Language

At Evergreen we may use terminology pertaining to the church planting movement, the Free Methodist denomination and also some of our home grown terms. We never want anyone to be confused though so please ask if you ever hear something you don’t understand. To get ahead of some of that though here are a few of the most popular terms used at Evergreen.

Missional Community

A weekly gathering of disciples and seekers as an extended family, sharing life together. Mission communities are the heart and soul of Evergreen. These communities have weekly and monthly rhythms of UP, IN, and OUT, focusing on evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development engaging all people where they are at in their spiritual journey. Each extended family will engage different populations and niche groups of people based off the vision and passions of the leadership.

All Community Gathering

A monthly gathering to celebrate God’s action in our lives, contemplate the mystery of faith through corporate worship, spur one another on in love, and a space to be formed for mission in the world.

Three Streams

As a local body and budding movement, the Lord has called us to live into and embody the convergence of the evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental streams of orthodox Christian faith and praxis. Each stream is rooted in Jesus Christ and provides a vital and holistic aspect of the faith, while challenging us in our formation as missional disciples:

  • Evangelical - Our lives are founded upon the living Word of God, the written Word of God, and the proclaimed Word of God. We embody the Good News of the Gospel through Jesus Christ by entering and inviting all people into His Kingdom. The living, written, and proclaimed Word of God sends us out with compassionate hearts and hands to seek justice, shalom, reconciliation, and the renewal of all things and for all people in our neighborhoods, cities, and the world.

  • Charismatic - We acknowledge and anticipate the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. We seek to live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, be guided by the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and grow in the gifts of the Spirit. We pray, “Come, Holy Spirit” because we seek to live as Jesus did in the fullness of the Spirit, sowing seeds for and anticipating awakening in our day. The Holy Spirit is the one who transforms us more into the image and likeness of Jesus, reordering our disordered desires, helping us to grow in virtue and love so that the holiness of God overflows from us in every way as we follow Jesus as Lord of all. This happens through engaging spiritual disciplines as means of grace which includes fasting, prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, and Christian community.

  • Sacramental - We believe God is revealed and experienced through His creation, most notably the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. Through them we are brought into communion with Jesus Christ whose incarnation among us is the ultimate expression of the revelation of God in creation. The Church then is a continuing sign and symbol, or sacrament, of the Risen Christ to the world. Since God has continuously spoken to humanity throughout various times and places, we value the longevity of the historic tradition of the fathers and mothers of our faith, along with an awareness that we are connected to the global Church past, present, and future. We align our lives to the rhythms of the church calendar which aid us on our journey of following Jesus. All of creation including our work, marriages, families, friendships, and even our bodies are sacramental. God is continuously speaking through the big and small moments of life to remind us of his presence, draw us into His loving embrace, fix our eyes on Him, receive his purifying and fiery love, and delight with Him in prayer.

Discipleship Bands

A bi-weekly gathering where 3-5 people grow in spiritual friendship, mutual accountability, and holy love of God through fellowship with the Holy Spirit. These groups are typically same gender and are meant for those seeking an intentional space for being discipled and growing in their spiritual walk. Contact a leader if you’re interested in joining a discipleship band.

up in And out

Jesus’ way of life involves rhythms of loving God, loving people, and making more and better disciples. Therefore, we do the same by:

  1. Seeking growth in the love of God (UP)

  2. Using spiritual disciplines as means of grace (UP)

  3. Sharing fellowship with spiritual friends (IN)

  4. Engaging mission through love of neighbor (OUT)