Christ-Centered - Red River seeks to place knowing Jesus, following Jesus, worshipping Jesus, and being formed and transformed by Jesus at the center of all that we say and do.  Paul wrote in Colossians that, “And he (Christ) is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”  (Colossians 3:18) A real, growing relationship with the living Lord is in essence, “what we are about.”

 

Kingdom Leadership - In His brief ministry, Jesus turns the picture of human leadership upside down.   He states that leaders are to be servants and are to humble themselves as a child. This Jesus style, kingdom leadership is what we aim to do.  We also believe a leader’s calling is to point all to follow and believe upon Jesus and to help prepare and train others as disciples who exercise their Spirit-given gifts both in the church and the world.  Our hope is that every person would grow and fulfill their purpose in the kingdom of God.

 

Community Not a Crowd - Like all churches, we have classes and programs, but our priority is to connect with individuals and connect them with others in healthy and life-giving relationships that are infused by the Holy Spirit.   Every member of our church family is valued. We are a small church, but that allows us to build intimate, kingdom focused relationships where you belong, you are known, and your gifts are appreciated and needed for the function of the body of Christ.    We focus on both the growth of the individual and the community of faith together.

 

Creative - God is the Master Creator and we who are His image bearers are His masterpiece.  (Ephesians 2:10) In that light, we strive to express our faith in a variety of ways.  Here at Red River, we have an abundance of artists who seek to reveal something of Jesus through their craft.  Red River Arts is a wonderful place to grow, serve, support, and be supported in the arts.

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Disciples Not Consumers - C.S. Lewis wrote, “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs.”   Churches however, can easily become purveyors of religious goods and services where they compete with each other to see who can have the most attractive programs and thus attract the most consumers.   We reject this worldly view of what we are and do as Christ’s church.  We humbly acknowledge that without the help of the Lord, we are easily swayed by consumer influences.

 

Instead, we hope to form a community of disciples.  A disciple organizes their life around following, trusting, receiving from and being transformed by Jesus Christ.  Apprentice may be a more understandable synonym for us today.  We learn to live our lives as apprentices to Jesus, who gives life and is the master of life.  This discipleship is not legalistic, but is permeated by the life and grace of the Holy Spirit.  We adhere to the profound truth that Jesus gave us when He said, “Without me you can do nothing.”