What We Value

At Emmaus we value authentic relationships. We are committed to helping one another understand what it means to live out the Great Commandment, to love God and to love our neighbors. Together we will fulfill the Great Commission, which is simply to share this message of love with everyone who will listen. We believe that the message of Jesus is compelling and life changing, and when this message is communicated through the way we live, it is irresistible.

RELATIONSHIP OVER RELIGION

We believe that the focus of Christianity is a relationship with God rather than adhering to a set of rules and ideas. Therefore, we will promote intimacy with God rather than a religious system.

REMEMBERING THE POOR

We believe that all people are created in the image of God and that it breaks God’s heart to see people in need of the basic necessities of life including food, clothing and shelter. Therefore, as followers of Christ, we will make every effort to extend God’s love to all people by helping to meet both their spiritual and physical needs.

COMMUNITY

We believe that we were created to live in community. Therefore, we value authentic relationships and will promote growth by praying, worshiping, teaching, breaking bread and living life together.

THE CHURCH

We believe that there is One Church in the city of Jacksonville. Therefore, we will partner with other believing churches, organizations and Christians to reach every man, woman and child in Jacksonville with the life changing message of Jesus Christ.

MISSION

We believe that God has called us to be fruitful and to multiply. Therefore, as we grow, we will plant churches and partner with others to advance His Kingdom in our city and beyond.

Our Approach

WE SEEK UNITY IN ESSENTIAL BELIEFS

EPHESIANS 4:2-6

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called – one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

WE VALUE LIBERTY IN NON-ESSENTIAL BELIEFS

1 TIMOTHY 1:5

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

WE PURSUE LOVE IN ALL THINGS

JOHN 13:34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Essential Beliefs

Scriptures

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the fully Inspired Word of God, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and practice.

2 Timothy 3:16 || 2 Peter 1:20-21 || 2 Timothy 1:13 || Psalm 119:105, 160 || Proverbs 30:5 || Psalm 12:6

The Trinity

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22 || Psalm 90:2 || Matthew 28:19 || 1 Peter 1:2 || 2 Corinthians 13:14

Jesus

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He is co-equal with the Father. We believe that He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. We also believe that He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death and that He ascended to Heaven and will return again to earth to physically reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Matthew 1:22-23 || Isaiah 9:6 || John 1:1-5, 14:10-14 || Hebrews 4:14-15 || 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 || Romans 1:3-4 || Acts 1:9-11 || 1 Timothy 6:14-15 || Titus 2:13 || John 10:30 || Colossians 2:9

Spiritual Death

We believe that man, created in the image of God, rebelled against His Creator, and as a result incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God. We also believe that the consequences of that rebellion are shared by all mankind; therefore all are sinners in need of a savior.

Genesis 1:27 || Isaiah 53:6 || Romans 3:23 || Isaiah 59:1-2

Eternal Life

We believe that eternal life is the free gift of God, available to all and made possible by the redeeming blood of Christ, shed on the cross; and that one can only be saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Romans 6:23; 5:1 || Ephesians 2:8-9 || John 14:6, 1:12 || Titus 3:4-8 || Galatians 3:26

The Resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of both believers in Christ and unbelievers. Those who believe are saved unto the resurrection of life; those who do not believe will be separated from God for all of eternity.

John 3:16 || 1 Timothy 1:16 || 1 John 5:11-13 || Matthew 7:13-23 || Matthew 25:31-46 || Luke 16:19-31 || Romans 6:23 || Revelation 20:15

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit personally indwells every child of God, and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not only in existence and available to those who believe, but are essential to our personal spiritual growth and to the life of the Church.

1 John 3:24 || 2 Timothy 1:14 || John 14:16-17 || Acts 1:8 || 1 Corinthians 12:1-20 || Hebrews 2:4 || Ephesians 1:13 || Ephesians 5:18

The Sacraments

We believe in and practice the sacraments of the historic church, that being Baptism and Communion.

Matthew 28:19-20 || Acts 2:41-42 || Acts 18:8 || 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

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