Kindred Mission Statement

The Mission of Kindred is to provide an Authentic Environment where all are led to the POWER of Christ...To include Diversity, Liberation and Change within the community through the LOVE of Christ... and to exemplify the GRACE of Christ, using all of our senses to explore this Mystery.

Kindred Core Beliefs

POWER: We believe the POWER of CHRIST alone has the motivating and change-producing agent for that which God wants accomplished among His people. That power comes from the very Gospel itself – the good news that God, in Christ, has reconciled us to Himself. As it says in Scripture: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) This power is dynamic, earth-shattering and life-changing. It is the same power that was at work in the very resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-20). It is a power that, at times looks weak (1 Corinthians 1:18-31), but it alone accomplishes God’s work. We cannot and will not depend upon ourselves. Through prayer we depend upon the power of Christ to effect the change that God is looking for (2 Corinthians 10:7-10; Ephesians 3:20-21). Therefore all decisions, discussions, and gatherings will be saturated with prayer.

LOVE: We believe that the Love of Christ creates an atmosphere of acceptance, diversity, freedom and unity. We are liberated from the shackling demands and expectations of a dying world and of the evil one who seeks to destroy and divide. The very Love of Christ forges us into a unified community where all are welcomed and embraced, no matter what. This can only be achieved because of the love of Jesus – an unconditional love that has come to us in Jesus (Romans 5:7-8) and that empowers our love for others – both within and outside of the Kindred Community (1 John 4:19). Jesus Himself put it this way: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13 – see the wider context of verses 9-16) (John 13:34-35).We shall seek to be this type of authentic Community of Believers. Anything less will not do (1 John 3:14; 4:7-21).

GRACE: We believe and celebrate the mystery of God’s grace – that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:7-6). It is the sad reality of life that all people – no matter what their worldly status – are helpless, hopeless, lost and confused – indeed, dead unless God intervenes (Ephesians 2:1-10) and provides rescue. The good news of Jesus is that God has intervened and God has provided rescue and He has done it as a gift given to us because of Jesus. To be sure, this truth of the Grace of Christ flies in the face of the rest of the world – a world that seems locked into a Karma-like stupor of thinking that everything is about earning or deserving one’s fate or future. The Grace of Christ shows us differently and at Kindred we rejoice exuberantly and proclaim ecstatically that our relationship with God is all about Grace (Romans 3:9-28).

Core Values

1. Praying: We at Kindred are based on prayer, through what the Holy Spirit has put on our hearts, Kindred was born. Thus we strive to incorporate praying in every worship gathering with: PRAISE, THANKSGIVING, CONFESSION, SUPPLICATION, and INTERCESSION. The conversation with God through prayer is such a privilege for us and an honor to God, that it pleases him greatly. We shall pray without ceasing, always devoting our time and energy to the glory of God. Reaching out to the community and exemplifying Christ like behavior, through listening to Christ, meeting with Christ and living in Christ.

2. Discipling: Challenged by Christ call to teach, serve, and leave behind all that we have to become ‘fishers of men’ we at Kindred celebrate and serve Jesus above all others. Placing value on the core of Discipleship, and at all Kindred gatherings recognizing that we are “called” (Mathew 4:18-22). As we share the word of Jesus through his Gospel we take up our cross and follow Christ with authentic Discipleship (Mathew 10:37-39).

3. Worshiping: We at Kindred fully understand that the worship and adoration of God is at the very center of our existence. When we worship together we join in fervent praise, of all time and people of God in every place – including heaven. Kindred gathering is all about giving praise to the one true God who we shall worship for all eternity. It is our highest priority and it is to permeate every aspect of everything else we do.

4. Challenging: Kindred highly values the challenges that God places before us and upon us to live as his children. To act with purity in a world that defiles all that is un-pure: Media, internet, our own temper, and unrest. It is so easy for the believer to be satisfied with the status quo, that which is comfortable and familiar, without taking serious the call of Jesus to take up the cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-25). There is an edge to Kindred – the edge of being challenged to grow, mature and follow Jesus no matter where He might lead.

5. Loving: “We love because he first loved us.” As believers of Christ it is extremely important to have a life full of love for one another, no matter who you are, or the type of life you have lead. We seek with all our might to exemplify love to one another. This type of love does away with all fears (1 John 3:14). There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made of perfect love. We must love one another; unconditionally, relationally, loyally.

6. Serving: Serving is another deep core of Kindred. Eagerly we respond to be thorough examples of giving our time, talent, energy and resources. Because we have been served by Christ, and continue to be served, we seek to do like wise (1 Peter 5: 2-3).

7. Equipping: We at Kindred support each other as we grow in our abilities to serve. For the ministry that God has instructed us, we look toward one another and toward our leaders to coach us with: training, mentoring, and guidance so that inclusively will be people to see God has gifted us for every good work planned in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Kindred encourages everyone’s unique abilities and recognizes we all have gifts to share.

8. Accepting: At Kindred we cannot and will not judge any person. As Christ has received us we extend the same acceptance to others. We will not exclude anyone from Kindred. The all-embracing and forgiving love of Christ reminds us that none of us deserves a place at God’s table. We are there because of God’s grace. At Kindred, such love and grace shows itself in making all feel welcomed and accepted in Christ’s Name (Matthew 5:43-48; 7:1-5; Mark 9:35-37; Romans 12:18; 1 Peter 4:8-10).

9. Liberating: We are set free through Christ; we have redemption through his blood (Ephesians 1: 7-10). Redemption is Freedom, Freedom is Liberation. Liberation from all that which holds us back from a deeper relationship with Christ: sin, guilt and the messiness of life. Liberation is being set free to express yourself in a safe relationship, an experience in which you come, as you are, raw and fragile - nothing hidden and everything to gain (Galatians 5:1).

10. Inviting: The good news about Jesus has never been meant to be hoarded or kept under wraps. We at Kindred graciously and boldly invite all who come into our fellowship to know Jesus as their friend, their companion, their Savior and Lord. Though no pressure will ever be used, Kindred will be a place and a people where the invitation to enter into a real and authentic relationship with Jesus will be clearly given.

Statement of Faith

We believe in ONE God who exists in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

We believe God is the Creator (maker) of all that exists and that He created everything out of nothing.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son and the Savior (rescuer/restorer) of the world. We believe that Jesus, the divine son became a real human being, was born of a virgin, ministered in both word and miracle, died for our sin, was raised bodily from the dead, ascended (returned) to God's rightful place in heaven and is coming again for His people. He is God. He is Lord.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who encourages, guides, comforts, and transforms us in the way of Christ. We believe that everyone who accepts Christ as their Savior receives the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who acts as a comforter, guide, and advocate on our behalf.

We believe the Bible is the inspired, unerring, written Word of God and thus the ultimate, trustworthy and authentic source for all matters of faith and practice. It is God’s disclosure of Himself to us. It is to be read, studied, applied and cherished by every believer.

We believe that God has blessed His people with the gifts of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper – the Sacraments that bring and sustain life in the Community of Believers.

We believe humanity, created by God, willfully sinned and as a result, is lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ. We celebrate that it is His life, death, and resurrection which has opened the way for salvation.

We believe that salvation – a restored and reconciled relationship with God - comes as a gift through the self-sacrifice Jesus offered. It is accessible to all people through faith in Jesus – no matter who they are or what they have done.

We believe that the Church is the body and bride of Christ, was founded on the day of Pentecost, and consists of all Christians everywhere and for all time. God calls all His people to fellowship with one another in a community of support, encouragement, accountability and mutual Love.

We believe that death seals the eternal destiny of each person. The saved will enjoy eternal life in the presence of God; the unsaved will endure eternal separation from God.