer face to face.
We do not believe
We do not believe the church is a stage and a Sunday programme. We do not want a community that impresses but does not know its people. We are not interested in church as a show or a brand.
Serving and gifts
We believe
Every person has a unique part in God’s plan. Our responsibility as a community is to help people discover it and make room for them to grow and serve.
We do not believe
We do not believe ministries exist because “someone has to do it”. We do not organise activities without people. We do not assign roles nobody feels called to. We do not do things that bear no fruit.
Money and giving
We believe
Giving comes from gratitude and from the heart. We give because God gave us everything. We want to be generous, without manipulation and without rigid rules. New Testament giving is freedom, not obligation.
We do not believe
We do not believe you must give a tithe, a set amount or a percentage to be “right with God”. We do not support teaching that ties giving to fear or greed (“give to get more”).
The unity of the church
We believe
The church is one family, above denominations, traditions and differences. We want to bless others, pray for other communities and build bridges, not walls.
We do not believe
We do not believe we have the whole truth. We do not want a closed space that looks down on others. If something has been entrusted to us, it is there to be shared.
Questions
Disagree with something?Good. Let’s talk
We do not expect anyone to agree with all of this before they come. Questions and disagreement are welcome, on a Sunday, over coffee, or in writing.
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