#1 Jesus is Lord

But what does that truly mean? In our fast-paced world, we're surrounded by countless leaders, role models, and influencers. Yet, for us, the voice that rises above the clamor is Jesus. Paul, an early Christian thinker, wrote this profound statement:

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

To say “Jesus is Lord” is to say “Jesus is my Lord.”

Here's the thing: Many often refer to Jesus as a "Savior." True, but that's only part of the picture. He's also our King. With Jesus, there's no "pick and choose." We embrace Him as both our Savior and our King. He's not just a route to heaven; He is our Leader, Mentor, and King right here and now. Salvation is not a one-time moment; it’s a lifelong journey spanning into eternity.

Jesus himself made this claim, saying:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) and “I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6)

To love Jesus is to live like Jesus. And when we do, our lives—and our faith communities—become an extension of God’s kingdom here on earth. Placing Jesus at the center of our faith means acknowledging that Jesus is Lord, and living accordingly. It also means we believe this…

#2 All of scripture points to Jesus

Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible is not a moral handbook or a spiritual encyclopedia. It is a story, and Jesus is the hero of that story. The Bible is a library of writings, both divine and human, that come together to tell a unified story that leads us to Jesus. In other words, the Bible is all about Jesus. He’s the hero of the story!

Yet, many sometimes lose sight of this, getting caught up in semantics, theological debates, or traditions. And that's where Jesus' guidance realigns our focus:

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39-40

We love the Bible, we teach the Bible, we study and wrestle with the Bible—but always in a way that leads us to Jesus. He’s the point of scripture. He’s the goal of scripture. He’s always our lead story. We believe all of scripture points to Jesus. Lastly, being a Jesus church means knowing this:

#3 We are invited to follow Jesus

Not just believing in Jesus, but actually making a decision to follow him in our everyday lives.

Jesus said this: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

The issue is not what you know, how long you’ve been a Christian, or how often you attend church. At the end of the day, the only thing you need to ask yourself is, Am I following Jesus? Currently? Actively?

That’s why Neighborhood Church exists. We come together to learn from Jesus and practice his ways. We’re here to learn how to be with Jesus, be like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. But before any of that, we have to place Jesus at the center of our faith. As our former pastor, Steve Harms used to say: Jesus + Nothing = Everything.

Loneliness and isolation have become the norm in our culture today. We live in a hyper-individualized society. But Jesus invites us to something much, much better. A place where we can be seen, known, and loved by others.

That’s why we’re constantly throwing parties and events. It’s why we do small groups and meetups. It’s why you’ll see hundreds of people hanging out together on our patio between services on Sunday. Real, authentic relationships with Jesus and each other are the vehicle for our spiritual growth.

There was an early Christian leader named Paul. Paul wrote letters to the early church. Today, we find those letters in the New Testament of our Bibles. Throughout these letters, he describes the Christian faith with a particular phrase he repeats over and over again. He says following Jesus is all about one another.

• Paul says we should,

• Forgive one another.

• Accept one another.

• Care for one another.

• Encourage one another.

• Submit to one another.

• Restore one another.

• Carry one another’s burdens.

• Bear with one another.

Do you see what Paul is Saying? So much of our journey with Jesus is experienced and expressed in the context of relationships with other people. In the context of community.

It’s why the anonymous author of Hebrews, a letter in the New Testament, wrote “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” Hebrews 10:24-25a

When we join together in community, we encourage one another. We motivate each other to grow in love and compassion. And when we walk together in community, we can accomplish so much more than we could on our own.

Practically speaking, this means we worship together. We serve our community together, blending all of our unique skills and talents. We also interpret the Bible together, learning not only from the authors of scripture, but from each other as we bring our own unique perspectives and backgrounds to the conversation.

At Neighborhood, we often say circles are better than rows.

We love our Sunday services, but Christian community goes so much farther than that. It’s when we turn our seats to face each other that real-life change happens.

When we turn and face each other, we experience friendship, encouragement, inspiration, empathy, and accountability—all the things we need to live flourishing lives.

When we invite you to Neighborhood Church, we’re not inviting you to a building or an event—sure, those are a part of it—but really, it’s an invitation to community. To connection. To be fully known and fully loved by Jesus and his people.

That’s what it’s all about. Community is the center of our life.

When Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” He was inviting us into a mission, one of restoring broken relationships, of embodying divine love right here on Earth. We want our lives to be the answer to that prayer.

At Neighborhood, we see reconciliation expressed in three ways.

First we are Reconciled to God: Our journey starts with our personal relationship with God. We live in a broken world, and all of us carry the weight of our past mistakes. But through Jesus, in His infinite love and mercy, God extends an offer of forgiveness, a bridge to cross the divide. Reconciliation starts with a decision to embrace God's love and mercy, expressed to us fully in Jesus.

Second, we are Reconciled to Each Other: Just as essential as our vertical relationship with God is our horizontal relationship with one another. When we examine the early Christian community, we see they thrived on mutual love, support, and forgiveness.

There's a recurring theme of communal reconciliation throughout the New Testament. It’s a call to love, serve, forgive, and support each other. Authentic community isn't built on nameless crowds but on deep, genuine connections forged through shared experiences, mutual respect, and, most crucially, forgiveness. If we aim to reflect Jesus to our world, we must strive to be a community that sticks together through the practice of divine love.

Lastly, Jesus calls us to be Reconciled to the World: We can't stop at our personal faith or even our church community. Reconciliation extends far beyond the walls of Neighborhood Church. Because if Jesus is for people, then we should be for people, too. This is where our mission intersects with the real, tangible needs of the world around us. In a world filled with heartbreak, our role as followers of Jesus is to bring healing, hope, and wholeness.

To put it in simple terms, we want to continually ask the question, "what does love require of me?" This is a call to action. Jesus was a servant, and if we follow Him, then loving our neighbors should be in our DNA. It's in the act of serving, of "rolling up our sleeves and jumping in," that we truly comprehend the depth and breadth of the Christian life.

We are called to be bridge builders, healers, and ambassadors of love. And in doing so, we don't just reflect Jesus; we become active participants in His eternal, transformative work.