OUR VALUES
At Story Church, we have 6 core values that extend into everything we do as a church. They are the core things that we believe, and every service, activity, meeting, group, or class we do a church stems from one or more of them. As we grow as disciples, each of us, wherever we are in our faith, can take a step of obedience related to each core value as well.
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The gospel is our only hope in life and in death, which is why at Story Church, we want to put it as first and foremost. So what is the gospel? The gospel is the good news that Jesus came and lived the life we were supposed to live, but failed to live. He died the death in our place that we deserved, and then he raised victoriously from the grave, defeating sin, Satan, and death forever for everyone who puts their trust and faith in him.
Again, this is our only hope. So at Story Church, we want to emphasize it everywhere. It's not just something that we have a passing phrase on once in a while; it is what we root our very life and vitality in. We want to infuse the gospel into our singing, our preaching, our kids' ministry, our students' ministry. It's why we take communion weekly and we baptize regularly, because truly, the gospel is first and it is foremost in everything.
So my question to you is, what is your next step of obedience when it comes to the gospel? Perhaps it's receiving Jesus's work in your place for the first time. If you want to do that, we have a button on our website that says "I said yes to Jesus," we would love to walk you through that. Maybe you've been following Jesus for some time, but you just have forgotten the gospel. Maybe you need to read Gospel Primer, or sing a song, or go read the gospel accounts again for the for a fresh time to to hear the gospel and remember it for yourself. What is your next step of obedience when it comes to the gospel?
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What we believe about the Bible determines how we live. At Story Church, we believe that the Bible was written by approximately 40 authors across 66 books, all compiled into one overarching narrative: God creating everything, mankind introducing sin, God sending a Redeemer, and the ultimate renewal He will bring to all things. It is one unified story because it has one true Author—the Holy Spirit carried men along as they penned its pages—and it carries one message: the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Because God is the Author, the Scriptures possess absolute authority; they are inerrant and infallible. We can stake our entire life and godliness on the truth of God's Word, which is why biblical authority is one of our core values. Practically, this means we regularly preach through books of the Bible. Our kids' ministry is not babysitting; it teaches Bible stories in an age-appropriate manner. Our student ministry is engaging, but it is also centered on preaching through books of the Bible. As we gather in community, we discuss how Scripture applies to us because we do not want to be mere hearers of the Word, but doers as well.
When it comes to biblical authority, what is your next step of obedience? Perhaps you need to join our Bible reading plan. If you don't own a Bible, we would love to gift one to you. Maybe you need to learn how to study it, and we have resources available to help you understand and apply it to your life. Or perhaps your next step is joining a community group where you can help one another follow the commands of Scripture. Whatever it is, we want to help you take that next step.
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It is a stunning reality that the God who speaks to us through His Word also invites us to speak back to Him in prayer. At Story Church, we desire to be a prayer-saturated people. One of our favorite reminders is that prayer moves the arm that moves the world. God has ordained the ends of all things, but He has also ordained the means—and the primary means by which He brings about His work on earth is through the prayers of His people. He has invited us into His throne room of grace to find mercy and help in times of need, to cast all our cares upon Him, and to find rest when we are weary.
God moves in power and is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine, yet He commands us to ask, seek, and knock. At Story Church, we want to live unexplainable lives—where the only explanation for what happens is that God’s power intervened. We access that power and align with that work through prayer. Because of this, we intentionally create spaces to pray throughout the week, both during our gatherings and in specific slots you can find on our website. We pray regularly for our members, in our home groups, in our kids' ministry, and as we go about our daily lives.
Imagine what our lives and our church could look like if we faithfully and persistently approached the throne room of grace without ceasing. Imagine the work God would do. What is your next step of obedience when it comes to becoming a prayer-saturated person?
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The Bible commands Christians to walk in step with the Spirit. In His goodness, God did not leave us alone after saving us; He sent His Spirit to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit plays many vital roles in the life of a believer: He develops our character through His fruit, convicts us of sin, helps us grow in holiness, comforts us in affliction, and guides our daily living.
At Story Church, we want to be a spirit-led people. When the Spirit says go, we go; when He says no, we say no. However, it is not enough to simply hear from and be led by the Spirit—we must also have the courage to follow. Often, we know the right thing to do but lack the courage to execute it. We want to pair sensitivity and submission to the Spirit with the courage to say yes to God wherever He leads.
What is your next step of obedience when it comes to spirit-led courage? Maybe it is stepping up to serve His church, giving financially for the first time, or finally filling out a card to declare, "I said yes to Jesus." Perhaps you need to join a group, sign up to lead on the worship team, teach in Story Kids, or help with Story Students. It could even be as simple as crossing the street to invite a neighbor over for dinner. Whatever the Spirit is leading you to do, the question is: do you have the courage to say yes? What is your next step?
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We live in a world deeply marked by individualism and the loneliness that follows it. In contrast, God has beautifully provided the local church so that we never have to walk alone. He has given us brothers and sisters in Christ so we can practice the biblical "one anothers"—loving one another, bearing each other's burdens, praying for one another, and showing mercy.
Beyond community, we are called to active participation. This means acting like Jesus by laying down our lives in service to one another. At Story Church, we want a culture where everyone gets off the sidelines and into the game to participate in what God is doing. As 1 Corinthians reminds us, we are one body made up of many parts, and every member is uniquely gifted and necessary for the flourishing of the whole.
Are you using your gifts to build up Story Church and your brothers and sisters in Christ? When you do, you also receive the benefit of others serving you in return—creating a beautiful picture of the gospel. To put it simply: if you aren't serving yet, your next step is to start. If you are already serving, your next step is to lead the team you are on. Take that next step of participation, and let’s see what God does through us.
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Even outside the church, John 3:16 is widely recognized: God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for our salvation. The New Testament further highlights that Jesus’s life was not taken from Him; He willingly gave His life and His blood for us. As Christians made in the image of God and redeemed by Christ, we are continually being reshaped into His likeness. Inevitably, this transforms us into a giving, generous people, because our God is profoundly generous to us.
This generosity is never mechanical or obligatory; it is joyfully given. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him, and we look forward with that same joy to the day our faith becomes sight. Until then, we get to usher in His kingdom day by day through intentional acts of generosity.
We want to be excellent stewards of our time, talents, and treasures for God’s glory and the good of others. What is your next step of obedience regarding generosity? If you have never given before, it may be trusting God with your finances by signing up to give for the first time. If you give passively, it may mean making generosity an active, prayerful part of your life. If your giving has been on autopilot for a long time, consider taking the 1% challenge by increasing your giving by just one percent this year.
In Philippians 4, Paul notes that the eternal impact of the ministry was credited to the believers' account because their giving made the mission possible. The work done at Story Church is fueled by your financial resources—it is truly missionary ammunition. We thank God for your partnership as we continue to grow together in joyful generosity.