Our Purpose
Every church is driven by something. Tradition, finances, programs, personalities, events, and even buildings can each be the controlling force in a church. But for a church to be healthy it must be a purpose-driven church, built around the five New Testament purposes given by Jesus: Worship, Ministry, Evangelism, Fellowship, and Discipleship. These five purposes, found in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, provide the foundation for Radiant Church:
Worship
We are created to love God with all of our heart.
Ministry
We are designed to love our neighbors and enemies as much as we love ourselves!
Evangelism
We are instructed to tell others about Jesus, and to make disciples.
Fellowship
After we accept Jesus, we are to take part in His Church – we take this step by first being baptized.
Discipleship
We are to continually grow in our relationship with God, and to help others grow.
Our Beliefs
Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. At the very core of Radiant Church are these principles from the Bible which influence our actions as individuals and as a family.
Jesus as Our Leader
We recognize Jesus Christ as the leader of Radiant Church, not a person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. This is consistent with the Assemblies of God stance, called “a voluntary, cooperative fellowship” with us.
Colossians 1:18
Tithing – Giving Back to God
At Radiant Church, we practice tithing for the support of Christ’s Body, the church, as God commands. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is Biblical. Some will argue that tithing only applies to Old Testament times. However, we recognize that Jesus taught about money a great deal while on earth, and stated a profound truth when he said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt. 6:21)
Leviticus 27:30
Spirit-led living
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right, and to obey God’s command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
John 15:5
Bible as our Sole Authority
We accept the Bible, God’s Word, as our manual for living since it is the only completely reliable and truthful authority. Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say?” We practice and encourage daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for everything we believe!
2 Timothy 3:15
Baptism by Immersion
We practice baptism by immersion under water - the way Jesus was baptized. We do not believe there is any reason to wait to be baptized. Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, we believe that water baptism is an important step to take.
Colossians 2:12
Every Believer is a Minister
The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full time” Christian service, regardless of his/her vocation. This is called the “priesthood of believers” and means that we’re all called to be ministers, not just the staff pastors! At Radiant, every believer is encouraged to find a place to volunteer and serve others!
1 Peter 2:9
Telling Others About Jesus
Jesus asked every one of us to share the Good News with the people in our lives! We believe that it is the responsibility of every Christian to tell others about Jesus and invite friends to church. It’s not hard – instead of using high-pressure tactics, we just spread our excitement about who Jesus is!
1 Peter 3:15