JESUS SAID: "I am the bread of life" - John 6.48 "I am the light of the world" - John 8.12 "I am the door" - John 10.9 "I am the good shepherd" - John 10.11 "I am the Resurrection and the Life" - John 11.25 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" - John 14.6 "I am the true vine" - John 15.1
In light of these claims of Christ, we at Four Corners Church exist for the Person and Work of Jesus (who is the gospel, the good news). We believe that the gospel is the only hope for humankind. All of our ministries — whether in preaching or in service — exist to point to the very character and nature of Jesus, and to his work. We engage today in the work that he has commanded us to partake in, namely obeying his commandments and taking the gospel to our local context as well as to the four corners of the Earth. In short, we aim to be a gospel community of worshiping and serving theologians on mission.
Purpose
“To live, teach, and present the Person and Work of Jesus as central to all of life.”
To preach the gospel of Jesus to all peoples — in our radius and elsewhere. Luke 24:47
To make disciples by teaching and encouraging Christians to obey all that the Lord Jesus has taught for living a God-centered life. Matthew 28:19
To be ambassadors for Christ and to embody the ministry of reconciliation, seeing people of all ages to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
To serve others in the name of Jesus who has faithfully served us as our example. Mark 10:45
To mobilize people with the teaching, preaching and living of the gospel, in order that we might fulfill the Great Commission both locally and globally. Matthew 28:18-20
Mission
(How our purpose will be carried out)
“A Gospel Community of Worshiping and Serving Theologians on Mission”
- Faithfully teaching sound doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6, Titus 2:1)
- Discipling believers in order to grow them into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-14, Colossians 1:28-29)
- Striving for excellence in all areas of church life — i.e. worship, teaching, ministry, relationships, service, etc. (1 Corinthians 14:12)
- Pouring ourselves out for the lives of people in Newnan; being servants to all in the name of Jesus in the hopes of seeing many place their faith in him, repenting of sin, and trusting with a new heart that he alone is good and sufficient for all their needs (Galatians 5:13, Philippians 2:3-8)
Ministry Model
There are three aspects to the Ministry of Four Corners: the Home, the Church, the City. The means by which these are carried is through the hearing and heeding of God’s word and by building and maintaining genuine Christian community.
The Home
The home is a place where the family grows together spiritually and emotionally. We will encourage our members to invite non-Christians into their homes to eat with them, fellowship with them, and develop meaningful relationships, all while encouraging them to receive the Gospel through faith and repentance.
The Church
The Church has an inward and outward focus as well. The inward focus is to glorify God through corporate worship and discipleship. The outward focus is to invite non-Christians to seek God alongside of us. In doing so they will hear the Gospel preached and have the opportunity to receive it through faith and repentance.
The City
PARTICIPATION — We are to be actively involved in the community which encompasses working with our hands and with our minds. Participation for us means giving our time and energy — working, conversing, knowing and being known by city residents, and being involved with cultural activities — all for the sake of the gospel, that God may draw many to himself.
RESTORATION — We believe God deeply cares for our city. Therefore, Four Corners will pray for and work towards the restoration and renewal of Newnan through biblically grounded and intentional ministry to those in need. Accordingly, our desire is to not only meet physical needs but primarily aid in meeting spiritual needs. If we are to truly serve the poor, widowed, and orphaned of Newnan, we will strive to present Christ to them with our words and our actions.
INVITATION — Naturally we desire to see people not only repent of sin and believe in Christ, but to be grafted into a local body of believers. Our goal is two-fold. We want believers to grow into maturity of faith, discipled and pursuing their joy in God, growing alongside their brothers and sisters. On the other hand, we want non-Christians to come and hear the true gospel (perhaps for the first time), and begin to ask real questions about the Person of Jesus and the Work of salvation. We anticipate this kind of dialogue to be taking place constantly outside the walls of our church between our members and non-Christians.
Missional Strategy
Though Newnan has a very real presence of Christian churches, there still remains a great number of unchurched, displaced, and unbelieving people living in the city. Because our church consists primarily of young families and single adults, we certainly feel the need to seek and reach that demographic. By planting in the Alamo (a bar), we have and are communicating to the non-Christians of our city that we love them and do not resent them nor their environments. Our church believes that it is not the physical brick and mortar that is sacred but rather the people. Therefore, we feel comfortable worshiping in any environment, whether it is the Alamo or any other future building. We find Jesus on a number of occasions eating meals and having fellowship in what would have been considered very questionable environments by the surrounding religious crowds. (Luke 7:34; 15:1,2; 5:30) Since we exist for the Person and Work of Jesus, we encourage our church to live out our planting model into their everyday individual lives and the lives of their Gospel Community Groups by taking and demonstrating Jesus and the Gospel into all environments.
Additionally, we desire to be a church that honors Godʼs design of diversity, and so we will seek to reach all ethnicities represented in the city. The following are some simple examples of how we will demonstrate our commitment to being missionally engaging (i.e. going beyond corporate gatherings):
- Visit local businesses (i.e. coffee shops, bookshops, restaurants, sports complexes) for the sake of building relationships with both regular customers and employees.
- Put on or sponsor concerts, art galleries and the like. Host open Bible studies/discussions (i.e Answers) at our local shops and libraries, where we would seek to have both unbelievers and believers attend in order that they may better understand the gospel.
- Serve and care for people groups, individuals, and our community as Gospel Community Groups are each recognizing needs they can meet.
Doctrinal Beliefs
THE TRINITY — God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. (Mark 1:9-11; Heb. 1:1-3; Acts 5:4)
GOD — There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. (Deut. 6:4-6)
JESUS CHRIST — Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He lives forever to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, Prophet, Priest, and King of the church, and Sovereign of the Universe. (1 Tim 2:5; Matt 5:17; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 1:1-3)
HOLY SPIRIT — The Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead, is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:38)
THE SCRIPTURES — The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. (2 Tim 3:16,17)
THE FALL OF MAN — God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity, i.e. descendants, inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. (Gen. 6:5; Rom. 3:18)
ELECTION — Election is Godʼs eternal choice of many persons unto everlasting life-- not be- cause of foreseen merit in them, but of his mere mercy in Christ. These persons are, therefore, called justified and glorified. (Ephs. 1:4-8, 2:8-9; Romans 8:28-29)
REPENTANCE AND FAITH — Repentance is a gift of God, wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of his sin, so that he/she humbles oneself with godly sorrow, detesting sin, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in everything. Saving faith is the belief, on Godʼs authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is granted to the believer by the Holy Spirit and, therefore, leads him/her in a lifestyle moving towards one of holiness and joy. (2 Cor. 7:10; Mark 1:10)
JUSTIFICATION — Justification is a legal declaration of God in which He freely chooses to acquit a sinner by faith in the atoning work of Christ; therefore, grace grants him/her Christ's righteous- ness. (Rom 4:25 5:16,18)
SANCTIFICATION — Those believers who have their faith in Christ have been, and are being and will be saved. Sanctification means that there will be a continued progression in holy living and character development by the Holy Spirit and will continue until we die or the Lord re- turns. (Rom. 8:13,28,29; John 16:1, 14:17, 17:17)
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS — Those whom Christ has saved and the Spirit indwells, though still sinful, will indeed continue in their sanctification (i.e being made holy) and will never lose their salvation. (Heb. 12:2 Phil 1:6, John 17:12, Heb. 10:23)
THE CHURCH — The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves with particular churches; and to each of these churches Jesus has given authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Elders and Deacons. (Col. 1:18, 2:10 Heb. 10:25 1,Tim. 3, Titus 1)
BAPTISM — Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. (Matt. 28:18;20)
THE LORDʼS SUPPER — The Lordʼs Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him and of their church fellowship. (1 Cor. 11: 23-28)
THE JUDGMENT — God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlast- ing punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. (Matt. 7:21-23, 25:14-46; Phil. 2:5-11)
